Straight Out of Harry Potter: Butterbeer Cake

Today marks a the end of an era... the Harry Potter era.

So, in honor of the official end of one of my childhood favorites I present to you Butterbeer cake.

For those of you unfamiliar with Butterbeer, it's a drink commonly served at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade to wizards young and old.

It's so hard for me to belive the series is ending.

It's funny because I was 15 when the first movie came out in 2001. I remember calculating how old I would be when the final movie was released. I thought to myself, "Man, I am going to be old." Well... that hasn't changed.

Now, at 25, I am preparing myself for the end of a truly magical series. As my wonderful little brother Mike can attest, I am a true Harry Potter nerd.

For years I would drag my brother, seven years younger, to the midnight release of the books - using him as my excuse even though he had no interest in reading them.

I would stay up for 10 hours straight after getting home from the release devouring each chapter J.K Rowling wrote and loving every single second of it.

Perhaps the greatest thing about the books, and movies, is that such a huge age group of people can relate to these books. Whether you are 10 or 25, Harry Potter means something to you.

I literally grew up with the characters in the books, my adolescence was their adolescence (minus the magic).

So, it's only fitting that to commemorate this final chapter, I'd attempt to make a recipe that Harry undoutedly loves.

I used the recipe created by AmyBites.com and modified it from cupcakes to a cake. You can do either.

To make this recipe you will need the following:

For the cake (I split into two 8-inche square cake pans):

• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons 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 teaspoons 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 step-by-step instructions on how to make this cake, scroll through the gallery above.