One thing you should know about my family: we L.O.V.E. to read.
I mean we really, really, really love to read. I can remember loving to read since I was a little girl. In fact I use to keep a journal of only books that I had read (sure wish I would of kept that!). My dream is to have a huge room in my house with floor to ceiling shelves, a fireplace, a big comfy couch, and every book you could imagine. Ahhh...the dreams, someday I'll get there.
My kids love to read as much as I do. It is a punishment to take their books away and they can always be caught in the middle of some kind of book. I love to see it and I love how they get so into it they have to tell me all about it. So fun!
We all have favorite books at our house. I am a huge Jane Austen fan, especially Pride and Prejudice. My hubby loves Orson Scott Card. My son loves everything from Eragon to the Percy Jackson series. My daughters love anything with animals. But as a family we LOVE Harry Potter. We have read all the books individually and are now reading them to our kids at night. We love how fun they are and how my son always corrects us when we get a Harry Potter fact wrong, like which book is #4 or what Fred really says when his ear gets blasted off.
And if you didn't know, the last Harry Potter movie is coming out on Friday. We are taking the oldest and going to see it. We are very excited and to celebrate we made these amazing Butterbeer cupcakes that I found on pinterest. And no, Butterbeer does not contain beer (my youngest son was very concerned about this). It's a drink that all the kids drink in Harry Potter, just think Rootbeer.
Anyway, this cupcake was amazing! We are all snarffed (love that word!) them right down and now two extras are sitting on my counter and I am trying really hard not to eat them. The butterscotch ganache is delightful in the middle and makes them look so pretty. So go buy your tickets for Harry Potter and make some cupcakes, everyone will love you for it.
Butterbeer Cupcakes
Cupcakes:
2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. dark brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. butter flavoring (found in the baking aisle by the lemon, almond extracts)
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. cream soda
Ganache:
1 11-oz. package butterscotch chips
1 c. heavy cream
Buttercream frosting:
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/3 c. butterscotch ganache
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. butter flavoring
1/8 tsp. salt
1 16-oz. package powdered sugar
Splash of milk or cream (as needed)
1. To make 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.
2. 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.
3. To make the 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. Squeeze until filling begins to overflow.
4. To make the 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. Enjoy!
Source: Amy Bites
