Butterbeer Cupcakes.... With Booze!? (Yes, There's Booze)

The hands-down best (BEST) Butterbeer Cupcake recipe ever (EVER!)

Butterbeer Cupcakes

Via toodrunktopangas.com

Okay so here’s a not-so-big surprise: we love Harry Potter. While Harry Potter is definitely a year-round thing, we decided that the fall is the best time to try out a butterbeer cupcake recipe! Warmth from butterscotch ganache drizzled, the brown sugar cupcake, whipped cream, oh, and booze. Of course it would be no Too Drunk Topangas if we didn’t add SOME booze to it. After messing around with several buttercream recipes and ratios of booze to heavy cream, I finally came up with this one which also uses dark brown sugar so it makes it a little more caramel-y.

Overall, this recipe can be made with box cake mix (use my Rehab Cake Box Recipe!) or this amazing recipe from Amy Bites.

I made the frosting myself and chose to do it in the mason jar because I CAN’T EVEN WITH HOW CUTE! Mason jars! Right?! Anyway that was annoying, but come on, super cute. Add whipped cream on top and drizzle with your butterscotch ganache. You’ll be a super hit at your next party or hanging out alone watching Harry Potter Weekend on ABC Family.

First thing I did was make the ganache. If you have, use a double boiler to combine 1 cup heavy cream and one bag of butterscotch chips. Melt until the ganache becomes nice and shiny and put aside. This will be your filling and be used in your frosting and a snack for while you’re waiting for your cupcakes to finish baking already!

Sooooo it was my bad when giving Anna the task of making the batter and MY bad for not telling her to make sure a) the butter was softened and b) add one room temperature egg at a time. When making cupcakes, always use room temperature eggs! TRUST ME! Anyway, I know the cupcakes will taste fine so ACCIO CUPCAKES! If you want to make them in regular cupcake liners, just bake for 15-17 minutes at 350°.

If you want to be SUPER cute, use a 4oz quilted mason jar and be the belle of the Yule Ball (just make sure you get some better dress robes, Ron I mean really why didn’t he just poof up some better ones or at least cut the ruffles off I mean REALLY RON). Fill mason jar about half way and bake for 12-15 minutes.

After 2 failed attempts and not using the frosting recipe from Amy Bites, I decided to use my tried and true Brown Sugar frosting with schnapps and SUCCESS!!!! You won’t be able to pipe it easily if you’re into the 1M tip to make it pretty, but you can with your whipped cream so don’t use the cruciatus curse on me.

To make this frosting, take 4 tbsp of unsalted butter and melt it in a sauce pan. Then add 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 4 tbsp of heavy cream until all mixed and smelling so delicious you’ll want to eat it BUT SUPER DON’T IT’S HOT OK I WAS DRINKING A LITTLE WHILE I WAS MAKING THIS. Take it off the stove to cool for a second.

In your mixing bowl, add your amazing sugar/butter stuff and add 2 tsp of Butterscotch Schnapps and 2 tablespoons of your ganache you made earlier. This is when it gets good. With your mixer on low, slowly add your powdered sugar. If it starts to ball up THAT’S OK! Add some heavy cream a teaspoon at a time. I used about 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and another tablespoon of heavy cream until it’s the consistency you want.

To assemble, make sure your jar and cupcakes are cool because let me tell you, that glass gets super hot. Use a syringe or a cheap squeeze bottle and put some in the middle of the cupcake IT’S LIKE A SURPRISE OF BUTTERSCOTCH! Your grandma will go ape shit! Did I mention I was drinking while making these!? ANYWAY, spread some of your butterscotch buttercream on top. It doesn’t have to be perfect or pretty because who cares? Then pipe some whipped cream on top. Use Cool Whip if you want, it’s super stable and I recommend if you’re traveling. If not, throw some heavy cream and sugar in a blender and make it. Don’t be so lazy. Use a straw if you want to garnish because I CAN’T EVEN WITH THE STRAW AND MASON JAR! Again, sorry. Enjoy!

Butterbeer Cupcakes – Adapted from AmyBites

Makes 18 cupcakes and 18 mason jars

For the cupcakes:

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 (room temp)

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon butterscotch schnapps (use any cheap one it’s fine)

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup cream soda (we used Henry Weinhard’s Vanilla Cream soda)

Butterscotch Ganache

1 11-oz. package butterscotch chips

1 cup heavy cream

Butterscotch Buttercream Booze-y Frosting

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup packed DARK brown sugar

4-5 tablespoons heavy cream

3-4 teaspoons butterscotch schnapps

3-4 cups sifted powdered sugar

HOW YOU DO:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a cupcake tin with baking cups.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and butterscotch schnapps.

Fold in 1/3 of the flour mixture, then the buttermilk, 1/3 of the flour mixture, cream soda, and then the remaining flour. Folding in these ingredients will prevent over-mixing and will result in a fluffier, less dense cupcake. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the cupcakes are golden and spring back when touched. Cool completely before frosting.

PRO TIP! Remove cupcakes IMMEDIATELY from cupcake tray, this will stop your cupcake from lifting off the liner.

Butterscotch Ganache

11 ounces (1 package) butterscotch chips

1 cup heavy cream

In a small saucepan on medium heat, melt the butterscotch chips into the heavy cream, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature before using.

Frosting

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and 4 tablespoons heavy cream; cook 1 minute or until sugar melts. Remove from heat; cool slightly.

Combine butter mixture and schnapps in a large bowl. Gradually add powdered sugar; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add last tbsp heavy cream, 1 tsp at a time, until it’s the consistency you want. ENJOY!