Harry Potter Themed Cupcakes: Magical Butterbeer Recipe
A likely favourite dessert of Harry Potter, these butterbeer cupcakes feature a rich butterscotch sauce filling and are crowned with a smooth, creamy butterbeer frosting.
Ingredients
FOR THE CUPCAKES
- 100 g (½ cup) caster sugar (US granulated sugar)
- 75 g (¼ cup + 2 tablespoons) light brown sugar
- 125 g (1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 Units Large eggs
- 50 ml (1/5 cup) plain or vanilla yogurt
- 59 g (2.1 oz) butterscotch angel delight — one UK packet
- ½ tbsp Vanilla extract
- 175 g (1½ cups) plain or all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp Cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tbsp Baking powder
- ½ tbsp Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- ¼ tbsp Salt
FOR THE BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE
- 60 g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 100 g (½ cup) dark brown sugar
- 120 ml (½ cup) double or heavy cream
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Vanilla extract
FOR THE BUTTERBEER BUTTERCREAM
- 75g tbsp (2/3 cup) tablespoons plain or all-purpose flour
- 400 g (2 cups) caster sugar (US granulated sugar)
- ½ tbsp Salt
- 480 ml (2 cups) single cream (light cream)
- 3 tbsp Vanilla extract
- 450 g (2 cups) unsalted butter, softened
- 59 g (2.1 oz) butterscotch angel delight – one UK packet
- Edible gold balls to decorate (optional)
Instructions
FOR THE CUPCAKES
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 355°F (160°C fan) and line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake cases or liners.
- Place the butter in the bowl of your stand mixer (or a medium-sized bowl if using an electric hand mixer) and beat for a minute or so until light and creamy. Mix both types of sugar thoroughly, beating for at least a minute. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition, until all the eggs have been incorporated into the butter.
- Add the yogurt, angel delight powder, and vanilla extract to the bowl and beat well for a minute or two, scraping around the sides of the bowl to make sure the batter is well mixed. Add the flour, cornflour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt and fold together on a low speed until well combined.
- Spoon the batter into the cupcake cases, filling about two thirds full. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the surface feels springy to the touch. A toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcakes should come out clean, without any crumbs on. Leave the cupcakes in the tray to cool for five minutes, and then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
FOR THE BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE
- Add all the butterscotch sauce ingredients to a saucepan and heat on low, stirring occasionally, until all the butter has melted. Increase the temperature to medium and bring to a gentle boil, and then cook for five minutes. Make sure to stir the mixture occasionally to stop it catching on the bottom. Once boiled for five minutes, remove from the hob and leave to cool in the saucepan until needed.
FOR THE BUTTERBEER BUTTERCREAM
- Place the flour, sugar, salt, single cream, and vanilla extract in a small saucepan, and whisk together. Heat on medium-low, whisking occasionally so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Once the mixture starts to get a little lumpy, then whisk continually whilst still on the heat for two minutes or so, until a nice thick paste forms. The paste should hold its shape for a while when drizzled back on itself (like cream at soft peaks).
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, and leave to cool for a few minutes. Pour into a small bowl and cover the surface of the paste with clingfilm to stop a skin from forming, and pop in the fridge to cool (this may take up to an hour).
- Beat the butter for at least five minutes in a stand or hand-held mixer. Once light and fluffy, add the cooled flour paste one third at a time, beating well between additions. Once combined, add the butterscotch angel delight powder, and mix well.
TO ASSEMBLE
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, remove the middle of the cupcakes using an apple corer or a knife, making sure not to cut right to the bottom of the cupcakes. Pipe or spoon some butterscotch sauce into the middle of each of the cupcakes, filling all the way back up to the top.
- Using a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle, pipe swirls of the buttercream on top of each of the cupcakes. Top with drizzles of the remaining butterscotch sauce and some edible gold balls
Video
Notes
The cupcakes will stay fresh for 3–4 days. The unfrosted and unfilled cupcakes can be frozen for up to three months. Defrost at room temperature overnight and then fill and frost.
You can also frost these cupcakes with regular buttercream if preferred - add the packet of angel delight to give it a butterscotch flavour.