Boston Cream Cupcakes

Introduction
While Boston Cream pie is a classic, it can be time consuming to make. This recipe incorporates the Boston Cream pie flavors we all know and love -- the contrast of creamy vanilla with rich, dark chocolate -- into cupcake form.

Info
Cook Time: Approximately 1 hour

Serves: 24

Ingredients

 * 1 box cake mix
 * ingredients required to prepare cake mix (see directions on package)
 * 1 3.4-ounce box vanilla flavored instant pudding mix
 * 1 1/4 cups cold whole milk
 * 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
 * 1 cup heavy cream
 * 1 12-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips
 * Optional: 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Directions
1.Bake cupcakes according to directions on cake mix box.

2.In a large bowl, combine milk, pudding mix and vanilla extract. Blend for two minutes using a hand blender. Refrigerate mixture for 15 minutes.

3.Fill pastry bag with pudding mixture.

4.To inject vanilla pudding mixture into cupcakes, insert pastry bag tip into cupcake, squeezing a tablespoon of filling into each cupcake.

5.To make the ganache topping, heat cream in saucepan until bubbles form around the edges. This should take less than five minutes. Once bubbles form, quickly remove saucepan from heat and add the chocolate chips. Whisk the chocolate cream mixture until it is smooth.

6.Glaze the cupcakes by spooning or drizzling the ganache over them. Alternately, you can also dunk cupcake tops directly into the ganache.

Tips

 * If you are running low on cream, a mixture of cream and half and half will also work.
 * If you do not have a pastry bag, you can use a mustard bottle to fill the cupcakes instead. Just empty the mustard bottle (to refill later), clean it out and use it in place of the pastry bag.

Warnings

 * Make sure you buy instant pudding mix, or else you may end up with a drippy mess for a filling.

Things You'll Need

 * Cupcake liners
 * 2 cupcake pans
 * large bowl
 * hand mixer
 * pastry bag with medium-sized tip
 * small heavy saucepan