Root Beer Float Cupcakes

It’s finally the weekend! It has been one heck of a week and I’ve been waiting for the weekend to relax. I’ve gotten sucked into yet another book and literally all I want to do is read. That and cool off, in this Texas summer heat, at the pool.

My boyfriends birthday was a few days ago and he is a big fan of Root Beer. More of a Root Beer conissouer- so I thought what better dessert to make for him than Root Beer Float Cupcakes!

I made the cupcakes the day before his birthday and then made the icing and iced the cupcakes the day of. It was so much easier doing this so I wasn’t spending all evening cooking after work. I’m all about that prep ahead of time to save time.

The cupcakes have a nice hint of Root Beer taste that is just perfect. I was slightly worried about the taste because the recipe calls for Root Beer Extract but the store only had Root Beer concentrate. Concentrate is much stronger than extract, so after doing a little research I just tweaked the recipe to use a little less of the concentrate than I would with extract. I halved it, tasted, and then added just a bit more. From my research, you want to use either 1/2 to 1/4 less of concentrate than what any recipe that uses extract so it’s not overpowering.

The icing was just so light and smooth! It’s a simple icing recipe but uses vanilla ice cream mixed into it and it gives it that perfect taste to make it a Root Beer Float. Mmmm!

I hope everyone has a great weekend and tries this delightful, sweet dessert!

The Cupcake Cast:

Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature, about 30 minutes. Line 24 muffin cups with paper baking cups. In a medium bowl stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium to high speed for about 30 seconds.

Gradually add sugar beating on medium speed until combined.

Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat again until light and fluffy.

One at a time add the eggs, making sure to beat well after each egg.

Beat in the root beer extract (or concentrate) and vanilla.

Add the flour mixture and root beer, alternately to the butter mixture.

Beat on low speed after each addition until combined.

Spoon the batter 2/3 to 3/4 full in the muffin cups.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.

Cool the cupcakes in the muffin cups on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Then remove the cupcakes from the muffin cups and cool completely on the wire rack.

The Icing Cast:

Allow butter to stand at room temperature, about 30 minutes. Allow ice cream to stand at room temperature, about 10 minutes. In a large mixing bowl beat with an electric mixer the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Beat in the ice cream and vanilla.

Gradually beat in the powdered sugar. It’s so satisfying looking and the smell is delectable!

Spoon icing into a pastry bag and pipe frosting onto the tops of the cupcakes.

Doesn’t that look so dang good?! We have leftovers and I might just be eating one while I type this…

You know the drill, printable down below!

• Servings: 24
• Time: 2 hr
• Print

A light and smooth root beer float themed cupcake!

Ingredients

Cupcake:

• 3/4 cup butter
• 3 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tbsp root beer extract (or 1/2 tbsp to 3/4 tbsp root beer concentrate)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups root beer

Icing:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup ice cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Directions

For the cupcakes:

Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature, about 30 minutes. Line 24 muffin cups with paper baking cups. In a medium bowl stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium to high speed for about 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar beating on medium speed until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat again until light and fluffy. One at a time add the eggs, making sure to beat well after each egg. Beat in the root beer extract (or concentrate) and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and root beer, alternately to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed after each addition until combined.

Spoon the batter 2/3 to 3/4 full in the muffin cups. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the muffin cups on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Then remove the cupcakes from the muffin cups and cool completely on the wire rack.

For the icing:

Allow butter to stand at room temperature, about 30 minutes. Allow ice cream to stand at room temperature, about 10 minutes. In a large mixing bowl beat with an electric mixer the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the ice cream and vanilla. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar.

Spoon icing into a pastry bag and pipe frosting onto the tops of the cupcakes.