Cauldron Cakes

   This may be my new favorite cupcake.  While scouring the internet for Harry Potter inspired recipes (that weren't dumb as hell) I ran across several recipes for cauldron cakes.  Each one was just some variation of a spice cake.  And that is what mine is too; I love spice cake.  The mix of spices I used is a little different than most spice cakes because I do not own the ground version of several traditional things like clove and allspice.  Although I do own two bottles of whole allspice berries... I don't know why....  These little beauties turned out so wonderful with this spice mix and the chocolate honey ganache is the perfect topping!  I know I will be making these again because they are so easy and so unexpected.  (Even the hubs loved them and he generally does not like spice cake.  Bonus!)

Cauldron Cakes
1 1/3 C AP flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 C chopped walnuts
1/2 C white sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1/3 C softened, salted butter
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon (I like roasted Saigon cinnamon)
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp nutmeg
pinch cayenne (trust me, just a pinch)
2/3 C milk (2% or whole)
for gananche:
1/2 C dark chocolate chips
3 Tbsp cream
1 Tbsp honey
pinch of sea salt

   Combine flour, baking powder, and walnuts.
   Cream together sugar and butter.  Add eggs one at a time.  Add extracts and spices.  Alternately add flour mixture and milk in order:  flour, milk, flour, milk, flour.  (This prevents over mixing and helps with the texture.)
   Place liners in muffin pan and lightly spray the top, just to make sure nothing sticks.  Fill about 2/3-3/4.  (These are supposed to be flat on top, so do not over fill.)
   Bake at 350 deg F for 25-30 minutes, when a wooden toothpick is inserted into the center it should come out clean.  Cool.
   In a double boiler set up, melt ganache ingredients together.  Stir until smooth.  Dip the tops of cupcakes into ganache.  Let set for 30 minutes.  (Ganache will not harden, it will remain slightly soft.)
   Makes 12 cupcakes.