Root Beer Float Cupcakes

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Have you ever tried putting root beer in chocolate cake? Because it's good. Like really good.

We've made these before, for my brother's first day of school last year. I thought, "Oh maybe these will be good. I like root beer."

Well they were amazing.

Really amazing.

The cake is chocolate, light and fluffy, with a hint of root beer due to the root beer and root beer concentrate in it.

You might be thinking, "Root beer concentrate???" At least that's what I thought when I saw this recipe. Maybe you know all about it. But I went on a huge odyssey to find some. I tried a bunch of different stores and finally ended up finding it in the extract section of Kroger.

So then the cake has a root beer frosting filling, and it's all topped with vanilla frosting.

And then, if you feel like it, you can drizzle some chocolate sauce on top.

Because a little chocolate's never hurt anything.

Even if you are not a huge root beer drinker, you'll find it hard to not like these. Really. I'm not just saying that. I promise.

-Audrey

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

1 1/8 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons root beer concentrate
1/3 cup root beer
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, whisk egg and sugar until smooth and no lumps remain. Add cream, butter and vanilla, and mix until combined. Stir in sour cream. Sift dry ingredients together and add to wet mixture. Add root beer concentrate and root beer. Mix until batter is smooth. Line a muffin tin with liners and using a heaping 1/4 cup measure, add batter to each cup. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Let cool before frosting.

Vanilla and Root Beer Frosting

1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon root beer extract

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter until smooth. On low speed, add powdered sugar one cup at a time, increasing speed to bring the frosting together. Add milk and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth. Remove almost all of the vanilla frosting, leaving behind about 1/3-1/2 cup in the mixer. Set vanilla frosting aside. Add root beer extract to remaining frosting in the bowl and beat until it comes together.


Prep two pastry bags (or you can simply use spoons) and fill one with vanilla frosting and the other with root beer frosting. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, fill each one with root beer frosting (I simply plunge the pastry tip into the cupcake and squeeze), then top with vanilla frosting. Finish with hot fudge and a cherry on top!