Boston Creme Cupcakes

Like the cake, only better. Courtesy of foodnetwork.com.

Cupcake Ingredients

1/3 cup shortening
1 3/4 cups sifted cake flour
3/4 cups sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Cupcake Instructions

Place shortening in mixing bowl. Sift in dry ingredients. Add egg and 1/2 cup milk and mix until flour is moistened. Beat for about 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup milk and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes longer. Fill paper lined muffin cups. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool before proceeding with filling.

Filling Ingredients

1 1/4 cups cold milk
1 (3.4-ounce) box vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
1 tablespoon vanilla

Filling Instructions

Combine milk, instant pudding mix, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat mixture until it thickens. Place mixture in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Spoon filling into a pastry bag fitted with a medium-size plain tip. Fill cupcakes with vanilla pudding filling by inserting tip into top of cupcake and squeezing a couple of tablespoons of filling into each cupcake.

Topping Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1/4 cup icing sugar, sifted

Topping Instructions

Heat heavy cream in a saucepan until bubbles appear around edges. Remove from heat, add chocolate morsels to pan, and whisk until smooth. Cool slightly before spooning over tops of cupcakes. Refrigerate until set before serving. Dust with icing sugar.