Welcome to Honeydukes!

You may have noticed, we like to bake.

A lot.

Dessert is a food group at my house, the top of the pyramid.

I don't like to empty a sleeve of cookies into the jar.

The Minion's friends are always a little surprised at what's offered up on a weekday night.

They totally get it.

With the holidays upon us, confections take center stage with themes and 

heightened importance.

 My daughter started digging for something new.

Something mysterious, delicious, darkly tempting,

steeped in literary appeal, that would send a chill up the spines

of children and adults alike.

A festive Fall delicacy that will transport you with the flick of a broom's bristle 

into world of magic and fantasy.

Say it with me:

Butterbeer Cupcakes.

Could anything be more perfect for Halloween?

Take a little trip to Honeydukes, or The Rusty Cauldron,

and whip up some treats Harry, Hermione and Ron may have scarfed up with gusto.

I'd fly anywhere for these.

Pile a few essentials in your cart:

Butterbeer Cupcakes

2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cream soda

Butterscotch Ganache

11 ounces (1 package) butterscotch chips
1 cup heavy cream

Butterscotch Buttercream

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup butterscotch ganache (recipe above)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
Pinch of salt
3-3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Splash of heavy cream (as needed)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

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 butter flavoring.

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.

 Line a cupcake tin with baking cups.

We did not do this.

 For cupcakes around here, we prefer to use ice cream cone cups.

This makes the cupcake 100% edible and portable, and it creates no trash.

You know how we are about that.

Not to mention, the cones are just plain fun.

 Fill 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.

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.

Butterscotch Buttercream

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup butterscotch ganache (recipe above)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
Pinch of salt
3-3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Splash of heavy cream (as needed)

 In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Mix in the butterscotch ganache, vanilla, butter flavoring, and salt. Beat in the powdered sugar for 2-3 minutes, starting with 3 cups and adding more only if necessary. Add the cream a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved (I only needed 1 tablespoon).

To Assemble

Pour butterscotch ganache into a plastic squeeze bottle. Stab the tip of the bottle into cupcake and fill each cupcake with butterscotch ganache until it starts to overflow.

 

Fill a pastry bag with butterscotch buttercream and pipe onto the top of each cupcake. Drizzle on the butterscotch ganache. Lick your fingers clean if you just so happen to get extra butterscotch on them. If you have any leftover butterscotch ganache, it can be used as ice cream topping.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature (that is, if they don't get devoured immediately)

 Now, what do these need?

 Something....

Something....

Something.... 

 Something....

 Oooooooooooo, I know!
 "We couldn't find the murder weapon. We suspect she ate it."

 Garnish your luscious Harry Potter-esque treat with a sugar dagger!

 Mmmmm, spookalicious!

We are not decorating mavens by any stretch;

these turn out perfectly with sooooooo little effort.

Warning!

Do not stab yourself in the tongue!

Okay, it's not possible; the Minions just like to mess around.

 Enjoy these as much as we did.

Oh, yeah, the other magical quality they possess?

Mysteriously...

THEY DISAPPEAR!