House Gryffindor Butterbeer Cakes Recipes

GINGERBREAD HOUSE CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and generously spray a 9-cup gingerbread house cake mold with nonstick baking spray.
• Whisk the flour, gingerbread spice and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. Whisk the molasses, oil and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Combine 1 cup boiling water with the baking soda in a heat-proof measuring cup and stir to dissolve. Whisk the water mixture into the molasses mixture until well combined. Whisk in the flour mixture and then the eggs until combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake mold and bake until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few wet crumbs, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan before unmolding onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
• For the icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add 5 tablespoons water and beat on medium-high speed until the icing forms thick and glossy peaks, about 2 minutes, adding up to 1 tablespoon more water, if needed.
• Transfer 1/2 cup of the icing to a small bowl, add food coloring for desired shade of green and stir to combine. Transfer the green icing to a piping bag and snip off the tip. Transfer the remaining icing to a second piping bag and snip off the tip.
• For the decorations: Transfer the cake to a baking sheet or decorative tray. Use the green icing to pipe trees and shrubbery on the sides of the house. Use the white icing to pipe windows and outline the roof and eaves. Sprinkle with the shredded coconut for snow. Decorate the house and grounds with candies such as gumdrops, candy canes, shaved chocolate, cinnamon sticks, white chocolate chips, cinnamon candies and red sanding sugar.

HOUSE GRYFFINDOR BUTTERBEER CAKES

Steps:

• Make the Butterbeer Cake:.
• Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.
• Add cake mix plus required ingredients into a bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 5 minutes until combined. Turn off mixer and add butterscotch extract and red gel food coloring. Beat until combined.
• Pour mixture into prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cake cool completely in pan.
• Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to punch out 12 rounds of cake. Cut each round in half horizontally so that the cakes are about ½ inch tall.
• Whisk together butterscotch syrup with 1 tablespoon of hot water. Brush tops of cake with mixture and set aside.
• Make the Decorations:.
• Add yellow candy melts to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals, whisking in between, until melted. Transfer to a piping bag. Pipe out 4 lightning bolts onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, using a template if needed.
• Repeat with the black candy melts, piping 4 pairs of eyeglasses. Set decorations aside in fridge to set.
• Make the Frosting:.
• Add the cream cheese, sugar, butterscotch extract, and salt to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat until fluffy and transfer to a large bowl.
• Add the heavy whipping cream to the standing mixer and whip to stiff peaks.
• Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in 3 batches.
• Transfer about a fourth of the mixture to a piping bag fitted with an 826 star tip.
• Add the yellow food coloring to the remaining frosting, about 1 teaspoon, and gently fold with a spatula to combine. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with an 806 round tip.
• Assemble the Cake:.
• Position acetate cake collars on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Push a cake round into the bottom of the cake collar. Pipe in a layer of yellow frosting to cover the cake round, but do not smooth over. This helps keep clean layers. Add another cake round and another layer of yellow frosting. Top it off with a final cake round.
• Repeat with the remaining 7 cake collars.
• Carefully peel off acetate. Pipe a small swirl of white frosting on top and garnish with the glasses or lightning bolts.

GLAZED CRANBERRY MINI CAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F
• Lightly grease or paper-line small muffin cups (1-3/4 inches in diameter).
• Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla extract in large bowl until light and fluffy.
• Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually mix into butter mixture.
• Add milk; stir until blended.
• Stir in cranberries, walnuts and 2/3 cup white chips (reserve remaining chips for glaze).
• Fill muffin cups about 7/8 full with batter.
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack.
• Cool completely.
• To prepare the white glaze: place remaining 1 cup white chips in small microwave-safe bowl; sprinkle vegetable oil over chips.
• Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 30 seconds; stir.
• If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 30 seconds or just until chips are melted when stirred.
• Drizzle white glaze over top of mini-cakes.
• Refrigerate 10 minutes to set glaze.

CHERRY MINI POUND CAKES

Steps:

• With electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla on low speed until blended, then on high speed 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Combine flour, baking powder and salt.
• Add dry ingredients alternately with sweetened condensed milk to creamed mixture, mixing lightly after each addition.
• Fold in cherries.
• Turn batter into greased and floured mini loaf pans.
• Bake at 350 degrees 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.
• Let cool in pans: 5 minutes; invert cakes onto rack and let cool completely.
• Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.