Harry Potter Cauldron Cakes
Devil's food cakes baked in silicone cauldron molds, filled with a hidden chocolate syrup center, and topped with swirled red and yellow buttercream — a Harry Potter party dessert straight from the Hogwarts Express trolley.
Equipment
- 8 silicone oven-safe mini cauldron molds Available at Michaels
- Sheet pan
- Stand mixer or handheld mixer with paddle attachment
- Two piping bags fitted with star tips
Ingredients
Cakes
- 1 box devil's food cake mix
- 1 cup water
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup Mrs. Richardson's chocolate syrup
Buttercream
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4½ cups confectioners' sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream or whole milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Red and yellow gel food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare the devil's food cake mix according to package directions. Place the silicone cauldron molds on a sheet pan. Divide the batter evenly between the 8 molds, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
- While the cakes cool, make the buttercream. Beat the softened butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add 4½ cups confectioners' sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Beat on low for 30 seconds to combine, then increase to medium-high and beat for 2 full minutes until light and fluffy. Add a pinch of salt and mix briefly.
- Divide the buttercream between two bowls — about three-quarters into one bowl and one-quarter into the other. Tint the larger portion red and the smaller portion yellow using gel food coloring. Transfer each color into a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
- Once the cakes are fully cooled, use a small sharp knife to cut a 1" divot out of the center of each cake. Spoon 2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup into each cavity. Trim the divot piece flat and press it back into the reservoir over the syrup to seal it in.
- Pipe the red buttercream over the surface of each cake in spiky or swirly designs, covering the top completely. Add yellow buttercream accents. Use a toothpick to swirl the two colors together until the frosting looks like a bubbling potion.