While Baskin Robbins may be a product of California innovation (like many great things), the company currently rests its head in Massachusetts, and for April’s Flavor of the Month they’re paying homage to their home base. Boston Cream Pie is really more of a cake, or at the very least a rare cake-pie hybrid, filling yellow butter cake with custard and topping it with a chocolate glaze. Apparently the name dates back to when pies and cakes were made with the same pans and the names were used interchangeably; but with the lack of crumbly crust or graham cracker or any kind of fruit I’m gonna call this a cake. Regardless of what it is or isn’t, the ingredients sound set to make a damn fine ice cream. Baskin Robbin’s take on the iconic cake combines Boston Cream Filling flavored mousse ice cream, chocolate ice cream, and pound cake pieces all wrapped together with a chocolate swirl.

I was pretty wary at the idea of “boston cream filling flavored mousse ice cream” but I’m surprised by how much it really tastes like it. Mind you, I haven’t had too many experiences with the pie, but from the limited slices I’ve had, and the doughnut from Dunkin’, and a couple flavored yogurts, this is right on the money with that custard-y silky cake-y taste. It’s a flavor that’s hard to describe but it’s a slightly egg-y and super creamy vanilla with a great heavy cream finish. The chocolate is standard BR stuff – light and smooth with mellow cocoa notes that are nothing remarkable or offensive.

The chocolate swirl is downright fantastic. Thick and fudgey with and intense sweetness and semisweet cocoa flavor accented by a slight gritty sugar crunch. At first it’s firm and a little stiff, and as the ice cream tempers it becomes purely sumptuous. I’m surprised by how much I love this swirl, given the similar sounding and relatively lackluster one in Bobsled Brownie earlier this year. It’s pretty much perfect.

Rounding out the cake-pie-hybrid experience are the pound cake pieces, which are also pretty great. They’re your typical yellow cake mix-in with soft dairy-soaked squish and slightly buttery flavor that works well with the mousse ice cream to emulate the Boston cream dream.

Boston Cream Pie feels decadent and very rich. It has a super premium vibe to it, and clocking in at 300 calories and 16 grams of fat per serving it has the makings of a really high quality product. The only thing holding this homage to Massachusetts back is the chocolate ice cream, which takes away from the great contrast between the mousse, cake, and fudge; but all in all it really is a truly crave-able scoop.

Rating: 8/10

Found at: Baskin Robbins ($3.19)