For those of you who have read Harry Potter (or just seen the movies – you should really read the books though, they’re much better), know that butterbeer is a popular beverage featured in the books/movies and at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It’s a butterscotch-y, toffee flavored beverage with a frothy, creamy head – it’s very delicious! A friend hired me to make her #nerdwedding dreams come true and I crafted four types of cupcakes and a small wedding cake for the event – Harry Potter Butterbeer, Zelda Heart Container Red Velvet, Portal the Cake is a Lie German Chocolate, Star Wars Light Side Vanilla cupcakes and Butter Pecan Toffee cake. After a few tests of cake recipes, frosting options and decorations, this is it – Harry Potter Butterbeer Cupcakes! Buttery, toffee cupcakes, creamy butterscotch ganache with a butterscotch whipped cream frosting.
Butterbeer (Butterscotch) Cupcakes
26-30 cupcakes
Cake Ingredients
2 ¾ cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ¾ cup dark brown sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon butter extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup toffee bits
Butterbeer Ganache (optional)
1 cup butterscotch chips
½ cup heavy cream
Butterbeer Frosting
2 ¼ cups heavy cream
1/3 cup butterscotch instant pudding mix dry, 1 small box
½ cup powdered sugar
3 teaspoons butter extract
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 F. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners OR well spray 3, 6” pans.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between additions. Scrape down the bowl between eggs.
- Add the vanilla and butter flavors and mix well.
- On low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture in three parts and buttermilk – flour, milk, flour, milk, flour.
- Using a large Oxo scoop (3 Tbps), drop heaping scoopfuls of batter into the lined muffin tins. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until cupcakes spring back slightly when pressed OR when a toothpick comes out clean/with few crumbs. If baking in 6” pans, bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
- Let cool on a wire rack before decorating.
Ganache and Frosting
- While the cupcakes are cooling prepare the ganache and frosting.
- Ganache: Place butterscotch chips in a small bowl.
- In a small saucepan, heat heavy cream until just simmering.
- Pour the hot cream over the butterscotch chips and let sit for 3-4 minutes.
- Whisk cream and chips until smooth and homogenous. Let chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. Prepare the frosting.
- Frosting: Combine all the ingredients in a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high for 2-3 minutes, until a light and fluffy frosting forms. Keep an eye on it and do not over beat.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a 1M large star tip (or a large round tip).
Cupcake Assembly
- Once the cupcakes are cool, spoon chilled butterscotch ganache onto the tops of the cupcakes. Or you can carefully dip the tops in the ganache.
- Set them aside to settle the ganache.
- Pipe frosting on as desired. Top with sprinkles and/or chocolate Harry Potter themed shapes.
