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Get the Recipe: Vanilla Root Beer Float Cupcakes

Servings: 12 cupcakes
Author: Michelle Lopez
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Ingredients

For the Vanilla - Root Beer Cupcakes

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • a scant 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder (increase to 1 1/2 teaspoons at sea-level)
  • a pinch of salt
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of Morning Fresh Dairy Root Beer Milk (decrease to 1/2 cup at sea-level)
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Vanilla - Root Beer Frosting

  • 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons Morning Fresh Dairy Root Beer Milk
  • a couple of drops of pure vanilla extract

Instructions
 

Recipe for Vanilla - Root Beer Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 375 (F) -- if at sea-level, decrease this temperature to 325 (F).
  • Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or, use a handheld whisk) and beat on slow speed until everything is combined.
  • Gradually pour in half the milk into the flour mixture and beat until the milk is just incorporated.
  • Whisk the egg, vanilla, and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, and then pour into the flour mixture. Continue beating until just incorporated.
  • Scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula and continue mixing until the batter is smooth. Do not overmix.
  • Once the batter is ready, spoon into cupcake cases until two-thirds full (approximately 2 tablespoons) and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cupcakes are light golden. A skewer inserted into the center of each cupcake should come out clean.
  • Let the cupcakes cool slightly in the pan before turning out into a wire rack to cool completely.
  • When the cupcakes are cold, spoon the vanilla-root beer frosting on top and decorate accordingly.

Recipe for Vanilla - Root Beer Buttercream Frosting

  • Beat the powdered sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or, use a handheld whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.
  • Combine the milk and vanilla in a separate bowl, then add to the butter mixture a couple teaspoons at a time. Once the milk has been fully incorporated, turn the mixer up to a high speed.
  • Continue beating for at least 5 minutes or until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Notes

Vanilla - Root Beer Cupcakes - Adapted from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook’s Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe
Vanilla - Root Beer Buttercream Frosting - Adapted from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook’s Vanilla Frosting Recipe
 
Recipe for a high-altitude environment of approximately 5,000 ft
 
Tips & Addendums
 
    • I'm not sure if Morning Fresh Dairy Root Beer Milk is available at Whole Foods outside of Denver. If you cannot find root beer milk, feel free to make your own using canned or bottled root beer (I recommend Henry Weinhard's Root Beer) and mixing it with whole milk or half-and-half (depending on how indulgent you're feeling). I don't really have any recommendations for what the ratio of root beer to milk should be, so feel free to experiment and figure out what flavor you like best! I will say that Morning Fresh Dairy's root beer milk tends to be creamier and only has a mild root beer taste, but if you would prefer a stronger root beer taste, by all means, go for it.
 
    • All spoon measurements are level and unsifted, unless otherwise specified. To level the ingredients, take the back of a knife and run it across the top of the measuring cup until the excess ingredients are scraped off.
 
    • Liquid and dry measuring cups are different; please make sure you use the appropriate measuring cup for each ingredient.
 
    • After adding the milk and egg mixture to the flour, don't overbeat the resulting mixture as this will overwork the flour and make the cake dense -- simply beat or stir until the flour is just incorporated. In my opinion, making sure you don't overbeat the batter is one of the hardest parts about baking.
 
    • Don't open your oven until at least the minimum time recommended has passed. Too much cold air coming from a frequently opened oven door causes irregular oven temperatures that affect the baking process.
 
    • When the first recommended bake time has passed, test the cupcakes by inserting a toothpick or wooden skewer into the center of a cupcake. The skewer should come out clean. Unfortunately, the regular Hummingbird Bakery test of readiness (that is, cupcake tops that bounce back when touched) does not work for these cupcakes, as the root beer milk makes the cake crumb far denser and heavier than regular Hummingbird cupcakes.
 
    • The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes. I recommend beating the frosting for at least five minutes on medium-high speed.
 
    • Frost your cupcakes immediately after you have made the frosting. If you let the frosting sit out too long, it will start to crust and harden and you will have a hard time frosting your cupcakes. However, make sure your cupcakes are completely cooled before doing so, otherwise they will get soggy.
 
    • Similarly, add any extra decorations you might want immediately after frosting the cupcake. If you wait to decorate the cupcake, the frosting will harden and the decorations will bounce right off the frosting. 
 
  • These cupcakes are especially perishable. I don't think root beer milk keeps well out of the fridge. I recommend eating these within 1-2 days, at most.
 
 
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