Harry Potter Butterbeer Cupcakes
Butterbeer Cupcake Ingredients:
1 yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 ounce) box of instant butterscotch-flavored pudding mix
1 can (12 ounces) cream soda
Butterbeer Cupcake Directions:
Whisk the cake mix and pudding mix into a large bowl. Pour in the whole can of cream soda and mix well until lumps are gone. Scoop batter into paper-lined cupcake tins. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely at least 4 hours or overnight.
When cooled, use a sharp knife and beginning 1/2-inch from edge, cut a circle in the center of the cupcake (1-inch deep). Carefully remove the divot and set aside for later (don’t let anyone eat it).
Butterbeer Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons butterscotch sundae syrup
2 lbs powdered sugar
6-8 tablespoons milk, for thinning
Butterbeer Buttercream Frosting Directions:
Cream butter, shortening and vanilla with an electric mixer. Add in the butterscotch syrup and blend well. Pour in the powdered sugar about a cup at a time and mix well after each addition. When all of the sugar has been added, the frosting will be thick, add the milk, a few tablespoons at a time and mix well to thin the consistency.
Spoon the prepared frosting into a gallon-size freezer bag and snip 1/2-inch off one corner. Twist the bag like a cake decorating bag. Squeeze a small dollop into the hole you made earlier (see cupcake directions above). Do not fill to top – yet. Take the butterscotch syrup and squirt it into the hole on top of the dollop of frosting. Now fill the rest of the hole up with the frosting. Stick the cake divot you saved earlier on top of the hole with the flat side down and peak facing upwards.
Now, squeeze the frosting around the top of the cupcake in a swirl pattern, covering up the divot. (You can see this step done in the video below the post.)
Lightning Bolt Ingredients:
1/2 cup Wilton Dark Cocoa Candy Melts or chocolate morsels/chips
1 teaspoon vegetable shortening
Lightning Bolt Directions:
Place chocolate chips/wafers and vegetable shortening in a microwave safe bowl and heat at 50% power in 30 second increments until melted, stirring occasionally (or melt on stovetop). Pour melted chocolate into a candy bottle or plastic freezer bag and snip the corner.
Squeeze lightning bolt shapes onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Make one for each cupcake and extras to allow for breakage. Place baking sheet in freezer for at least 10 minutes to harden.
After the bolts have hardened, place one on top of the frosted cupcake and add a dusting of edible gold sprinkles. Now put on your favorite Harry Potter movie and enjoy. It’s even better with a mug of Hot or Cold Butterbeer !!