These irresistible butterscotch cupcakes are topped with the best and easiest butterscotch topping. The moist and creamy cupcakes are perfect for any occasion!
Treat your loved ones with these amazing butterscotch cupcakes; they will all adore them! The cupcakes are soft, moist, and sweet and the topping is rich yet airy and so delicious! Really! The biggest issue is that you will probably eat more than you should.
And for more butterscotch flavor, you could try this Boozy Butterbeer or the Butterbeer Potted Cream.
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What is butterscotch?
Originally, butterscotch was hard candy; the word “scotch” in the word meant “cut” and refers to the way the candy pieces were scored for later cutting before they became hard.
Nowadays, butterscotch is seen more as a flavor and is mostly known as a sauce similar to caramel but not quite caramel. Or it comes in the form of butterscotch chips.
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredients for the cupcakes
Flour – I prefer to use the finer cake flour for this recipe, but all-purpose flour is ok.
Neutral-tasting oil like canola oil. My favorite muffins are those made with oil. Oil makes them moist and helps them keep that moisture for several days. You should try these Apple Muffins with Oil; they are amazing and one of the most popular recipes on the blog.
Other ingredients: Light brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, sparkling water (or a sweet fizzy drink, like Coke), baking soda and baking powder, some salt, and butterscotch flavor.
Ingredients for the topping: Heavy cream, butterscotch instant pudding mix, and some flavor as well. Using cream for the topping makes this recipe much easier and quicker and makes the baked goods lighter, airier, and incredibly delicious!
Decoration: The star sprinkles are, of course, optional but pretty. Try these colorful Harry Potter Cupcakes, too.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make butterscotch cupcakes?
Batter: Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the wet ingredients, except the sparkling water, in another bowl. Alternating, add the dry ingredients and the water to the wet ingredients.
Bake the butterscotch cupcakes: Divide the batter between the muffin molds. Bake for about 20 minutes. Leave them in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the topping: Beat the heavy cream briefly. Slowly start adding the instant pudding mix and the powdered sugar. Keep beating until the whipped cream reaches the desired consistency.
Decorate the cupcakes: Transfer the whipped cream topping to a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe onto the cupcakes. Sprinkle with the golden stars or another decoration of your choice.
Chill: Place the butterscotch cupcakes in the refrigerator for about 2 hours before serving.
Tips
Measurements: Use a digital kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) to measure the ingredients; it makes a lot of difference most of the time.
Preheat the oven and prepare the muffin tin before stirring the batter's ingredients. The batter needs to be baked immediately; the baking powder will lose power if it waits for the oven to get hot.
Don't overmix the batter, or the muffins will not be airy but tough.
Taste the whipped cream and add more butterscotch flavor to taste.
Make in advance and store
The muffins can be baked one day in advance. Let them cool completely, cover them well with aluminum foil, or place them in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature. These Sour Cream Muffins are great for making cupcakes, too.
Only whip the cream and pipe it on the cakes about 2-3 hours before serving and keep refrigerated.
They should be served the day you decorated them, but leftovers are still fine the next day. Keep them refrigerated; whipped cream should not be left at room temperature for too long.
Freezing: The muffins without the topping can be frozen in airtight containers for up to 3 months. The topping is not freezable.
Butterscotch Cupcakes
Equipment
- Electric mixer or stand mixer
- 12-cup Muffin tin
- Wire rack
- Piping bag
- Star piping tip
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 160 g flour 5.5 oz/ 1⅓ cups, Notes 1, 2
- 130 g light brown sugar 4.5 oz/ ⅔ cup
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 eggs large
- 85 ml vegetable oil ⅓ cup, Note 3
- 1 teaspoon butterscotch flavor
- 85 ml buttermilk ⅓ cup
- 85 ml sparkling water ⅓ cup
Topping:
- 500 ml heavy cream 2 cups
- 35 g butterscotch instant pudding mix ⅓ cup
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons butterscotch flavor to taste
- golden star sprinkles optional
Instructions
Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F. Line a muffin tin with paper muffin liners.
- Dry ingredients: Mix the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.160 g flour/ 5.5 oz/ 1⅓ cups + 130 g light brown sugar/ 4.5 oz/ ⅔ cup + ¾ teaspoon baking soda + 1 teaspoon baking powder + ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Wet ingredients: In another bowl, beat the eggs, vegetable oil, butterscotch flavor, and buttermilk.2 eggs + 85 ml vegetable oil/ ⅓ cup + 1 teaspoon butterscotch flavor + 85 ml buttermilk/ ⅓ cup
- Combine batter: Add the dry ingredients and the sparkling water to the wet ingredients, alternating between the two. Don't overmix.85 ml sparkling water/ ⅓ cup
- Bake cupcakes: Place the batter into the prepared muffin molds and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the cupcakes rest for 5 minutes, then carefully remove from the tin and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Cream topping:
- Make the topping: Start beating the heavy cream in a mixing bowl. Slowly start adding the powdered sugar and the butterscotch instant pudding mix. Add the butterscotch flavor and continue beating until the heavy cream reaches the desired consistency.500 ml heavy cream/ 2 cups + 35 g butterscotch instant pudding mix/ ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon powdered sugar + 1-2 teaspoons butterscotch flavor
- Pipe the topping: Transfer the cream to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe the topping onto the cupcakes.
- Decorate the butterscotch cupcakes with the golden star sprinkles.
Notes
- Measurement: I recommend using a digital kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab); it guarantees the best results.
- Flour: I prefer to use cake flour when making muffins, but all-purpose is fine as well.
- Neutral-tasting oil, like canola.
Carol says
Beautiful, delicious butterscotch! Yay! All ingredients on hand, so this will be super to whip up on this cool pre-winter night! Perfectly explained recipe..Love, love love!
Adina says
Happy baking, Carol!
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