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Make some kitchen magic of your own with these Butterbeer Cupcakes inspired by the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. These soft, spiced butterbeer cupcakes are perfect for Harry Potter parties, movie nights or cozy fall baking days.

Harry Potter Butterbeer Cupcakes Recipe

Butterbeer first appeared in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series as a creamy, warming beverage served in the pubs of Hogsmeade. Its flavor was never described in detail in the books or movies, but between fan interpretations and Universal Studios, it has come to be understood as a buttery, butterscotch-rich and lightly fizzy.

We’ve recreated the Universal Studios version with cream soda, butter extract and butterscotch topping pretty flawlessly, but we wanted to come up with a cupcake version perfect for Harry Potter movie nights or parties, and I think we came up with a pretty scrumptious interpretation.

Our Butterbeer Cupcakes recipe captures the warmth and nostalgia of the wizarding world in each golden, butterscotch-flavored bite. Soft and tender with a caramel-hued crumb, the cupcakes are infused with cream soda, brown sugar, and a trio of extracts (vanilla, butter and rum) that give them their signature butterscotch flavor.

Topped with a rich, fluffy buttercream and a drizzle of glossy butterscotch sauce, they deliver a balance of sweetness and spice reminiscent of butterbeer itself, without being cloying. Brown sugar and cream soda give it a soft toffee warmth, while cinnamon lends subtle depth.

Butterbeer Cupcake FAQs

What type of cream soda should I use to make butterbeer cupcakes? Bottled or canned cream soda – whether pink or naturally colored – works great. However, avoid diet versions as they will affect the flavor and texture of the baked cupcakes.

What if I don’t have rum extract? You can substitute a few drops of actual rum or leave it out entirely. The flavor will still be buttery and sweet.

What if I don’t have buttermilk? I always have this powdered buttermilk in my fridge to make instant buttermilk whenever I need it, but in a pinch use a 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice and fill the rest of the 1/2 cup measuring cup with milk.

How to store these butterbeer cupcakes: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Can you freeze these butterbeer cupcakes? If you need to freeze, I would not frost the cupcakes and instead store the frosting separate from the cupcakes. Store in ziptop freezer bags or your favorite freezer containers (this set of freezer containers is a crazy bargain).

Store in the freezer for up to 1 month, thawing completely before frosting.

Butterbeer Cupcake Ingredients

For the Cupcake Batter:

• All-Purpose Flour
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Dark Brown Sugar
• Buttermilk <– I always have this powdered buttermilk in my fridge to make instant buttermilk whenever I need it
• Cream soda
• Vegetable oil
• Vanilla Extract
• Butter extract
• Rum extract

For the Butterbeer Frosting:

• Unsalted Butter
• Powdered Confectioner’s Sugar
• Salt
• Vanilla extract
• Rum extract
• Milk
• Butterscotch topping

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.

Tip: Choose a quality butterscotch sauce: The drizzle is the final flavor impression so use one that tastes buttery and not overly artificial.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

• Cupcake Liners
• Cupcake Pan
• Piping Bag
• Flower/Star Piping Tip
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Electric mixer <– this is a great hand mixer if you don’t want to make the investment into a stand mixer
• Mixing Bowls

How to Make Butterbeer Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl add the flours, baking soda, cinnamon and salt all at once. Whisk together and then add the brown sugar. Mix again until all the dry ingredients are combined.

Add the buttermilk, oil, cream soda, vanilla, rum extract, and butter extract to the dry ingredients. Whisk together until a thick batter forms.

Use a 2 inch scooper or ¼ measuring to transfer the batter into the prepared cupcake liners. Fill each liner ¾ way full in the pan.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cupcake comes out clean.

While the cupcakes are baking, make the buttercream. In a bowl add the and powdered sugar.

Mix together with a hand or stand mixer until creamy. Add in the salt, extracts, butterscotch topping and milk to the bowl and blend together again until completely smooth.

Transfer this into a piping bag fitted with a metal tip of your choice. Also add a bit of butterscotch topping to a piping bag as well and snip a small hole in the end.

Let the cupcakes cool for 30 minutes before frosting.

Create a swirl from the outside inwards on top of each cupcake. Then drizzle with the butterscotch topping.

Pin this Magical Butterbeer Cupcakes with Butterscotch Frosting:

Grab your free printable recipe card for out butterbeer cupcakes recipe:

I hope your family loves these butterbeer cupcakes as much as mine did!

For more scrumptious cupcakes, check out our full cupcake recipe collection here:

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