wizarding world of nail polish

LOVE THIS.

Butterbeer Cupcakes!

The second I saw this recipe, I knew I HAD to make them! Especially after visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! I finally had an entire day without plans, and a party to attend, so I knew it was the perfect occasion for these! They were a LOT of work, but totally worth it!
Taste: SO good! Exactly like the actual butterbeer!
Texture: Cupcakes came out a little dry, I would recommend only baking for about 13 minutes. The ganache in the middle added a lot of moisture though.
Would I make this again?: They are a lot of work but really delicious! I might just make other butterscotch flavored stuff. Except I might have to make these when the last movie comes out.

Butterbeer Cupcakes
From: Amy Bites
Makes 18

For the cupcakes:
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cream soda

For the ganache:
1 11-oz. package butterscotch chips
1 cup heavy cream

For the buttercream frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup butterscotch ganache
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 16-oz. package powdered sugar
Splash of milk or cream (as needed)

For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pans with paper liners. Combine your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, cream your butter until light and fluffy. Add your sugars and beat until well-combined. Beat in your eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then beat in your vanilla and butter flavoring.

Alternate adding your buttermilk, cream soda, and dry ingredients in batches until all are well incorporated. Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full, then bake for 15 to 17 minutes until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and cake springs back to the touch. Cool completely on wire racks.

For butterscotch filling: In a double boiler (heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water on the stove), combine butterscotch chips and heavy cream and stir until completely combined and smooth. Cool to room temperature. Fill a squeeze bottle with ganache and insert into the center of each cupcake, squeezing until filling begins to overflow.

For buttercream frosting: Cream butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Add in ganache, vanilla, butter flavoring, and salt and mix until well combined. Beat in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until reaching desired consistency. Add milk or cream by the Tablespoon as needed. Frost cupcakes and top with a drizzle of butterscotch ganache..

Orlando recap

Back from Orlando, Florida, and it was amazing!! We flew in Friday night and went straight to Downtown Disney for dinner and Cirque Du Soleil, La Nouba! It was my first time seeing Cirque Du Soleil, and it was great! It was really entertaining. The performers were really talented! Then we played Fantasia mini golf and called it a night. 

Found: DisZine

Saturday we went to Disney's Hollywood Studios in the morning. We went on the Toy Story Ride, the Backlot tour, and the famous Tower of Terror.

  Then we headed over to Epcot for the afternoon/night. We walked around the World Showcase, visiting and enjoying a beverage in each country. We also rode Mission Space, and the Test Track which were fun. We also saw the fireworks show that night, which was great.

Sunday we got up so we could get to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter right when it opened (which i HIGHLY recommend.) It was really crowded, but SO magical and amazing!! It was everything I hoped for and more! The ride in the Hogwarts castle was really well done. And walking through the halls was really exciting. The pictures actually moved! 

And the butterbeer was delicious! It tasted like flat cream soda, with delicious butterscotch foam. And they had regular or frozen! (I had both of course). 

There were lines to get into Honeydukes (candy store) and Zonkos (joke shop),

 Ollivander's (wand shop),

 and Dervish and Bangs (clothes, other things). But it was really fun to see the magical world come to life. I loved it!! You HAVE to check it out if you are a Harry Potter fan!!

Where Dreams Come True

So we randomly got a call from the boyfriend's brother asking us if we wanted to meet him in Disney World this weekend! um... YES. I am SO EXCITED for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Read more about it here. Hogwarts, here I come!! 

Found: Universal