These fluffy chocolate cupcakes are made with root beer and topped with whipped cream, with all the delicious flavor of a classic root beer float!
Recipe development is not always as wonderful as most people imagine it to be. My friends and family probably think I sit around eating cupcakes all day (which not gonna lie, somedays that does happen). But there are days where no recipe will work right, and you find yourself dreading tasting one more failed root beer dessert. That was what happened to me this week.
I knew I was going to do something dessert like with root beer, but I couldn’t decide what. So I tried Root Beer Float Popsicles. MAJOR FAIL. Then I tried a layer cake, but all it tasted like was chocolate – no root beer. Sure it was delicious (hellloooo, it was a chocolate cake — of course it was delicious), but it didn’t taste like rootbeer.
So, I moved on to cupcakes. I tried two different batches, with two different brands of root beer. I tried the good stuff and the cheap stuff…and the cupcakes all tasted like chocolate cupcakes with a very slight hint of hidden root beer.
So I eventually found myself at the store buying the one item I hoped I wouldn’t have to buy…Root Beer Concentrate. And guess what, delicious Root Beer Cupcakes with Root Beer Whipped Cream came together in a glorious Root Beer Float Cupcake.
I did still include a whole 1/2 cup of real root beer in the cupcakes (which leads to a delicious fluffy cake), but the root beer concentrate makes the cupcake. You can find it in the spice section by the other extracts. It’s not expensive and is so worth the final product!
Head on over to Dixie Crystals for the FULL RECIPE: Root Beer Float Cupcakes
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Jessica, I made your root beer float cupcakes. I followed your recipe to the tee. But unfortunately, they rose and and fell. It was like a big hole in the middle. Then the tops stuck to the cup cake tin, then when I removed the cup cake papers the cupcake fell apart in my hand. I’m trying to figure out what I could of done wrong? Have you ever had this happen to you? I thought maybe it was baking with soda? Or where do you live? Maybe I need to make adjustments for high altitude? They tasted great but I ended up calling them deconstructed. Lol! I put them in a small plastic cup and put the frosting on top. I’d appreciate your input. Thank you
Dang! I hate to hear that, I’m so sorry! I do live in Florida where there is no altitude, so that may have played a part. I would also double check and test your baking soda to make sure it’s fresh. It has been years since I have made these cupcakes, but I will put them on my list to retest and see if I can figure out what happened.
Jessica – I made your Root Beer Cupcakes and your blueberry cake for my son’s 5th birthday party this weekend. They were a hit! Thank you for the many successful recipes I’ve tried from your blog. The Novice Chef has become my go-to website for fear-less cooking.
Thank you so much! I may just have to buy it! I would love to come up with my own recipes!
How exactly do you develop a recipe all on your own? How do you know how much flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, liquid to use? I bake A LOT and I really dislike cakes that are not moist so I always look for recipes that use oil and/or sour cream. I see that you use butter and oil in your dream cakes, but I have yet to get to try them. So what is the secret to developing your own unique recipe?
Hi Vanessa!
It’s all about trial and error. There are many ways to achieve a moist cake and many different ingredients to do it. Which is where trial and error comes in.
You might enjoy the Flavor Bible to help you better understand ingredients and flavors and how to use them to come up with your own unique recipes: http://amazon.com/The-Flavor-Bible-Creativity-Imaginative/dp/0316118400/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_2