About Jessica

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

These Root Beer Float Cupcakes are a delicious and unique twist on classic cupcakes, with a moist texture and rich root beer flavor that’s sure to please. The root beer cream cheese buttercream frosting adds a creamy and tangy element that perfectly complements the cupcakes. Topped with a maraschino cherry and paper straw, these cupcakes make for a fun and festive dessert.

Root Beer Float Cupcakes - Deliciously moist root beer butter cupcakes with a rich flavor.  These Root Beer Float Cupcakes are made with root beer cream cheese buttercream frosting and pack plenty of root beer flavor. #cupcakes #dessert

Deliciously moist root beer butter cupcakes with a rich flavor.  These Root Beer Float Cupcakes are made with root beer cream cheese buttercream frosting and pack plenty of root beer flavor.

When I think of summer, I think of parties by the pool and potluck cookouts.  Flavors like root beer, cotton candy, margarita, strawberry, and cherry almond come to mind.

Root Beer Float Cupcakes - Deliciously moist root beer butter cupcakes with a rich flavor.  These Root Beer Float Cupcakes are made with root beer cream cheese buttercream frosting and pack plenty of root beer flavor. #cupcakes #dessert

Root Beer Float Cupcakes is the quintessential summer dessert.  If you’re looking to bring an elevated dessert to a summer or holiday party, try this cupcake recipe.

I promise everyone will love a decadent, moist and flavorful cake with the most delicious root beer frosting.

Root Beer Float Cupcakes - Deliciously moist root beer butter cupcakes with a rich flavor.  These Root Beer Float Cupcakes are made with root beer cream cheese buttercream frosting and pack plenty of root beer flavor. #cupcakes #dessert

Russian ball tip piping is my go-to frosting technique these days.  I have a number of cupcakes recipes here featuring this beautiful and inspiring piping trick.

While I plan to do a video this summer using Russian Ball Tips, I’ve mentioned tips throughout different cupcake posts on how to achieve this design.  For starters, I like to use the large hole ball tip.  Secondly, fill the piping bag with frosting. Refrigerate all the frosting.  The stuff in the bag and the stuff that was whipped up.

Root Beer Float Cupcakes - Deliciously moist root beer butter cupcakes with a rich flavor.  These Root Beer Float Cupcakes are made with root beer cream cheese buttercream frosting and pack plenty of root beer flavor. #cupcakes #dessert

The frosting should be hard to pip out of the bag but not too hard that it could possibly break the bag.  If it is too hard, let it sit out at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Also, you’ll want to make sure to refrigerate the frosting supplies again after a few pips because warm frosting tends to blend the layers together. For other Russian Ball Tip techniques, I use, read about these Maple Bacon Cupcakes.  If you do use Russian Ball Tips, you’ll want to fill an extra bag with a little frosting because these tips create a small hole in the center of the frosting.  I like to stabilize that area with a little frosting.

Root Beer Float Cupcakes - Deliciously moist root beer butter cupcakes with a rich flavor.  These Root Beer Float Cupcakes are made with root beer cream cheese buttercream frosting and pack plenty of root beer flavor. #cupcakes #dessert

These moist Root Beer Float Cupcakes pack a delicious flavor that can’t be beaten.  If you love buttercream cream cheese frosting and have a bacon lover in your life, this cupcake recipe is for you!

Looking for more delicious cupcakes recipes?  Try these Churro Cupcakes or these Italian Cream Cupcakes. I love these Coconut Macaroon Cupcakes, too!

Celebrate summer’s arrival with a nostalgic dessert that is sure to be a hit for your next summer party.

Root Beer Float Cupcakes - Deliciously moist root beer butter cupcakes with a rich flavor.  These Root Beer Float Cupcakes are made with root beer cream cheese buttercream frosting and pack plenty of root beer flavor. #cupcakes #dessert

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

Deliciously moist root beer butter cupcakes with a rich flavor.  These Root Beer Float Cupcakes are made with root beer cream cheese buttercream frosting and pack plenty of root beer flavor. 
5 from 9 votes
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time27 minutes
Total Time57 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 34 servings
Calories 366 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • cup shortening (packed)
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • 1 cup full-fat sour cream
  • ½ cup root beer soda
  • 3 large eggs
  • 4 teaspoons root beer extract or concentrate
  • 2 teaspoons butter flavoring

For the Root Beer Frosting

  • 18 tablespoons (that's 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • 5 cups powdered confectioners' sugar
  • 3 teaspoons root beer extract or root beer concentrate
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 12 ounces cream cheese (softened)
  • 1 cup shortening (packed)
  • 1/8 teaspoon brown gel food coloring (I used Wilton)
  • 34 maraschino cherries (to garnish)
  • 34 paper straws (to garnish)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a muffin tin pan with paper cups; set aside.
    2. In a bowl fit with paddle attachment, whisk together flour, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
    3. With the mixer on low, slowly beat in chunks of shortening and butter. Turn mixer to medium and beat until mixture has small crumbs.
    4. In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, root beer, eggs, root beer extract/concentrate, and butter extract.
    5. With the mixer on low, slowly pour mixture into dry ingredients. Turn mixer to medium and beat until incorporated; about 1 minute. Whip down sides of bowl with a spatula and stir to mix.
    6. Spoon 2 1/2 tablespoons cake batter into each cupcake. Carefully drop muffin tin pan against counter top to rid batter of air bubbles. Bake in oven for 27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool.
    To make the frosting
    1. Meanwhile, make the frosting. In a bowl fit with a mixer, beat butter, powdered confectioner's sugar, salt, and root beer flavoring. Once smooth, turn mixer up to medium and beat in chunks of cream cheese and shortening. Mix frosting until smooth.  Beat in brown gel food coloring.  More coloring can be used to achieve a darker brown color. 
    2. Fill pastry bag with a cupcake tip and frost each cupcake. Frosting may need to be chilled in pastry bag to create same design as photos. Also, I used a Russian Ball Tip to frost each cupcake. See notes on where to buy, otherwise, any cupcake tip will do.
    3. Chill frosted cupcakes then top with cherry and paper straw.
    4. Cupcakes need to be chilled until 30 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 366kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 2gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 161mgPotassium: 59mgFiber: 1gSugar: 32gVitamin A: 430IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional information is only an estimate and it's accuracy is not guaranteed to be exact.

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14 Responses

  1. What a fun idea! I love root beer floats, and this is such a great twist. I’m definitely going to have to make these

  2. 5 stars
    Perfect for summer!! Very creative idea and I am so jealous of your frosting skills 🙂 Cupcakes look super moist and you picked the perfect flavor for pool parties!!

  3. 5 stars
    I love root beer floats — they do remind me of summer and summer vacation. What a great way to use that wonderful flavor combination. I’ve been hesitant about using the Russian tips but you’ve given some great advice.

  4. 5 stars
    I didn’t know root beer before moving to Canada 3 years ago. Now I can’t even imagine life without it! These cupcakes are definitely the first recipe I’ve ever seen the that use root beer as an ingredient. It sounds absolutely amazing! Love the look of that frosting!

  5. This looks absolutely delicious. My kids love cupcakes and i need to try a new flavor every time. These end my quest for the month.Thanks for sharing .

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