Boston Cream Pie

Adapted from Cooking Light
Makes a 9" cake

• 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp sugar, separated
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
• 3/4 cup milk
• Vanilla Pastry Cream (recipe follows)
• Ganache (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9" cake pan.

Whip egg whites until foamy, adding 3 tbsp sugar gradually and continuing to whip until stiff peaks form. Make sure the bowl and beater(s) are sparkling clean and dry before you begin. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, cream together the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, beating for another minute or two until well combined. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, then slowly beat in, alternating with the milk, until fully combined.

Stir in a quarter of the egg whites into the cake batter to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Pour the batter into the greased cake pan and bake for 35 minutes. A toothpick or wooden skewer inserted in the center should come back cleanly.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer cake to a rack to cool completely.

Evenly slice the cake in half horizontally, placing the bottom half cut-side up on your cake plate. Spread on the pastry cream. Top with the other half and spread the ganache over the top evenly. (It should spill down the sides a little.)

Chill the entire cake in the fridge for at least one hour so that the glaze can set before serving.