A while ago I did one of the most unexpected things. You might remember.
I made a root beer float. I still can’t decide whether it was the best decision of my life or the source of strange daydreams about warm, sandy beaches and crashing waves — and bikinis. It turns out daily root beer floats and bikinis probably don’t pair well, unless you’re some kind of superhuman.
Let me clarify: daily root beer floats and bikinis don’t go together. Unless you’re a freak of nature.
Root beer was never my favorite, yet somehow I developed an obsession. For someone who’s never cared for fizzy drinks, I now find myself craving cold, bubbly root beer around the clock. There’s something about that first sip that’s just irresistible.
See that frosting? It’s a little over-the-top in the best possible way. The vanilla frosting tastes like vanilla ice cream, and that small bowl in the photo holds root beer frosting.
I’ll say it again because it still surprises me:
Root beer frosting.
Root. Beer. Frosting.
I don’t want to mislead you, so here’s a little secret: the root beer flavor isn’t achieved with straight root beer alone. I tested that theory — and drank plenty of half-poured bottles along the way — even trying ice cream straight into the bottle for fun. It helped a bit, but it still wasn’t enough.
So I gave in and raced to the store with flour on my sweatpants and a trace of vanilla on my upper lip. No broomstick involved.
In the spice aisle I finally bought something I’d hesitated over before: root beer concentrate. It’s a baker’s secret worth buying. Fair warning, though — don’t taste the concentrate straight. It’s shockingly intense and not pleasant on its own.
Now about the cupcakes. For a while I thought bacon-and-chocolate cupcakes were unbeatable. Then came hot fudge peanut-butter stuffed cupcakes, and I was convinced those were the best. But these outshine them all.
They’re silky dark chocolate cupcakes that crumble delicately when you bite into them, revealing a burst of fizzy root beer filling. Yes — fizzy. Whether from the concentrate or some other kitchen magic, the filling mimics the effervescence of a classic root beer float. A cloud of light vanilla frosting on top completes the experience. These cupcakes are delightful, though maybe not ideal beach fare.
Hot Fudge Root Beer Float Cupcakes.
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Ingredients
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
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 concentrate
Instructions
Root Beer Float Cupcakes
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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In a bowl, whisk the egg and sugar until smooth. Add the cream, melted butter, and vanilla, mixing until combined. Stir in sour cream. Sift the dry ingredients together and add them to the wet mixture. Add root beer concentrate and root beer, mixing until the batter is smooth. Line a muffin tin with liners and use a heaping 1/4 cup measure to fill each cup. Bake 15–18 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.
Vanilla and Root Beer Frosting
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In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the softened butter until smooth. On low speed, add powdered sugar one cup at a time, then increase speed to bring the frosting together. Add milk and vanilla extract; beat until smooth. Remove most of the vanilla frosting, leaving about 1/3–1/2 cup in the bowl. Set the vanilla frosting aside. Add root beer concentrate to the remaining frosting in the mixer and beat until fully combined.
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Prepare two pastry bags (or use spoons). Fill one with vanilla frosting and the other with root beer frosting. Once cupcakes are cooled, fill each cupcake with root beer frosting by plunging a pastry tip into the center and squeezing, then pipe or dollop vanilla frosting on top. Finish with hot fudge or cocoa syrup if desired.
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I appreciate you so much!
I think these cupcakes call for an extra hour on the treadmill.