National Boston Cream Pie Day is observed annually on October 23, celebrating the delicious dessert known as Boston cream pie, which is more of a cake than a pie. This dessert was invented in 1856 by Armenian-French chef Sanzian at the Parker House Hotel in Boston, where it was originally called Parker House Chocolate Cream Pie. The cake consists of a sponge cake filled with vanilla-flavored crème pâtissière or custard, topped with chocolate glaze, and may also be garnished with powdered sugar or maraschino cherries. In 1996, it was declared the official dessert of Massachusetts. To mark this day, people often indulge in various Boston cream pie-inspired treats, including cupcakes filled with vanilla custard and topped with chocolate ganache, as well as Boston cream doughnuts, which are filled with creamy custard and topped with chocolate icing. The doughnut was designated the official doughnut of Massachusetts in 2003.