Harry Potter's Butterbeer Cupcakes

Perfect for Halloween, a Harry Potter party,

a Fall treat or anytime you are craving

 intense butterscotch,

 these "Butterbeer" cupcakes

are absolutely delicious.

My niece Shaunna is a huge Harry Potter fan and

she saw these on Pinterest and requested I make

them for her.  We had her over to dinner last night

and I surprised her with these butterscotchy delights.

I saw them posted by Farm Girl Recipes

and I just loved the way she presented them on 

the stacked Harry Potter books,

so I tried to recreate

her idea.  We were all reading Harry Potter books at

the same time so I have multiple copies of each one.

She found the recipe on Amy Bites.

Thanks Amy for this yummy recipe.

Definitely a recipe worth trying.

This is butterscotch heaven. 

 If you aren't a fan of

Harry Potter, you might not know that butterbeer

is a non-alcoholic drink the kids have 

when they go into the town of Hogsmeade.

Last year Shaunna and I

 flew on our magical broomsticks to

Universal Studio's 

Wizarding World of Harry Potter

   Click here to find my version

of butterbeer.

Although Farm Girl points out there aren't

actually any butterbeer cupcakes in the

Harry Potter books, I am sure they were

probably on that magical dining table!

The little surprise that I didn't realize 

until I started making the cupcakes is that

each one is plumped full of a butterscotch

ganache made of butterscotch chips and

whipping cream.

It is just ooey gooey goodness inside.

Butterbeer Cupcakes

Cupcakes

2  C. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 C. softened butter

1/2 C. dark brown sugar

1/2 C. white sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp butter flavor (found in baking aisle)

1/2 C. buttermilk

1/2 C. cream soda

Butterscotch Ganache

11 oz. pkg. butterscotch chips

1 C. heavy whipping cream

Frosting

1/2 C. softened butter

1/3 C. butterscotch ganache

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. butter flavor

1/8 tsp. salt

1 lb. powdered sugar

1 T. milk (more if needed)

Preheat the oven to 350 and place

12 cupcake liners in muffin pans.

Cupcakes:  Mix the dry ingredients

and set aside.  Cream butter until it is fluffy, then

add the sugars.  Beat until creamy.  Add

eggs one at a time, scraping bowl between

each addition.  Then beat in flavorings.

Alternately beat in your liquids - the

buttermilk and cream soda, with the

dry ingredients, mixing well between

each addition and scraping the bowl down.

Fill cupcake cups 3/4 full.  Bake until tops

spring back about 20 minutes.

Let cool.

While cakes are baking, place the chips

and cream in a microwaveable bowl.  Stir

together.  Heat on high for one minute.  Stir,

then heat in 30 second increments until

the chips are melted.  Let cool until

room temperature.

When cakes are cool, place the cooled ganache

in a squeeze bottle and fill each cupcake until

the ganache begins to come out of the top

of the cupcake.

Frosting:

Beat the butter until fluffy, then add the ganache

and the powdered sugar and flavorings.  Add the

milk a little at a time (a touch more if necessary) 

until the frosting is creamy.

Spoon frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a

large open tip.  Pipe the frosting on the cupcakes,

then drizzle additional ganache on the cupcakes.

Enjoy these rich luscious treats and take

a cue from Farm Girl and get out your

Harry Potter books to display them on.

I will be posting this with

Tabletop Tuesday

Foodie Friday

Sweets For A Saturday

On The Menu Monday