National Boston Cream Pie Day

The Dessert That Can’t Decide What It Is

What is the Boston Cream Pie? If you’re imagining a glorious pie with a flaky crust, apples, or maybe even a pecan filling, think again! Despite its name, this dessert is about as much a pie as a hot dog is a sandwich. Yet, Boston Cream Pie somehow pulls off the ultimate identity crisis, fooling the world into thinking a cake can call itself a pie and get away with it.

A Not-So-Pie Pie

The Boston Cream Pie is a delightful contradiction, a dessert that proudly carries the word "pie" in its name but behaves, looks, and tastes much more like a cake. You'd expect something with a flaky crust, maybe filled with fruit or custard, like its pie relatives. Instead, you get two layers of soft, fluffy sponge cake, a rich, silky pastry cream sandwiched in between, and a glossy layer of chocolate ganache poured on top. If this sounds like a cake, that's because it is a cake. But, back in the mid-1800s when this dessert was first created, cake pans weren’t as widely used, and bakers often used pie tins to bake their sponge cakes, which led to some naming confusion.

Why has the name stuck all these years? Maybe it's the charm of tradition, or maybe people enjoy the slight culinary confusion. After all, the Boston Cream Pie joins the ranks of other famously mislabeled foods like "hot dogs" (no actual dogs involved) and "buffalo wings" (sorry, no buffalo). Whatever the reason, it’s a sweet slice of history that proves you don’t have to fit into a neat category to be absolutely delicious.

Blame the French

The credit (or blame) for this naming debacle goes to a French chef by the name of Sanzian, who worked at the Parker House Hotel in Boston. Back in 1856, he crafted this delightful concoction, a riff on the older “pudding-cake pie” that was baked in pie tins. So, naturally, when he layered sponge cake, pastry cream, and chocolate together, everyone said, “Why not call it a pie?” After all, when life gives you cake but no cake pans, just call it a pie. This little twist of fate sealed the deal, and from then on, Boston Cream Pie was born to confuse dessert lovers everywhere.

The Boston Cream Pie isn’t just a dessert for the people—it’s a dessert for presidents! The Parker House Hotel, where it was first created, is famous for hosting U.S. presidents and dignitaries, which means this pie-cake hybrid has probably graced some high-powered dinners. Can you imagine? “Mr. President, would you care for a slice of pie? Just kidding, it’s cake.”

In 1996, Boston Cream Pie was declared the official dessert of Massachusetts. That’s right. Massachusetts took a stand for the dessert with the most misleading name in history and proudly made it their own.

How to Celebrate

To celebrate National Boston Cream Pie Day, the possibilities are as rich and decadent as the dessert itself. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or someone who considers "microwaving leftovers" a form of culinary expertise, there’s something for everyone on this special day. The obvious route, of course, is to whip up your very own Boston Cream Pie at home. Sure, it involves multiple steps—making the sponge cake, the pastry cream, and that luscious chocolate glaze—but think of the bragging rights! You’ll not only have created a culinary masterpiece but can also educate anyone in the vicinity on why this cake gets to parade around under the guise of a pie. Bonus points if you serve it in a pie dish for the full identity crisis experience.

For those who’d rather leave the heavy lifting to the professionals, there’s always the option of visiting a bakery. Whether it's your local go-to or a fancy pâtisserie, picking up a pre-made Boston Cream Pie is a perfectly respectable way to honor the day. After all, pastry chefs go through years of training to perfect the art of sponge cake and pastry cream—who are we to deny them the chance to show off their skills? Plus, there’s the added joy of pretending, just for a moment, that you slaved over a hot oven to bring this beauty to the table. You don’t have to say a word, just let the pie… ahem, cake… do all the talking.

And if you’re feeling especially adventurous (and hungry), a pilgrimage to the Parker House Hotel in Boston could be in order. This is the original birthplace of the Boston Cream Pie, where you can sink your teeth into a piece of dessert history. It’s like meeting the celebrity version of a cake—er, pie—except without the awkward autograph situation. You get to taste the dessert exactly as Chef Sanzian intended, which is a pretty sweet way to honor the day.

Now, for those looking to take their celebration up a notch, why stop at just eating the pie? Make it an event! Invite your friends and family over for a "Pie, Not Pie" party, where every dish is one thing pretending to be another. You could serve Shepherd’s Pie (which has no shepherds in it), Sweet Potato Pie (which is really more of a casserole), and then cap it off with the star of the show: Boston Cream Pie. A fun debate can ensue over which foods are named most confusingly, but let’s be honest—Boston Cream Pie will take the cake. Literally.

Finally, if you're not up for eating the entire pie yourself (which, to be fair, is quite the challenge but not impossible), consider spreading the joy by gifting slices to your friends, neighbors, or coworkers. After all, everyone deserves a little slice of mystery and sweetness in their day. Plus, it gives you the chance to strike up conversations about the pie-that-isn’t-a-pie, which, let’s face it, is the perfect icebreaker. Whether you’re bonding over shared confusion or collective love for pastry cream, it’s a win-win situation.

The beauty of Boston Cream Pie lies in its deception. It's a reminder that names don’t always have to make sense. After all, we don’t question why a hamburger doesn’t contain ham or why jellyfish aren't made of jelly. So, on October 23rd, let’s embrace the delicious absurdity of National Boston Cream Pie Day. Whether you call it a pie, a cake, or a bit of both, one thing’s for sure—it's going to be tasty!

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