The other day I discovered a bottle of root beer in the fridge and debated drinking it or doing something fun with it.
I’m glad I went with something fun. These cupcakes (particularly the frosting) are super yummy and just scream “summertime!”
Staring with a cake mix, they are easy to make and the frosting can be whipped together in a jiffy!
Ingredients
Mix everything together, saving the addition of the root beer for last. I loved the way it bubbled up in the bowl.
Pour into paper-lined muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees until the tops bounce back when touched (about 15 minutes or so).
Remove from pan and cool completely.
While the cupcakes are cooling, mix up your frosting. You’ll need some vanilla (and you can use canned frosting for this or make your own. If you make your own, use 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 2 tbsp. milk and 1 tsp. vanilla. Blend together and set aside.
Here are the ingredients for the root beer frosting.
The root beer concentrate gives it the chocolatey color.
If you like root beer, the smell of the frosting will make your mouth water in anxious anticipation.
To get a root beer float affect on the cupcake, mix the vanilla and root beer frosting.
I just swirled it on. Swirling was very tasty.
Root Beer Cupcakes
1 white or vanilla cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 1/4 cups root beer
2 tbsp. root beer concentrate
Vanilla Frosting (optional)
Root Beer Frosting
Root Beer Frosting
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter (softened)
1 tbsp. root beer concentrate
1/4 cup root beer
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, mix cake mix, eggs, root beer concentrate and root beer until smooth. Pour into paper-lined muffin cups and bake until tops bounce back when touched (about 15-18 minutes).
Remove from oven and cool completely.
Mix together the root beer frosting ingredients.
For a simple vanilla frosting, mix 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar with 1/4 cup softened butter, 2 tbsp. milk and 1 tsp. vanilla extract.
If you want to give the cupcakes more of a root beer float flavor, mix the vanilla and root beer frosting together. You can also just use the root beer. If you do that, double the frosting ingredients so you’ll have enough.
Try to keep from snitching as you frost the cupcakes because the root beer frosting is amazingly delicious. Even Captain Cavedweller raved about how good it was – and that is saying something.
For an added pop of color and fun, insert a paper straw before serving.
Note – you can find root beer concentrate in the flavoring section of most grocery stores (look near the vanilla extract).
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