MINI BOSTON CREAM PIES

Mini Boston Cream Pies image

Provided by Pat Morris

Time 25m

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 box (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 box (3.4 oz.) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 c cold milk
1/2 c cool whip topping, thawed
2/3 c heavy whipping cream, cold
1 c (6 oz) semi sweet chocolate chips
THIS GANACHE IS ALSO EXCELLENT AS A FILLING OR ICING FOR A CAKE.

Steps:

1. HEAT oven to 350ºF.
2. PREPARE cake batter and bake as directed on package for 24 cupcakes. Cool the mini cakes completely.
3. BEAT pudding mix and milk (1 cup) with a whisk 2 min. Let stand 5 min.
4. MEANWHILE, use serrated knife to cut cupcakes horizontally in half. Whisk 1/2 cup COOL WHIP into pudding;
5. SPOON the pudding/custard mixture onto bottom halves of cupcakes, using about 1 Tbsp. for each. Cover with cupcake tops.
6. HEAT whipping cream in a 1-quart saucepan,over low heat just to boiling. REMOVE from heat; stir in chocolate chips until melted.
7. LET STAND about 15 minutes or until mixture coats a spoon.
8. SPOON about 2 teaspoons chocolate Ganache onto each mini Boston Cream Pie top. This is a simple Ganache -there are more involved ones you can make; for these minis, this works great and is good! ENJOY!!
9. NOTE: You can bake the mini cakes in paper cupcake liners and instead of cutting the cakes in half, you can cut out a small plug down from the middle top of the cake (don't go all the way to the bottom); remove the cut out section and pipe the pudding mixture down in the hole; replace the cut out piece of cake and then spoon on the ganache. Even though it won't look like a mini Boston Cream Pie (and you won't be able to get as much filling in it), it is just another way of making the little cakes.