The Original Boston Cream Pie Featured This Sweet Liquor

Though the name can be confusing, a Boston cream pie isn't actually a pie but an elaborate layered cake that delivers an unignorable compilation of flavors. The sweet treat calls for both chocolate ganache and vanilla custard. The custard (specifically pastry cream) is sandwiched between fluffy pieces of rich sponge cake, while the chocolate is used to top the creation.

The decadent dessert can be traced back to 1856 when the cake was presented at the grand opening of Boston's Parker House (now known as Omni Parker House). The original recipe was decorated with both white and chocolate fondant icing as well as sliced almonds, and the creamy filling was spiked with dark rum. Decorative swirls of white fondant added extra flair to the top of the assembly, and the chef known simply as Monsieur Sanzian (real name: Augustine François Anezin) became something of a culinary legend (despite the polarizing nature of fondant icing). Though rum has since become an optional addition to modern interpretations of the classic dessert, many recipes continue to use rum-flavored pastry cream or ganache flavored with the boozy inclusion. 

When Monsieur Sanzian (or chef Anezin, whatever you want to call him) was in his kitchen developing this creation, cake tins and pie tins were frequently swapped. In fact, the names themselves were flexible descriptors for various desserts, perhaps explaining why this cream-filled cake is called a pie.

While Sanzian's initial Boston cream pie was a hit, it was also a bit too elaborate for many aspiring home cooks — that is until Betty Crocker unveiled a pre-packaged cake mix. This convenient mix appeased Americans looking to pick up an easy to make dessert from market shelves to produce at home, eliminating the need to hunt for various ingredients. But it also removed the rum flavor from the custard filling.

Should you feel ambitious, our own decadent Boston cream pie recipe can be put together in under two hours. You'll need brandy (rather than rum) and orange juice to make this version of the moist, flavorful dessert. Using brandy results in a delicious, if slightly changed, dessert — but still one that will make a stunning display at your next dinner party. Add sliced toasted almonds to the top of your finished creation to mimic the original presentation of the impressive dessert before raising a glass to Sanzian (be it dark rum, brandy, or Champagne, the best wine to pair with Boston cream pie).