If you are a fan of Harry Potter, then the question of “which house you belong to” has definitely been asked. Play a fun game of cupcake roulette and be sorted into your Hogwarts house! Take a bite and find out if you are a Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin!
I was a reader as a child and was enthralled with the magical world of Harry Potter. I think as kids, most like to envision themselves as a member of Gryffindor as that is the Hogwarts house of our protagonist, Harry. Gryffindor House prides themselves on being courageous, brave, and kids like to see themselves that way. However, as I aged I knew I was a Ravenclaw at heart and it was fun to see which “house” my friends belong to as well. As a Ravenclaw who married a Slytherin, I have come to learn that we can all co-exist. Enter in, sorting hat cupcakes.
The sorting ceremony is an integral part of the first book, and it is easy to bring to life with the creation of these sorting hat cupcakes! Let’s dive in and make these sorting hats and sorting hat cupcakes.
FAQ
How do you make sorting hat cupcake toppers?
I have a recipe and explanation as to how to make them from fondant. If you want, you can also make them from modeling chocolate. You can find out more about that here. It may seem like a bit of work, but it is easy to make and super fun! Once you make your sorting hats, set aside while you make the cupcakes. Do not make these too far in advance though, you do not want them to dry out.
What flour is the best for gluten free cupcakes?
Most 1:1 gluten free flour mixes that contain xanthan gum will yield decent cupcakes. However, I love King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free for my cupcakes as it makes them so easy to make and I do not need to worry about how they will turn out. They always turn out well. It is always a blessing when you are gluten free and you find a product that works and means you do not have to worry about the quality of your food!
What is the best way to make and pipe your buttercream frosting?
I suggest making one big batch of buttercream frosting. Then dividing the frosting into 5 sections. 4 of those sections will be for the colors (red for Gryffindor, blue for Ravenclaw, yellow for Hufflepuff, and green for Slytherin), and then the fifth will be for the frosting that tops each of the sorting hat cupcakes and helps the sorting hats stay in place on the top of each cupcake.
Once you have made your cupcakes (see instructions below as to how to how to make them), allow them to cool completely. Once the cupcakes are cool, remove part of the center of each of the cupcakes. I like to use a piping tip (a large one). They sell cupcake center removers however I have never purchased one.
Mix your food coloring in each of your bowls and take your piping bag and make sure it is fitted with a piping tip. Pipe the buttercream frosting into the center of the cupcake. This will be the big reveal when your guests take a bite of their sorting hat cupcakes and find our which house they have been sorted into!
Pipe frosting on top of the cupcakes and then place the sorting hat on top of each cupcake.
What tools do you need for this recipe?
- Piping Bag
- Piping Bag Tip
- Cupcake liner
- Food coloring; red, green, blue, and yellow
- large bowl
What do you need to make sorting hat cupcakes?
To see how to make the hats, click here
For the cupcakes (this recipe makes 12), you are going to need:
- 1 cup gluten free all purpose flour, I use King Arthur Measure for Measure (with xanthan gum)
- ½ cup salted butter (1 stick, 8 Tbsp)
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For your buttercream frosting:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (butter softened, room temperature)
- 8 oz cream cheese
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2-3 tablespoon Milk or cream
- 1.5 cups Powdered Sugar
How do you make these sorting hat cupcakes?
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, Mix together in a bowl the gluten free flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
- In a pot on the stove, melt your butter, add the water, and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil.
- Once it has boiled, add it to your bowl with your dry ingredients. Whisk together until there are no lumps.
- Add your egg, buttermilk, and add the vanilla extract. Whisk again. Line your muffin tin your liners.
- I like to use an ice cream scooper for cupcakes, so, fill your liners ¾ of the way up.
- Place in the oven between 18-20 minutes. To make sure the cupcakes are fully done baking, insert a toothpick into the middle. If it comes out clean, it means that they are finished baking.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for about 15 minutes. Once they have cooled a bit, transfer to a wire wrack.
- While they are cooling, you can go ahead and make your frosting.
How do I make the buttercream frosting?
- Take your softened butter and cream cheese and beat with the paddle attachment in your mixer. Let it beat for a few minutes so it gets nice and fluffy.
- Add your powdered sugar and let it carry on for a few minutes as it forms into buttercream frosting. You want to make sure that the mixer is on a low or medium low when you add the sugar, as you do not want your sugar to go flying everywhere. Flying sugar is no good!
- After creaming together the butter and sugar, it is going to seem a bit stiff. Now, add your milk or cream.
- Divide the frosting into 5 bowls. 4 bowls will be mixed with colors (red, green, blue, and yellow) and the fifth will be the brown frosting that goes on top of the sorting hat cupcakes.
- Place the reserved amount for the tops of the cupcakes back into the mixing bowl. Add your cocoa powder and mix. If the frosting seems too stiff, add a bit more milk or cream.
How do I put my sorting hat cupcakes together?
- You are going to make a divot in each of the cupcakes. This is where the color for each house will go.
- Separate the frosting you took out and place it into 4 bowls, and mix your red, yellow, green, and blue,
- Fill the cupcakes with the colors.
- Once you have filled your cupcakes, take piping bag fitted with the appropriate tip and swirl the chocolate buttercream frosting and cover the tops so that no one can see what is inside! You want them to be surprised.
- Place your hats on top of each cupcake, and voila! You have successfully made sorting hat cupcakes!
How do you make your
Sorting Hat Cupcakes?
To make your hats, see instructions here.
To make your cupcakes:
- Mix together in a bowl your flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
- In a pot on the stove, melt your butter, add the water, and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil.
- Once it has boiled, add it to your bowl with your dry ingredients. Whisk together until there are no lumps.
- Add your egg, buttermilk, and vanilla. Whisk again.
- Set your oven to 350°F and line your muffin tin your liners.
- I like to use an ice cream scooper for cupcakes, so, fill your liners ¾ of the way up.
- Place in the oven between 18-20 minutes. When you remove them from the oven, you should be able to stick a toothpick in the middle and for it to come out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for about 15 minutes. Once they have cooled a bit, transfer to a wire wrack.
- While they are cooling, you can go ahead and make your icing.
PS. If you are wondering what book has those illustrations, you can buy it here.
Looking for other Harry Potter Food Ideas or Recipes?
Harry Potter Pumpkin Juice
Harry Potter Cake
Pumpkin Pasties
Copycat Butterbeer Universal Studios Recipe
Liquid Luck
Chocolate Frogs
Black Lake Brownies
Hagrid’s Rock Cakes
Harry Potter Food Ideas: Sorting Hat Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the hats:
- See my post here at making your own fondant. I used this to make the hats and then sculpt them.
For the cupcakes (this recipe makes 12), you are going to need:
- 1 cup gluten free flour
- ½ cup salted butter 1 stick, 8 Tbsp
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For your icing:
- ¾ cup butter softened
- 8 oz cream cheese
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 2-3 tablespoon milk or cream
- 1.5 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- To make your hats, see instructions here.
To make your cupcakes:
- Mix together in a bowl your flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
- In a pot on the stove, melt your butter, add the water, and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil.
- Once it has boiled, add it to your bowl with your dry ingredients. Whisk together until there are no lumps.
- Add your egg, buttermilk, and vanilla. Whisk again.
- Set your oven to 350°F and line your muffin tin your liners.
- I like to use an ice cream scooper for cupcakes, so, fill your liners ¾ of the way up.
- Place in the oven between 18-20 minutes. When you remove them from the oven, you should be able to stick a toothpick in the middle and for it to come out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for about 15 minutes. Once they have cooled a bit, transfer to a wire wrack.
- While they are cooling, you can go ahead and make your icing.
Icing
- Take your softened butter and cream cheese and beat with the paddle attachment in your mixer. Let it beat for a few minutes so it gets nice and fluffy.
- Add your powdered sugar and let it carry on for a few minutes as it forms into icing.
- It is going to seem a bit stiff, so, now you will add your milk or cream.
- Take a bit of the icing out of the bowl, as you will mix this with the four house colors.
- Once you have your reserved amount out of the bowl (you won't need much) add your cocoa powder to the icing. If you feel it is too stiff, then, add 1 more tablespoon of cream.
Back to your cupcakes:
- You are going to make a divit in each of the cupcakes. This is where the color for each house will go.
- Separate the icing you took out and place it into 4 bowls, and mix your red, yellow, green, and blue (yay Ravenclaw!).
- Fill the cupcakes with the colors.
- Once you have filled your cupcakes, fill a piping bag with the chocolate icing and cover the tops so that no one can see what is inside! You want them to be surprised.
- Place your hats on top and voila! You have successfully made sorting hat cupcakes!
Passport Overused says
Great post 😁
siftrva says
Thank you!!