I had been browsing the net for a butterbeer recipe to make some birthday cupcakes. I stumbled on a recipe that I mimicked almost entirely except for a few minor things. Their recipe also calls for a double boiler but you do not need that for the way that I am going to share with you.
This made about 16 cupcakes for me. So, if you need more (or less) make the adjustments before you continue.
While these are not complicated to make, I will warn you that they can be a bit time-consuming since there are three steps: (1) the cake itself, (2) the ganache, (3) the icing.
What you will need for the cupcakes:
• 2 cups of flour
• 1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp butter flavoring
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup cream soda
Directions for the cupcakes:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line your cupcake holder with paper liners.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda and baking powder. Set this bowl aside.
4. Next, I used my KitchenAid and creamed together the butter and sugars for about two minutes–so they were all blended together.
5. Then, beat in the eggs one at a time.
6. Add in your vanilla extract and butter flavoring.
7. Grab a small bowl and combine the buttermilk with your cream soda. Then, alternate adding the liquid bowl combination with the flour mixture (your first bowl) to your main bowl on your KitchenAid.
8. Fill your cupcake liners about 3/4 of the way.
9. Place your tray(s) in the oven for approximately 18 minutes. Keep in mind that all ovens cook differently so you’ll need to adjust the time accordingly.
10. Once your cupcakes are finished, pop them out and place them on a wire rack to cool.
Ingredients needed for Butterscotch Ganache:
• 3/4 of a cup of Heavy Cream
• One 11-oz package of butterscotch chips
Directions to make the Butterscotch Ganache:
1. Fill a pot with water to boil. Rachel Ray recommends using a metal bowl (that will not melt!) to place inside of the pot if you do not have a double boiler–like me. Just make sure that the bowl that you place inside the pot fits snuggly and that the water inside your pot does not touch the bottom of your bowl.
2. After you get the water to a boil, place your entire bag of butterscotch chips into the metal bowl so they will begin the melting process. Add in your heavy cream. The mix will start out very watery but it will thicken–do not worry!
3. Once you have combined the butterscotch and heavy cream together, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool before you fill your cupcakes with the ganache (use your favorite method because you do not need to fill them any certain way). ** Set aside 1/3 of a cup of the ganache before you begin to fill your cupcakes because you will need it for your frosting **
If you have extra ganache, like me, save it and put it on the side so you can use it to drizzle over your finished cupcakes for an extra added sweet!
Ingredients needed for icing:
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/3 cup butterscotch ganache
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp butter flavoring
• 3 and 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
• Heavy Cream
Directions for frosting:
1. Put your room temperature butter into your KitchenAid bowl and let it fluff.
2. Next, add your butterscotch ganache, vanilla extract and butter flavoring. Mix it well.
3. Add in your powdered sugar, slowly. The consistency of my icing was too thick for my liking so I kept adding about a tsp. of heavy cream until I was happy with it. All together it was probably about 4 tsp.
4. Decorate your cupcakes!