Before I made this cake on Sunday afternoon, I sat down with a nice, tall root beer float. Sure, it was 10:30 in the morning. I suppose that technically that means I had a root beer float for breakfast. That’s one of the great thing about being an adult, you can have a float for breakfast with no resistance.
Something about a root beet float puts me on a conveyor belt back to some really random childhood memories. The taste, the bubbles, the increasingly creamy soda… it take me back to constantly skinned knees, playing in a beat-up old red wagon with my sister, and sitting in front of an old black and white television watching baseball with my grandfather. Funny what a little ice cream and soda can do in your brain, right?
But cake!? Root Beet Float Cake? I have so many questions. Will it have the same memory inducing effects as the real deal? Is that asking too much? Wait, is this cake chocolate or root beer? Can I eat it for breakfast? Will it change my life for the better?
Answers and cake, just a click away.
Here’s what you should know about the Root Beer Float Cake. It’s a wonderfully moist, super chocolate Bundt Cake. It’s the kind of cake that’s great to take to a outdoor summer party because it has the “hmmm” factor. People will wonder what’s in it besides the chocolate.
The cake doesn’t have the same memory inducing effects as a real root beer float. I blame that on all the chocolate. The root beer flavor does intensify in the cake the next day. I suggest making the cake a day ahead, wrapping it well, then frosting it and serving the next day. And yes… cake for breakfast is always encouraged around these parts. Cake for breakfast usually makes my life better.
Try this cake. Maybe for Memorial Day. Maybe put it on your summer baking list. I’d love to hear what you think!
Root Beer Float Cake
Baked: New Frontiers in Baking
2 cups root beer (don’t use diet)
1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
Preheat even to 325 degrees F. Spray the inside of a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray, or butter generously and dust with flour, knocking out the excess.
In a small saucepan, heat the root beer, cocoa powder and butter over medium heat until butter is melted. Add sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
In a small bowl whisk the eggs until just beaten. Then whisk into the cocoa mixture until combined. Gently fold the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture. The batter will be slightly lumpy. You can give it a quick whisk if you like, but don’t over beat the batter or it could cause the cake to be tough. Don’t worry, the batter is very loose.
Pour the batter into prepared pan and cook for 35-45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking until a sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely then loosen edges with a butter knife and turn out onto a cake plate.
Chocolate Root Beer Frosting
2 ounces 60% cocoa, melted
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt (you may want to use less… maybe just 1/2 teaspoon)
1/4 cup root beer
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using an electric hand mixer, beat softened butter and cocoa powder. Once combined add the melted chocolate, salt, powdered sugar and root beer. Beat together until smooth. Spread on top of cooled cake. Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream.
Jennifer
Wow! Looks yummy and very fluffy. I would love to bake this cake and enjoy it with my family on this weekend. Thanks for the share.
Laura
I just made this cake for my dad’s birthday (we share our “strange” love for root beer). I hope the buttercream stays “clean” until 8:00 p.m. I want to taste it with vainilla ice cream. The cake looks moist and the buttercream taste great.
JessicaSophia
The cake looks great! (And I am always so relieved when bundt cakes unmold without crumbling) But my frosting was a total flop. The chocolate seized up into tiny chunks so that the frosting has a weird texture and looked really lumpy. I ended up beating it until it was fluffy to disguise the lumpy texture, so it is more of a buttercream-looking frosting than a shiny bundt glaze. Maybe I should have used room-temperature root beer? I’d refrigerated it after I’d used some of it for the cake batter.
joythebaker
I don’t think the root beer temp should make a difference but if your butter was too cold, that could cause lumps. Also, sometimes it helps to sift your powdered sugar, especially if it’s older.
Stacey
Hi, this is probably a silly question, but could this be baked at 350 degrees? Our oven is stuck on 350 and the repair guy isn’t coming until next week – would love to take this to a neighborhood BBQ this week! Thank you!
joythebaker
350 should be fine! just lessen the cooking time a bit. keep an eye on it!
Stacey
You’re sweet to reply, thanks kindly! Love your blog.
Lauren
I made 2 of these root-beer float cakes for my friend’s going-away party, but because I’m an overachiever, I made a few tweaks to really take it over the top! I pumped up the root-beer flavor using Watkins’s root-beer extract in the cake itself; plus I “basted” the finished cake in a root-beer syrup made from boiled-down A&W and some more extract. I served the cake in individual beer mugs, covered with a root-beer hot fudge sauce, topped with a peak of whipped cream, and garnished with a straw. Each portion looked EXACTLY like a root-beer float. And the root-beer flavor was loud and clear — and extremely delicious. I got rave reviews.
Marina
can you tell me how much extract you added?
Aubrey
I just made this for my birthday – I know, I know but I wanted to make one for me for a change :). The batter was incredible, not so much of a root beet flavor but rather an intensified chocolate. The frosting I am currently trying not to eat by the spoonful before supper….. Thanks for another great recipe Joy!
Victoria
This recipe really intrigued me. I’m definitely going to try it. Something that crossed my mind that I think I want to try is that I’ve seen cakes made with ice cream before and I was wondering if adding vanilla ice cream might intensify the root beer float idea?
Jana
I absolutely love this recipe, unfortunately though every time I’ve done it I can’t taste the root beer :( I’ve tried 3 different brands (IBC, Goose Island, and Virgils) and I’ve added a teaspoon of root beer extract to the batter and frosting and neither time it’s tasted anymore then just a chocolate cake. Regardless of the lack of root beer flavoring it’s an amazing chocolate bunt cake recipe with an even more delicious frosting :)
Alison
As I was purchasing ingredients for this cake it occured to me that maybe the chocolate you’re using is too good? Perhaps crappy store brand cocoa would let the rootbeer flavor come through?
Michaela
Joy! This cake changed my life. I’m obsessed. My roommate made it for my 21st birthday and it was simply perfect. I should have just invited you to the party, but here are some pictures of us with the AMAZING cake!
Also, I’ve totes taken all of you “21 years old” advice :)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/69556280@N04/6323098439/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/69556280@N04/6323099369/
Sarah
I am currently in the process of making this cake for my sister’s birthday this evening, and it’s probably the most fun cake i’ve ever made! thank you!
Sarah
p.s. it was delicious. especially the icing.
Jennifer
I wanted to tell you that I am participating in a cooking competition this weekend where the secret ingredient is Cherry Coke, so I am making this cake with Cherry Coke instead of root beer and it is DIVINE. I already tested it. With a little fresh whipped cream and a fresh cherry reduction drizzled on top. Oh my. After the competition is over, I fully intend to make it with root beer though, since it sounds AMAZING. Thanks for the recipe!!
Jennifer
Just wanted to give an update: We won best dessert!! Thanks again for the recipe! Everyone loved it.
Jo Jo
I have made this cake twice and I only get better at each new attempt. I will add a bit of root beer schnaps next baking which will be this weekend. MAKE THIS CAKE IT’S FABULOUS
Tiffany
Yum Yum– can’t wait to make this! One question… tips on wrapping it? I feel like whenever I have tried to make and wrap my cake before frosting it, it gets gooey on top. Maybe since this is a bundt it’s different? Just wondering, making it on Thursday :)
joan
i love cake, and A&W rootbeer rocks my world. it’s on my birthday list :)
Katie
I can vouch that this frosting is delicious on this cake, on a slice of pumpkin quick bread, and melted over vanilla ice cream and topped with chopped pecans. Endless possibilities!
Bernadette
made this cake today and it turned out amazing!! love love love it. i’ve already had 2 people ask me to make it again!
Megan
I thought this was really good! But I felt like there was only a hint of rootbeer. Is there a way to up the taste with more rootbeer? And make it less chocolate-y tasting?
Merlot
YUM YUM YUM! This cake looks wonderful! Thanks for such a fun recipe! I cant wait to try it!
samantha
so delicious!! my brother is a home-brewer and we were testing out baking with beer yesterday…i saw this and swapped the root beer with one of his dark beers and it was fabulous. and even better the next day–dense dark and dreamy.
joythebaker
that sounds amazing!
Jessie -- The Messie Kitchen
WOW. This is a genius idea. I’ve made a chocolate Guinness cake but root beer… you’re onto something!
Cheryl
I just made this cake on thursday for a barbeque :) Shouldn’t have told anyone it was a root beer cake though, they all complained they couldn’t taste even a hint of root beer! Oh well, but it was expected since I read all the comments on this recipe already :) Tried basting the cake with 1/2 cup of root beer boiled down to syrup but still there wasn’t any difference. I love the chocolatety goodness of the cake though! Thanks for the recipe :D
Lauren
Made this for the boyfriend’s birthday, just cut down the sugar a bit, and it was DEVOURED! Excellent cake, Joy! =)
Ken Topham
This was really delicious and easy to make. It was so moist and rich that a little goes a long way. I used Hershey’s Special Dark cocoal which made it almost black. It was a huge hit with everyone. This is a keeper and thank you Joy for a great one!
Paige C
I made this (sans frosting – I ran out of time) to impress a guy (as I’m usually trying to do). It’s DELICIOUS…but he said it needed more root beer. Lame!
Jewel
Wow! after reading all of those posts by people who tried this cake and loved it, I’ve just gotta try it!!! Who doesn’t like a great chocolate cake?! :-) Thanks for the recipe!!
Anne
These look simply delicious!! A perfect treat for those late-night parties. My sister made this Cake with a little bit of her own flavour and it tasted awesome.
Lisa
Just made this cake and the family says it’s the best one yet! I used a small batch rootbeer that I bought at Whole Foods. Since others mentioned a lack of rootbeer flavor, I made a rootbeer syrup by boiling down one of the extra bottles. After taking the cake out of the oven I poked holes in it and basted it with the syrup. I think this added a little more rootbeer flavor to the cake.
Melanie
I crushed root beer barrel candy into a powder to use as the white sugar in the recipe. I think it helped make the root beer taste pop a little more.
fattydumpling
I have used said recipe and have really enjoyed the resulting cake ;]
Like the other commentors have said, the root beer flavour is really subtle, but that doesn’t really matter, ’cause the cake came out deliciously chocolaty and fudge-y. Cool beans.
Richard
I feel like rushing to the store for the ingredients!
Looks wonderful!
Lidija O.
Dear Joy, I would love to make this cake, but as European, I don’t know where to find Root Beer, could you suggest substitute? And what it is : 60% cocoa,(melted?).
I hope you will soon answer my question, because I would like to make this cake next week. Thank you! Fantastic recipes you have here, bravo !!! Mmmm..
Kathy E.
Oh my! This was most delicious, richest chocolate cake I have ever tasted! I made this for my daughter’s 20th birthday. She’s always been a root-beer lover, so this recipe caught my eye. She was telling everyone that her mom made a root beer cake for her birthday! I think wrapping it in plastic wrap after making it last night helped to trap the moisture inside and added to its intensely rich flavor. The frosting was pure heaven too! It was beautiful baked in a heart-shaped bundt pan…definitley a cake she’ll always remember! Thanks so much for this awesome creation!
Jami
Thanks so much! I left my boyfriends cake to the last minute and found a rootbeer float cake recipe that required rootbeer extract….(huh!?) Came to your blog hoping to find something else, but found this instead! Can’t wait to bake it and tell you how great it is!
Stacey
I am personally NOT a rootbeer lover AT ALL!!! However, my husband is. he was just mentioning it tonight hwo he had a craving for it. His b’day is in January so now I know what cake I’ll be making him!! Thanks!
Hannah
First, I LOVE your blog. Now that that is over with, I made this on the weekend and it was very moist but there wasn’t a lot of root beer flavor. But it was still the best, mind you the only, bundt cake I have ever made.
Jax
I also made these into cupcakes. they are delicious! I used only 1 cup of white sugar and they were nice and rich and chocolately tasting. i will definitely keep this one on hand as a “go to” recipe because it it so simple to make, and make a perfectly textured cake.
Thanks!
Lauren
Question: I am making this tonight for my grandparents 60th wedding anniversary. And the grocery store didn’t have the dark unsweetened cocoa powder. Can I use regular unsweetened cocoa powder instead?
Lisa
Hi Joy- I bought the baked cookbook months ago and have had my eyes on the root beer float cake. I plan on making it this weekend for a friend’s birthday bbq. One question about making the day ahead and wrapping it– should it stay out or be wrapped and put in the fridge? Thanks! I hope my pictures turn out as beautiful as yours– if they do I will post them to my blog http://littlemakedesign.blogspot.com/
joythebaker
you can wrap it and leave it out! enjoy!
allie
Mmm.. I’ve had this bookmarked for months and I’m going to make it this week for my girlfriend’s birthday. I can’t wait… it looks delicious!
Carole
Finally got this one baked….just sad it took me all summer! I posted my results on my blog. Thanks for hookin’ me up Joy!
Milly
My son in law (SIL-ly) loves root beer floats and he turns 30 next week. His wife is a happy baker and she is thrilled about making this special cake for him. Thanks for all the tips about how to ramp up the root beer taste.
Alicia
Okay…I love this cake with the root beer schnapps!! I added 1/2 cup of the schnapps and 1 1/2 cups of root beer soda. One thing I did not do is heat up the 1/2 cup of schnapps with the root beer, butter, chocolate, and sugars. I added it after it cooled down. I also added it to the frosting and it gives it a major root beer taste with a zing! :o) NICE!
Alicia
I am trying this cake again, but with the root beer schnapps this time. I will let you know how it turns out. The first time I made it was great, but I was missing that root beer pop. I may also try that organic root beer Leigh was talking about this weekend. I am obsessed with this yummy cake!!! Thanks Joy!!
ny celiac
I made a gluten-free version of this last night (my boyfriend is the root beer fan) and we could hardly wait to cut into it – it filled the apartment with such a rich, chocolaty aroma! The icing is delicious as well. It reminded me of birthday cakes my mom used to make. Thanks for an unusual and absolutely luscious recipe – the hint of root beer flavor adds a nicely subtle twist.
Danielle
Wow. Just..wow.
Lene
I have to say Joy, this recipe is delicious!! When I made this cake tonight I did forget to add the brown sugar but it still tasted great, and the chocolate frosting is the best!! I will be using this Chocolate frosting for so many things!!!!
Kham Tran
Mmm, so mouth watering!
teeneizofThen
Most recent information about Paris hiltons boobs and Boobs big http://busty.goodnano-av.com/
Julie
I made them tonight and instead of a cake I put them in ice cream cake cones and made cupcakes. And I used a 3 to 1 ratio of Birch Beer to Rootbeer and it made them taste less like chocolate and have more of a rootbeer kick. Then I crushed up rootbeer barrel candies and sprinkled them on top! They are very yummy!
MAGGIE
My son just made this cake, looks yummy and the frosting is delicious.
Can’t wait to taste it later tonight.
Sharifa
This cake sounds super tasty. Damn it Joy your site always makes my mouth water!
Phil E. Drifter
i wanna have babies with you, Joy!
Lydia
A friend just sent me a link to this site yesterday, and I am already in love. Especially with this recipe. I’m going to make it for dessert when I make fried chicken with the Ad Hoc kit I just got at Williams Sonoma. Yay!
Leigh
Hello, Joy!
I am baking this cake as I type this. I found some organic root beer at a local market (Tommy’s Naked Soda) which has a super root beer taste without the caramel color…which leads me to my question- thoughts on making a vanilla root-beer cream icing? I am going to try and finangle it. I think it would make the perfect accompaniment to the cake itself- and then it would likely (hopefully) make that root beer flavor pop a bit more. This “naked” soda should be ideal for such an icing as it is clear, elliminating the off-color icing that would likely come from using regular root beer. Any tips on it would be appreciated, but I’m going to forge onward and see what I can create! Will keep you posted :)
gayle
I’ve seen root beer extract at my cake decorating supply store. That would probably give you more intense root beer flavor in the icing.
airin
I made this into cupcakes over the weekend and it was extremely well received by all my family and friends! Everyone loved the deep, rich taste.To a point – my friend’s 5 year old niece – Raissa, apparently cried over the last cupcake – aww, bless. So I shall be baking a special batch just for her!
Morgan
I made this and it was AMAZING. I blogged about it (http://live-laugh-sparkle.blogspot.com/2009/06/bake-this-cake.html). No one could taste the root beer, but that was just fine. Everyone loved it.
I just finished making a cupcake version. I have to bring a dessert for the Father’s Day luncheon at church tomorrow and this was the first thing that came to mind.
Elizabeth
I made this cake last night, but in two rounds as a layer cake. It came out perfect. There was just enough icing to fill and ice the whole cake. I made it for my boss for his birthday which is during Thanksgiving break so we always miss it. I thought it would be a fun to celebrate at the complete wrong time – a total surprise. Everyone loved the cake. No one could taste root beer though.
I am most pleased that this cake came out exactly as it was supposed to. Nothing is as fustrating as a recipe that doesn’t come out quite right when you know you followed it to the letter. I will make this cake again, as a bundt next time, but I was thinking that a vanilla creme filling in the center would be really yummy too!
Thanks Joy for spreading the joy of baking!
Minnesotamom
I am laughing so hard at the eccentricity of the previous commenter’s mother. Ha!
Anyway, I made this yesterday, substituting Pepsi for Root Beer, since it was what I had on hand. It was fabulous, and my hubby and daughter loved it, too! Thanks for the great recipe.
Maureen
Funny but true story. Made this cake and took it over to my parents’ house this past weekend. My 80 year old mother cut us each a very small piece and then sat down to take a bite. One taste and she jumps up, covers the cake and puts it in the fridge announcing “We are done”. Within 5 minutes she had invited all of the neighbors over for tea the next day – with the root beer float cake being the guest of honour.
Lovely moist delicious cake – with the Mom seal of approval.
Thank you!
Carlene
You have to get the Virgils keg! I am going to cook up this cake today for tomorrow’s BBQ birthday party and we are going to tap into root beer keg! I am SO excited. It really is the best root beer ever.
Alicia
I just finished baking this cake and it looks darker than I thought. I cannot wait to try it for breakfast tomorrow. ;o))
Minerva
Well this cake is on my to do list when i get down to Sint-Maarten (my home land well island i know) this summer.You see i live in the Nederland’s and RootBeer cannot be found here.
Amanda
So we turned these into cupcakes and it worked really well (we just altered the baking time) – oh MAN were they good. In particular, this frosting is awesome. It’s the perfect texture, and I like the slight salty flavor. Mmmmm.
Gayle
Just made this cake. YUMMY! We have leftover root beer from Memorial Day, and I was looking for a way to use it it. Found it!!! Super duper delicious with just a *slight* hint of root beer. I like it that way! Very moist. Thanks so much, Joy!!!
Andy
Joy, I do a lot of baking. Rarely have trouble but this root beer cake has me stumped. I can’t get it baked at 325 degrees. Sorry
Emilee
I made this for a dinner party and it was a hit! The chocolate frosting is the best I have ever had.
Jennifer
Can I make this into cupcakes? What do I need to adjust?
FamilyFirst
We have never heard about root beer cakes in this part of the world! This looks like a gorgeous new recipe to try.
~shannah
just found the cake i will make for my daughters birthday next week! thanks for sharing. I’ll post again and let you know how we much we love it!
annette
Sorry no photo! :( Brought the fabulous cake – 2 tiered decadent chocolatababy – to the neighborhood get together yesterday, walked back home for the camera, only to return to see everyone digging into the cake. Complements galore! Delish!!
annette
Yaaaaahooooo! I just made this cake for the neighborhood BBQ. Can’t wait to cut it open. Baker gets the big slice, right?! Yeah, baby!!! If I get a photo I’ll share!……btw – One cup of root beer for frosting to make it spread easier.
Thanks Joy!
joythebaker
You guys are totally right… the root beer flavor isn’t very pronounced in this cake at all. It’s a lovely and super moist chocolate cake, but the root beer flavor is very slight. I think root beet schnapps would kick this recipe up a lot if you need more root beer flavor.
Millie
I made it Saturday night and that was my breakfast Sunday morning. lol. You can definitely taste the root beer in the frosting (I used A & W) and as far as not really being able to taste it in the cake, that’s fine with me. The chocolate balances it out quite well. I think if served with chocolate ice cream you would happily die from chocolate overload. ;) I have orders to make it for both my mom and mother-in-law since my hubby wouldn’t let it leave the house because he liked it so much. hehe! Joy, you rock. =þ
Stiffler
i made this cake yesterday.
it is tasty and moist.
i should have mixed the batter a little more.
i can’t taste the root beer at all . . . i was hoping there would be a hint of it.
i had to go with mug root beer. but now i see an ice cream shop nearby has homemade root beer. i may have to stop in to try a glass.
Leigh
I am BEYOND excited for this cake. I am in love with anything rootbeer, but hadn’t thought of applying that to baked goods. Thank you!
Katrina
Looks so good!
Mary Beth
I have fond root beer / childhood memories too! We would go to the drive in and I would get my root beer in a tiny little frosty mug! Cant wait to try this cake. I am intrigued about finding some root beer schnapps that Elle mentioned!
Elle
Someone may have mentioned this already (I haven’t gone through all of the comments :) ) but I read another recipe for a root beer bundt cake that added some root beer schnapps to the batter to kick up the root beer flavor.
April
Wow! These sound great. I’m sure my husband would love this cake, especially if served alongside his favorite soda, rootbeer, of course! Thanks for the recipe. Next time a 12-pack of rootbeer comes home, I’ll be sure to snag a few for this cake. Yum.
poppy
I made the cake tonight and will be sharing it with my friends for my 24th birthday! wooooop!
Deborah
I think I’m the only one who has made this cake that tasted less root beer flavor the next day. But regardless, it is one moist, tasty cake!!
Brenda
Made this last night. I was surprised and delighted by how moist it was!!! I was also surprised that there wasn’t much root beer flavor. It tasted like a really rich chocolate cake with a hint of something different. I am going to try it with cream soda next time.
Charmian Christie
I have never heard of this before, but root beer floats are one of the few treats my father indulges in. I bet this cake would win him over.
Kate
Oh my goodness, this cake looks so dang amazing! We only buy pop as a rare treat, so this could be the excuse to have some root beer around, yay!
cindy
i love rootbeer, a lot. and cake for breakfast is totally acceptable…why would muffins and cake look so similar if it weren’t true? i don’t know, but it makes sense to me. :)
Tina
Hi,
OMG!! The only soda I love is root beer and I like to try all different brands of them, just like my friend Jessica. This will be a great girls night in treat. I might just do that :) Thank you, Joy again for speaking into my soul =D
Jenn Eastman
I will be making this on Memorial Day which also happens to be my mom’s bday, I know she’ll love it! :)
howtoeatacupcake
I love that book! I gotta try this recipe!
Mama JJ
Day Two—still can’t taste the root beer and the salt isn’t quite as toxic…
(Please don’t be offended by my critique—just tossing in my paltry two cents.)
yogi
I tried this recipe 2 days ago. It’s delicious and very moist but it sticks to my teeth though. Will try again because my kids love it. I can’t taste the root beer.
Judith
It’s funny, for me the root beer float is actually a uniquely adulthood favorite. I get one every time I fly through RDU (Raleigh being my hometown) because there’s an A&W in the airport, but there aren’t actual standalone A&Ws anywhere I’ve lived. Therefore, it’s a fun once every year or two treat on the way to see the parentals.
Shelly
Great idea! I have recently made Coca~Cola cake and also used Coke in the last Iron Cupcake challenge and loved the results of the soda in the cake…really light. I bet this was delicious and will definitely give it a try!
olga lopez
looks so good.
Have a nice day
regards
olga.
Jodie
What. Is. THIS??!! I LOVE root beer floats! I’m trying this!!
Andrea [bella eats]
Joy! Thank you for the sweet comment on my blog! I absolutely love yours, in fact I have several of your recipes bookmarked to test out. :)
This cake looks fabulous. I think it will make an appearance at our Memorial Day picnic…
Mama JJ
You asked for what we thought about this cake, so here you go:
I made this cake this afternoon and while it’s okay, I’m not raving. The icing was way too salty (didn’t see the note to reduce the amount till now). I would recommend leaving all the salt out, or using only a pinch at the most. Also, the icing didn’t come together very well—the cocoa and butter didn’t mix up nicely and I had to add the root beer right then to bring it together. The icing was really dry with only 1/4 cup of the soda, and I probably added at least another 1/4 cup before I was all done. If it weren’t for the salt poisoning (!), I think it might be a good recipe…
As for the cake, well, it’s slightly crumbly and very moist, with no root beer flavor whatsoever. I know you said that it improved the next day, so I’m hopeful.
Okay, so there’s my candid thoughts. The kids love it, and I DO like it that it’s so dark. It’s a very pretty cake.
Mrs. L
I’m so going to try this on root beer float day!
callas
Looks and sounds fantastic! I’d love to make it, but there’s no chance to get root bear in Austria. Can you suggest an alternative, that might work, Joy?
Yvonne
Just the perfect recipe to try out in my new oven.
Culinary Wannabe
Nice! I am forever having sweets for breakfast. I blame my mom – she used to argue that ice cream was a perfectly acceptable breakfast item since it had milk in it. And I’m dying over the big topping of frosting – yummy!!
pigpigscorner
It’s gorgeous!! Great idea using root beer! yum yum!
Jessi
I love you, I love you… I am SO making this cake ASAP!
Hello, by the way… I just found your blog and am quite tickled about it. Come by and visit mine in between cake- and muffin-making :)
~ J :)
Rachel
I absolutely adore the Baked cookbook. I’ve made the Banana Chocolate Chip Espresso muffins multiple times and I always wanted to make this cake. Seeing how deliciously it came out makes me want to even more! Maybe this weekend…
Kim
I made this last week and it was WONDERFUL!!! Everyone enjoyed it…followed the recipe and it was great with the ice cream…a keeper!
prjanik
Hmm, it looks so delicious. So I must find out where I can buy this Root Beer in Germany. I’ve never heard about it before.
Jen
This cake looks tasty enough for all meals…in a row…Is that allowed?
Jody Leon
Are you reading my mind? I have been craving root beer for several weeks now. Last weekend I took two buses and a train to get some root beer at my nearest foreign foods market. I bought the last two A&W Root beers they had in stock. Then my silly husband put them in the freezer to cool, forgot about them and left them over night. The next day, he secretly put them back in the fridge (hoping they would defrost in time?).
Then there is little ole me… tired after a day of teaching and looking forward to my delicious root beer soda. EXPLOSION!!!!! All over me and my freshly moped kitchen. Well at least root beer slushy is better than no root beer at all.
dawn
oh Joy if you can try using the root ber schnapps, it was wonderful in this!!
Amy
I can’t wait to try this! My husband’s dessert tastes are very simple…he loves just a regular root beer or Coke float and doesn’t care about any fussy desserts or cakes that I like to make, but this has the best of both. Thanks for sharing. I also have the Baked cookbook on my wishlist, so I’m excited to try a recipe from it.
Johanna
Ah, root beer … I love it. It reminds me of holidays in Canada, as we don’t have it here in Germany … Maja, root beer is more a soft drink than a beer, but I might give this cake a try using something else, too ~ maybe with a special kind of coke we have here, darker and richer than the usual kind.
Heidi
Yowza! This sounds delish! My boys will love this recipe. Thanks for posting. I love your blog and follow it often. Please take a moment to check out my new baking blog. It’s new so there is not a lot on there but stay tuned!
heidibakes.blogspot.com
Thanks
Heidi
Seattle, WA
Elyse
Oh, I had way too many skinned knees as a child. Next time you’re in the Bay Area, you should check out this restaurant on College Ave. in Oakland (right where Berkeley and Oakland meet). It’s call Wood Tavern, and besides having excellent food, they have rootbeer floats on the dessert list. Todd and I ordered one the other night and it brought back a flood of wonderful memories! I love my Baked book; I can’t wait to try out this bundt cake (however, I will bake it fully heeding your disclaimer that it doesn’t quite evoke the same memories as the “real thing.”)
gayle
hello joy- your site is really lovely. gorgeous photos and beautiful writing. i love how you see the world, and how you say it. i happened onto your blog quite recently. no blogging for me–wouldn’t know where to begin–but i bake constantly, and i think we see things, baking-wise, in a very similar way: make it pretty, yeah, but make it old school and make it taste amazing. your little corner of the universe here is absolutely captivating. thank you for sharing your lens on life and baking… lovelovelove it.
Kim
I actually made this cake a couple months ago with some other bloggers. I loved the idea of it and thought it was very original. We all liked it and it was a lot like a moist and chocolatey cake. I could taste a bit of root beer and some of the other bloggers didn’t taste any root beer. We all enjoyed the cake though. Thanks for sharing. Yours looks terrific!!
anna
That looks so moist and awesome!
Sheryl
I am so excited to try this, we are going camping this weekend, should be a great start to the summer season.
Kellie
Root beer floats are my favorite!!! I’m definitely making it this weekend!!
Nastassia
lol you’re so funny. and i like ur childhood memories from leave it to beaver lol. but this cake looks delish. i was too lazy to actually bake this weekend
Kate D
Ohhh, root beer cake! But what if it didn’t have any chocolate…. Would that be good or just too much of a gingerbread? Hmmm. Thinking cap is on over here. How awesome!
HappyTummy
i would like to reach in, grab that slice of cake and shove it in my mouth. YUM!
Cynthia
You are truly the best.
Sue
That’s so funny…on my wall calendar, there’s a recipe for root beer float cake(2 cups root beer) for the month of July, that I plan on making! It is white cake though, and the frosting is vanilla whipped with root beer(1 cup) added:) Thanks for the chocolatey variation! Looks and sounds yummy! Of course with ice cream:)
Lori
I fully support cake for breakfast too! Or any baked good for that matter….
Michelle
Wow, this looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it! I love root beer, root beer floats, and chocolate, so I assume I would naturally love this!
rebekka
I’m pretty sure this is a very good idea for breakfast. Also, the only thing I like better than a root beer float is a Guinness float. Just sayin’.
Maja
What is that root beer you talk about? Is it really different from some dark beer i could get my hands on where i live? Sounds so misteriously yummy, though …
Abigail
Wow this looks great! I am totally going to make this one for this weekend!
Cammy
Mmmmm…this sounds scrumptious. Must make soon.
greenbean
i was also celebrating adulthood yesterday as i made hand-cut french fries and a berry banana smoothie for breakfast. :-) perfect salt and sweet combo. can this be my dinner for meatless monday today?
Erica from Cooking for Seven
We just had root beer floats last night! Putting root beer into a cake intrigues me. Sounds like a very fun dessert.
Valerie
All I can say is (1) I’m totally jealous that you had a root beer float for b’fast and (2) I wish I would have read this post before I went to the store. I would have so bought everything to make it right now.
Sarah Jackson
What the hell?! I thought you were just fantasizing about this! You make cake-y miracles!
Nyomblers,
Sarah
Sarah
Couple things Joy:
Root beer floats are amazing.
Cake for Breakfast is the breakfast of champions – so much that it’s the name of my blog!
This looks great and I think it will be on my Memorial Day menu. Thanks!
joythebaker
Oops! Yes, 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar. Also, yes… I might reduce the salt in the frosting a bit too!
Kelly
i made this recipe a few months back – loved the cake but thought the icing was too salty. i’d definitely make it again and eliminate the salt in the frosting. :)
xo
Kelly
tracielee
Wow that is weird, I got the Baked Cookbook for Christmas, those guys are too cool….and we made this cake this weekend…it is our long weekend in Canada. It is awesome….I can totally taste the rootbeer in it, even when others can’t….and those that can’t just think it is a fabulous choc cake….and yes with just a little something they can’t quite figure out. Lovely pics…and a great summer cake! Don’t skimp on the vanilla ice cream…it is a must!
Anna
I assume that the measurement for powdered sugar is in cups? Thanks.
Anna
I assume that the measurement for powered sugar is in cups? Thanks.
Irene
Oooh that looks insanely moist! I made beer cupcakes the other day and thought they were wonderful, but I love this as a non-alcoholic version, and the frosting is mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…..
Marisa
Did you read my mind? I was just thinking about making this for our work cook out next week! I bought the Baked book a couple months ago and so far everything I have made tastes great. I am excited to try this one out next.
The Duo Dishes
Soda cakes are always so light and fluffy…must be all that carbonation! A ding ding ding winner right here.
rachel
I used root beer extract in some cupcakes (http://coconutlime.blogspot.com/2008/05/root-beer-float-cupcakes.html) last year and it added a lot more root beer flavor than using the soda did. You might want to check it out!
http://shop.zatarains.com/zatarains%C2%AE-root-beer-extract-p-1586.html
jill
Oh, I am absolutely making this for a party we’re having tomorrow (but gluten-free). Perfect. I hope I’ll have some leftover for breakfast.
Beth
Yum, bookmarked it, and added it to my “to bake” list.
srh
Um, I just want you to know that you’ve essentially written a recipe that I have thought about since I bought a half sphere cake pan and my boyfriend got the ice cream attachment for the kitchenaid. I thought how brilliant to have a rootbeer type cake and fill the hollow hole part with vanilla ice cream and thus make a rootbeer float cake but I didn’t know how to do it. This yr for his birthday we are having a rootbeer themed picnic (which is to say a picnic with a rootbeer tasting aspect to it) and we couldn’t figure out what to do for the cake. You have totally and thoroughly just nailed it. We are absolutely using your recipe this memorial day weekend for an outdoor party! I just wanted you to know (and, you know, to thank you).
tara
Looks amazing!! Any suggestions for not making it in a bundt pan?
Deanna
This is my next cake! Thinking tonight is the night, or Thursday for my daughters birthday!
Missie
I am so excited to try this! Thanks!
Rina
Um, yum. Bookmarked. Thank you for this!
Jen G
I know what I’m making tonight….. Sounds yummy!
Nurit - 1 family. friendly. food.
Hey, I made this cake too just a while ago!! With a little twist. Posted it on my blog.
it was my first time to try root beer! Can you believe it???
Love your photos!
Megan
Aw man! I think I drank my last Virgil’s on Friday. I have had root beer float cupcakes before and they were awesome. Those had a whipped cream frosting and some sort of root beer syrup drizzled over the top.
joythebaker
root beet extract exists? um… gross.
Adrienne
That looks unbelievable. I’m so glad you didn’t use root beer extract!
Jane Doe
Joy, you rock my world!