Disney Butterfinger Cupcakes Copycat
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These Butterfinger cupcakes taste just like the ones you can get at Disney! Make a whole batch at home to enjoy whenever a craving kicks in.
Fluffy chocolate cake filled with creamy ganache is topped with peanut butter frosting and rolled in crushed candy to create a mindblowing Butterfinger cupcake!
Love these Disney cupcakes?
I’ve got more copycat recipes from the parks like tonga toast, churro bites, Dole whip, and the famous Monte Cristo sandwich from Cafe Orleans.
How To Make Butterfinger Cupcakes
There are a lot of details in the instructions to get you the absolute best results, but this Disney cupcake recipe is not as complicated as it may seem.
First, mix the batter and get that in the oven for your base. Cool the mini cakes completely while you measure out and prep your other ingredients.
After you make the ganache, use a corer to make a well in the center of each cupcake and whip up the frosting.
Spoon or pipe the ganache into the centers, then add a scoop of frosting to create a domed top.
Finally, roll the tops in a bowl of crushed candy bars and you’ve got delicious homemade Butterfinger cupcakes!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Buttermilk – Do not substitute regular milk or your Butterfinger cupcakes will fall flat.
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own with regular milk and vinegar or lemon juice. - Cocoa powder – Avoid dutch-processed cocoa in this recipe, as it will not react with the baking soda, which is necessary for the cake to rise properly.
- Ganache – Since the cake itself isn’t very sweet, you can play with the type of chocolate used in the ganache.
I think dark or semi-sweet works best to create a nice balance with the frosting, but you could certainly use milk chocolate if you prefer. - Butter – It’s crucial that you use unsalted butter, otherwise the buttercream will turn out too salty.
Disney Cupcake Tips and Tricks
- Use room temperature ingredients. As with most baking recipes, you should pull your eggs and dairy out of the refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes before starting.
This helps to remove the chill and guarantees a better overall texture. - Don’t overfill the liners! They should be about ⅔ of the way full to prevent domed tops.
You can use the same large scoop for the batter as you will for the buttercream — this guarantees consistent-sized Disney cupcakes. - Tip for crushing the candy: Because you’ll want pretty fine crumbs for even coverage, I recommend running the Butterfingers through a food processor.
If you don’t have one, place the candy bars in a sealed ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin instead. - No need to refrigerate. These Butterfinger cupcakes are perfectly safe at room temperature, though I recommend storing them in a covered container so they don’t dry out.
Prep Ahead Instructions
You can freeze unfilled and unfrosted cupcakes for 2 to 3 months. Wrap each in plastic wrap, then store them all in an airtight container.
Allow frozen cupcakes to thaw on the counter before coring, then make the ganache and buttercream fresh.
Special Tools Needed For These Disney Cupcakes
- Stand mixer or large mixing bowl with hand mixer for making the batter and frosting.
- Additional mixing bowls, plus a saucepan for the ganache.
- Whisks – These have held up for over 10 years and are still as good as the day I bought them.
- Cupcake Corer – In a pinch, you can use a large round piping tip or cut the centers out by hand with the tip of a knife.
- Cookie Scoops – Easily create the domed top needed for the frosting. They are also great for meatballs, cookies, ice cream, and portioning out leftovers.
Butterfinger Cupcake FAQ
If you have a corer, it will do the job for you. Otherwise, cut out no more than about 1-inch from each Disney cupcake so there’s still plenty of cake to support the ganache filling.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Disney Butterfinger Cupcakes Copycat
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
- 4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 4 ounces heavy cream
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 to 4 tablespoons milk, as needed to reach desired consistency
Topping
- 1 cup crushed Butterfinger candy bars
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a cupcake pan with liners and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, beat together the sugar and eggs until smooth and pale.
- Add in the vegetable oil, buttermilk, and vanilla extract and whisk until fully combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined.
- Fill each liner with a ¼ cup of batter and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and cool completely before filling and frosting.
- To make the ganache, finely chop the chocolate and place in a medium bowl.
- Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat and pour over the top of the chocolate in the bowl. Allow It to sit for 4 minutes before mixing.
- After the 4 minutes have passed, whisk together the cream and chocolate until a ganache forms. Let the ganache cool for 15 minutes before spooning into the cupcakes.
- While the ganache sits, use a cupcake corer (I have this one: https://amzn.to/3eEicg2) and core out the center of the top of the cupcakes. Dispose of the cored out pieces.
- Make the frosting by creaming the butter and peanut butter together, add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing between each addition until incorporated. Smooth out the frosting with the milk, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
- Use a large cookie scoop to scoop the frosting onto the filled cupcakes.
- Gently turn the cupcakes upside down into the bowl or crushed butterfingers and move around to coat the top of the cupcakes.
- Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published October 2021, updated and republished April 2023
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Looks just absolutely beautiful and delicious…….
Thank you James Henry, It is amazing!
These look and taste amazing. My grandmother and her neighbors loved them!
Made these for my husband’s 40th birthday and let me tell you they were probably the best cupcakes we have ever had! Absolutely delicious!
These were a blast at my hubby’s birthday party. So much so, that I’m making them again for Easter! So amazing – best cupcake I have ever made and/or eaten!