Harry Potter Inspired Butterbeer Cupcakes

A sweet and delicious recipe for Butterbeer Cupcakes inspired by the Harry Potter books and movies. These soft and fluffy treats are made with butterscotch and cream soda. They are perfect for a Harry Potter party or movie night!

I grew up reading the Harry Potter books and, even now, my husband and I will always stop on a Harry Potter movie on TV when we’re looking for something to watch. Being able to be transported from the Muggle world to the Wizarding world is truly special!

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Why You’ll Love These Butterbeer Cupcakes

If you’re waiting on your letter from Hogwarts, these Butterbeer cupcakes might be the next best thing! You’ll feel like a real wizard while you enjoy these butterscotch-flavored cupcakes.

What is Butterbeer?

In the Harry Potter books and movies, Butterbeer is a drink referenced several times, often while the wizarding students were visiting Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley.

If you visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort, you can try seven different types of Butterbeer treats. Hot Butterbeer is my personal favorite and it is now available year-round! It does not contain alcohol at the theme parks.

Butterbeer is very sweet with a butterscotch flavor.

Ingredients

Cupcake Ingredients

• 1 cup Light Brown Sugar
• 3 Eggs, large
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/2 cup Buttermilk
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp Butter Extract
• 1/2 cup Cream Soda

Butterscotch Sauce Ingredients

• 1 cup Butterscotch Chips
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream

Frosting Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
• 2 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1/4 cup Butterscotch Sauce (this is part of the recipe and not an ingredient to purchase)

What You’ll Need

• 2 12 count Cupcake Pan
• 24 Cupcake Liners
• Hand or Stand Mixer
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Piping Bag fitted with 1M tip

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat the heavy cream in the microwave for 40 seconds.

3. Pour on top of the butterscotch chips and let sit off to the side.

4. Line the cupcake tin with paper liners.

5. In a bowl, add brown sugar, eggs, and vegetable oil. Whisk together until smooth.

6. Add in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together.

7. Add buttermilk and whisk until smooth.

8. Add in the butter and vanilla flavorings.

9. Once smooth, gently stir in the cream soda (it will fizz).

10. Immediately add ¼ cup of the batter to each cupcake liner.

11. Bake for 17-20 min, or until golden brown.

12. Stir the butterscotch syrup. All of the candy should be melted now. If not, pop back in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.

13. In a bowl, blend the butter until smooth.

14. Add in the powdered sugar and blend, it will be crumbly.

15. Pour in the butterscotch sauce, reserving some for the topping. Blend together.

16. The frosting should be fluffy, not runny.  If it’s runny, add in some more powdered sugar.

17. Allow the cupcakes to cool for 10-15 minutes after they come out of the oven.

18. Add the frosting to the piping bag fitted with the tip. Pipe the frosting on top of the cupcakes. Drizzle the leftover syrup over the top.

Tips

Virgil’s makes Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer (non-alcoholic) that would work great in this recipe or just to drink on its own. You can find it on Amazon!

If you want to jazz these cupcakes up even more, you can add some Harry Potter themed cupcake toppers as well. So cute!

Another fun topper would be sprinkles or sugar crystals in the house colors: red and gold for Gryffindor, green and silver for Slytherin, blue and bronze for Ravenclaw, & yellow and black for Hufflepuff.

Storage

You can store these Butterbeer cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Want to Visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort?

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a truly immersive experience. The theming and details are absolutely incredible, especially if you have read the Harry Potter books or watched the movies. It really feels like you enter their world.

Diagon Alley is at Universal Studios and Hogsmeade is at Islands of Adventure. You can even take the Hogwart’s Express between the two with a park-to-park ticket. If you want to see it for yourself, I am able to help you plan your vacation as a travel agent and my services are free for you to use! Click here to fill out a quote form and I’ll be in touch.

If you make these Butterbeer Cupcakes, let me know in the comments how they turned out!