Butterbeer Cupcakes

I visited the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios a few months ago. Being an avid Harry Potter fan, I was curious to know how the park would look and feel — and I was curious to know what the butterbeer would taste like! I was skeptical — mainly because I don’t like super, super sweet ANYTHING. I tried the frozen butterbeer and it was a-m-a-z-i-n-g. I would have had a second and third and fourth glass if I didn’t have a conscience that told me, “stop – there are probably 1,000 calories in one glass!” The theme park itself was also amazing and you really did feel like you were *in* the books. The employees even referred to the patrons as muggles.

I found a recipe for butterbeer CUPCAKES and had to try! They are filled with butterscotch and cream soda flavors and really do taste like the butterbeer at the park!

Butterbeer Cupcakes
Recipe source: amybites.com

For the cupcakes:
2 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cream soda

For the ganache:
1 11-oz. package butterscotch chips
1 cup heavy cream

For the buttercream frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup butterscotch ganache
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 16-oz. package powdered sugar
Splash of milk or cream (as needed)

For the cupcakes:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. Combine your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream your butter until light and fluffy. Add your sugars and beat until well-combined. Beat in your eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then beat in your vanilla and butter flavoring.
4. Alternate adding your buttermilk, cream soda, and dry ingredients in batches until all are well incorporated.
5. Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full, then bake for 15 to 17 minutes until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and cake springs back to the touch. Cool completely on wire racks.

For butterscotch filling:
1. In a double boiler (heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water on the stove), combine butterscotch chips and heavy cream and stir until completely combined and smooth.
2. Cool to room temperature.
3. Fill a squeeze bottle with ganache and insert into the center of each cupcake, squeezing until filling begins to overflow.

For buttercream frosting:
1.
Cream butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Add in ganache, vanilla, butter flavoring, and salt and mix until well combined.
2. Beat in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until reaching desired consistency. Add milk or cream by the Tablespoon as needed.
3. Frost cupcakes. You can top with a drizzle of ganache or with butterscotch chips.



10 thoughts on “Butterbeer Cupcakes”

  • this sounds so yummy! i can’t wait to try this out myself! butterbeer sounds absolutely delicious, i want to go visit the park now!

  • Yay, another Harry Potter fan! :-) My sister sucked me into watching the movies when she came to stay with us over her winter break, and I ended up making her a butterbeer cake for her birthday. I’d love to visit the theme park…it sounds like you had a lot of fun!

  • Those look amazing! I know this is a silly question, but will you please tell me how you pipe the icing like that? I can’t wait to try this recipe!

  • Tracy — I saw your butterbeer cake! It looked amazing. I have it bookmarked and on my “to try” list :) Gotta love Harry Potter.

    Courtney — Thank you! I used a big round tip (Wilton 1A) for the icing. Fill a pastry bag and slowly pipe the icing out using that tip — it will form that shape. Let me know if you have other questions.

  • You can buy butter flavoring in the baking aisle of your grocery store — near the vanilla & other extracts. McCormick makes the type that I buy.

Leave a Reply to Annie Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *