13 Jul 2011 Butterbeer Cupcakes

Harry Potter.  My 20 year old twins have tickets to the midnight show.  Of course they do.  They were in second grade when I read the first book to them. We stood in line at midnight for the fifth book to be released. After Book Two we had to buy multiple copies of each because no one (myself and their older sister included) could possibly wait for someone else to finish the book before they could start it. They’ve both read all seven books at least three times.  Yes, that’s right.  They’ve both read ALL seven books at least three times.  We have some books on ten disk CD sets.  They listen to them when driving home from college. They saw all seven movies on the day they were released. We own all the DVDs. Tomorrow’s movie premier:  Book Seven, part Two is the end.  The end of everything.  The last Harry Potter movie signals the end of their childhood just as much as their high school graduation, their high school prom, and their first nights in their college dorms rooms did.

My daughter is running a Harry Potter marathon tonight.  She’s  set up the Three Broomsticks Tavern.  Tonight’s specials: Butterbeer cupcakes and Cockroach Clusters (chocolate covered pretzel clusters sprinkled with powdered sugar) and Butterbeer Floats (cream soda with butter pecan ice cream).

These cupcakes are delicious; a from scratch cupcake, a filling, a frosting, and a drizzle!  To die for.  Oops. A double entendre.

I found the recipe at AmyBites, as have a good many other people!  Thanks, Amy!  I left out the artificial butter flavoring, and I should probably say to reduce the ganache by half.  Abby had a lot left over…, but I think it will be a good drizzle for that leftover butter pecan ice cream 🙂

Butterbeer Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cream soda

For the ganache (for the filling and the drizzle):

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
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 16-oz. package powdered sugar
Splash of milk or cream (as needed)

For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pans with paper liners. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy. Add sugars and beat until well-combined, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then beat in vanilla. Add one third of flour mixture to butter-sugar mixture and stir to incorporate.  Add half of the buttermilk and half of the cream soda and mix to combine. Add half of remaining flour mixture, mix well.  Add remaining buttermilk and cream soda, mix well.  Stir in remaining flour mixture.

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: 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.

For buttercream frosting: Cream butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Add in cooled ganache, vanilla, 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.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today!  These are very, very good cupcakes, even if you are not into Harry Potter or Butterbeer 🙂  If you are into Harry Potter, you have to make them.  To mark and to celebrate the end of and era.  A very, very good era.

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10 Responses
  1. Danette says:

    Polly, my 21 y/o son and I have read every book (several times), seen all the movies (several times), and listened to the audio books (alternating between books and cd’s to finish a story). We stood in line at midnight at the local bookstore to get our books, and have gone to the midnight shows for the last several movies (staying awake is harder and harder for me – hardly anyone in line is as old as I am). It is our thing to do together. We are with you — the finale of the Harry Potter series is the end of an era. Not sure if I’ll have time to make the cupcakes before we leave to get in line at the theatre, but I’m gonna try! Thanks!

  2. Polly says:

    Danette, your singing our song! It’s been great, hasn’t it? I just read a review of the movie, and it’s supposed to be fantastic. YAY!

  3. Louise says:

    Just in time to take to the grandkids this afternoon!

  4. Sharon says:

    Leaving right after work to drive to Vacaville to see midnight movie with sister and her kids, so no time to make cupcakes tonight, but hope to this weekend! My son didn’t start reading chapter books till the first Harry Potter, and that hooked him. We’ve both read all, and he still reads science fiction constantly. We went to an author signing after book 3 came out (here in San Jose) and got JK Rowling’s signature on books one and two! Alex and his girlfriend borrowed the last book on CD to listen to when they drove from San Diego when he moved up here recently for his first job after college. AND, I went to an HP convention in Las Vegas (some years ago) and won an award in the art show! So yes, like you, HP and his world is near and dear to my heart. Thanks for the recipe!

  5. ratty says:

    my sister, Jennifer, buys TWO copies of every book…, the UK version and the USA version 🙂 And, right now, I am listening to them all on my PC while I sew (or on my memory stick while I’m at work)! This is the first time I’ve listened to the audiobooks and i’m rather enjoying it!

  6. Tes says:

    We love Harry Potter, too. I got the collections for my son and he can’t even says ABC yet 🙂 We can’t wait to see the final chapter this month 🙂
    Your cupcake looks amazing. The flavour combo sounds unique and intriguing 🙂

  7. I just watched the movie, last night and wow it is really worth watching. I only follow Harry Potter on the big screen coz I don’t really like reading =) The cupcakes look great!

  8. Mary says:

    Oh my goodness what wonderful cupcakes – lovely to hear about your twins! I was at the midnight show with my daughters – thought it was one of the best!
    Mary

  9. LouiseM says:

    I just recently found your blog. I’m an older adult, but I’ve been a Harry Potter fan since the beginning. It’s helped me learn written Spanish as I’ve gotten each book in two languages. Clearly I needed the dictionary for some unusual terms. I just made a small batch of these (I do that often using # of eggs as the divisor) and they are terrific. I’ll be making a full batch in the near future. Thanks for sharing.

  10. Louise says:

    I made a batch of these in July, and froze leftover cupcakes, frosting and all. I just served them to sudden visitors, and they were even better than in July. Thanks!

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