Harry Potter Butterbeer Cupcakes

I'm totally geeking out over these Harry Potter Butterbeer Cupcakes.

I'm not ashamed to admit I'm a Harry Potter fanatic. I've done some pretty embarrassing things all in the name of The Boy Who Lived. Dressing up in little kid robes (for some reason, they didn't make them in adult sizes... weird) and going to the bookstore at midnight to get the latest Harry Potter book (I've done that at least twice). Knitting a Harry Potter scarf and wearing it to every Harry Potter midnight movie I have gone to (and I'm wearing it tonight too!) Dressing up as Hermione Granger during our homecoming week in high school and literally forcing the only redhead in school to act like Ron Weasley and take a picture with us.

It does not get geekier than this. Two Harry Potter fans holding a Ron Weasley lookalike hostage so we can take a photo (note the aggressive wand use) ... in a BAND room. Nerds!

And I used a quote from Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore in my high school graduation speech.

 "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." 

(I really should have used "Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!" but then I'd be a real freak!)

OK, so this was a good seven years ago, but my nerdiness is still pretty much 100% intact (thank goodness I'm already married ... after this post, I'd never be able to find a husband). In April, I took a spring break trip to ... the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

This is the picture the Merriam-Webster dictionary uses for "joy." See also: "odd."

Mmmmm.... Butterbeer!

I knew I had to do something special for tonight's midnight movie premiere. The last Harry Potter movie ever. *Tear* What to do, what to do? Then fate floated a tweet from Bon Appétit with a link to a blogger (and fellow Harry Potter-head) at Amy Bites. Now, this was a recipe for Golden Snitch Butterbeer Cake Pops,but I just didn't think I had the patience/skill required. My hopes were dashed until I read a link about Butterbeer Cupcakes. Now, cupcakes I can (kind of) do. I'm much more of a cook than a baker, but I'll do anything for The Boy with the Lightning Bolt Scar, so I gave it a go. And they were perfection in a cupcake liner. Light and fluffy cream soda-flavored cupcakes, filled with a butterscotch ganache and topped with buttercream frosting and drizzled with more butterscotch ganache. Yes, it's a sugar rush (especially if you accidentally buy the jumbo-sized liners like I did!) but oh.so.delicious. Serve it with a mug of butterbeer (recipe below, courtesy of Mugglenet) and get ready to enjoy the end of an era.

Delicious, creamy Butterbeer in my souvenir mug from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Happy Cupcake Making! If you're not a Harry Potter fan, you could just call these Cream Soda Cupcakes with Butterscotch Ganache Filling and Buttercream Frosting, but really, where's the fun in that?


And if you ARE a Harry Potter fan, please leave me your favorite Harry Potter quote in the comments below. I'll give you mine-  just check in the comments box.

Butterbeer Cupcakes
Makes 18
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For the cupcakes: .
Ingredients

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:.
1 11-oz. package butterscotch chips
1 cup heavy cream
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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)
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Directions

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.

Source: http://amybites.com/?p=623

Three Broomsticks Butterbeer

Ingredients

1 c. (8 oz) cream soda

1/2 c. (4 oz.) butterscotch syrup (ice cream topping)

1/2 Tbsp. butter

Directions

Melt butter and butterscotch syrup together (either on the stove or in the microwave on high for 1-2 minutes). Stir and cool for 30 seconds, then slowly mix in cream soda. Have house elf serve in mugs.

Source: Slightly modified from http://www.mugglenet.com/misc/rosmertas/butterbeer.shtml