Sunday Sweets: Butterbeer Cupcakes

October 3, 2010 // By : amybites // Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Love Butterbeer Cupcakes? Check out Golden Snitch Butterbeer Cake Pops!

Welcome to a very special edition of Sunday Sweets! If you’re new to this blog, let me explain. Sunday Sweets is a series I do every few weeks to share super indulgent recipes that wouldn’t otherwise be featured amongst my healthy, everyday eating recipes. Most days you’ll see healthy fare here, but we all need some sweets now and then, right? Onto the good stuff!
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Unless you are a Harry Potter nerd like myself, this post may require a bit of explanation. A few weekends ago, my boyfriend and I made the drive down to Orlando to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure park. I’m a huge fan of Harry Potter (and I don’t care who knows it!)—it’s been a part of my life for over 10 years, so when they announced the theme park, I knew I had to go. It was awesome! But since this is a food blog, let’s get to the point. Possibly the best thing about the park was the butterbeer.
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If you’ve read the books or seen the movies, you know that butterbeer is a beverage in the Harry Potter universe. There’s been a lot of speculation in the fan community over the years as to what it tastes like, and there’s been lots of recipe experimenting. However, I think that whoever developed the recipe for the park did an amazing job. I couldn’t get enough of the stuff! It was served in two forms: regular, just like soda, or frozen, like a slushie (my favorite)—both topped with a delicious, creamy, frothy, thick foam. The way I can best describe it is like butterscotch cream soda—but better.
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After I had my first glass, I immediately started formulating recipe ideas. The flavor just seemed to lend itself to cupcakes! I didn’t expect to get it right the first time, but you guys, these are so delicious. Even if you have no idea what butterbeer is or have never tasted it, you will love these. Essentially, the flavor profile is that of a buttery cream soda cake, filled with butterscotch ganache, topped with a butterscotch buttercream and drizzled with more butterscotch ganache. It sounds kind of intense, but trust me on this. They’re amazing. And I am shocked at how close the flavor is to the real stuff at Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The only thing missing is the fizz! I’m super proud of these—you should definitely try these, whether you’re a Harry Potter fan or not! Let’s get to it.
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Your cast of characters for the cakes. Some things to note: you’ll need butter flavoring, and this is important. It definitely has a unique taste that can’t be achieved just with butter itself. I found it for 99 cents at Kroger, so it’s not a big deal to get a hold of. Also, you need dark brown sugar. Light brown (regular) would also work, but dark brown gives it a distinct molasses flavor and a much richer flavor overall. Lastly, you need vanilla cream soda. Do not use Diet. For any other purpose, you know I’d tell you otherwise, but these cupcakes aren’t about calorie-cutting, ok? Trust me.

First, cream your room-temperature butter together with your sugars until well-combined and fluffy, like so:

Now beat in your eggs, one by one. Mix well after each addition. Then add in your vanilla and butter flavoring and mix well.

Now you’re going to alternate adding buttermilk…

Cream soda…

And your dry ingredients (whisked together) until they’re all added.

I could’ve eaten this entire bowl with a spoon. It’s so good. Try to resist! Fill your cupcake pans.

And bake for 15 to 17 minutes until a tester comes out clean and the cake springs back slightly when touched.

Mmm. Golden brown goodness. Let those cool completely on wire racks.

Now it’s time for your butterscotch ganache, which will be the filling and be in the buttercream frosting. It’s super simple. In a double boiler (a heat-safe bowl set over a simmering pot of water on the stove), combine 11 oz. (1 package) of butterscotch chips with a cup of heavy cream and stir until completely melted, combined, and shiny.

This will be a lot thinner than your standard chocolate ganache, but don’t worry. Let it cool down and it will thicken up a bit.

The best way to do the filling is to buy a cheap squeeze bottle (this one was less than a dollar) and fill it with your ganache using a funnel. Stick the tip about halfway into each cupcake and squeeze lightly until you see the filling start to come out the top.

Basically what this step does is create a moist little burst of butterscotch flavor in the center of the cupcake.

Now it’s time for your frosting! Not shown in this cast of characters: butter flavoring, which you’ll be using again to make the buttercream.
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I didn’t take photos of the process (I totally spaced it!) but it’s pretty simple—like any other buttercream. First, cream your room-temperature butter until light and fluffy. Then beat in your butterscotch, salt, vanilla, and butter flavoring and mix until combined. Then beat in your powdered sugar about a cup at a time until you’ve reached the texture of buttercream! If it gets a little too dry towards the end, throw in a splash of milk or cream.
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Then pipe your buttercream onto your cupcakes and top with a drizzle of butterscotch ganache!
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Serve with some butterbeer, perhaps?

I wish! Sadly, it’s only cream soda, but served in my butterbeer souvenir cup, I can imagine that it’s the real thing.

These cupcakes…wow. They are so good. And so butterbeer-esque! The flavor is definitely pretty much as close as you can get to the real thing without booking a trip to Orlando. The frosting and butterscotch ganache are sweet and rich—but it’s balanced out by the cake, which is light, fluffy, and has a lovely, buttery, savory-sweet balance. I’m super proud of how these turned out and I hope you’ll all try them whether you give a hoot about Harry Potter or not! If you are a fan though…these would be great to make for the movie premiere next month…just sayin’. :) Enjoy!
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Butterbeer Cupcakes
Makes 18
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For the cupcakes:
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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
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For the ganache:
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1 11-oz. package butterscotch chips
1 cup heavy cream
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For the buttercream frosting:
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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)
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For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pans with paper liners. Combine your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside. 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.
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Alternate adding your buttermilk, cream soda, and dry ingredients in batches until all are well incorporated. 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.
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For butterscotch filling: 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. Cool to room temperature. Fill a squeeze bottle with ganache and insert into the center of each cupcake, squeezing until filling begins to overflow.
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For buttercream frosting: Cream butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Add in ganache, vanilla, butter flavoring, and salt and mix until well combined. Beat in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until reaching desired consistency. Add milk or cream by the Tablespoon as needed. Frost cupcakes and top with a drizzle of butterscotch ganache.
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