Old Fashioned Root Beer Float Cake

Submitted by Mysterygirl

"Gale Gand and Jacquelyn Smola did this one their show Sweet Dreams. I've modified it a bit to suit our tastes but it went over well at a recent birthday party. Do not substitute root beer flavoring for the extract as it doesn't have the same concentrated flavor. Also, when I made this in a 9x13 pan it baked up very high so take that into consideration when you decide which pan(s) to use."

 

• Ready In: 55mins
• Ingredients: 16
• Serves: 12

ingredients

• Cake

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 cups cake flour
• 1 (3 1/2 ounce) package vanilla pudding mix
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 3 1⁄2 teaspoons water
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon root beer extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk

• Frosting

• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon root beer extract

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper or 1 9 x 13.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter; then add the sugar and continue mixing until light and fluffy.
4. Meanwhile, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, pudding and salt.
5. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the water and eggs to the butter mixture until blended.
6. Mix in the root beer extract and vanilla. Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to form a smooth batter.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) and bake until just set, about 30 to 40 minutes for round pans, 45-50 for a 9x13. When using round pans allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes, and then invert onto cooling racks to cool completely before frosting.
8. Frosting: In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the confectioners' sugar and butter.
9. Mix on low speed until well blended; then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
10. Add the cream and vanilla and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed to reach spreading consistency.

Reviews

[Random Rachel]

Enjoyed both warm and chilled. Everyone loved it. I did leave out the pudding since I only had chocolate, and didn't realize until I was already mixing things; and I used dream whip made with root beer instead of milk for the frosting, although I did follow your recipe for the filling.

 

[Pugsley53]

Tried it twice following the recipe exactly and not worth the effort....both times the cake fell and all I ended up with was cake on the sides and cookie bar in the the middle. Great if you wanted to innovate and bake two things at once, otherwise it was a bust.

 

[nonnie4sj]

I made this a while ago, but forgot to rate it. My family really enjoyed this at our annual summer get away. I actually bought the rootbeer extract used for homemade rootbeer and it had a wonderful flavor. Thanks for sharing!

 

[ceruleanseven]

My husband LOVES root beer, but doesn't drink soda, so I collect root beer recipes to surprise him with. I made this for his birthday, and he proclaimed his adoration around mouthfuls of cakey goodness. Everyone else at the party marvelled at the flavor. Next time I make it (for there will be a next time), I think I'll try a lighter frosting - while very delicious, I was pretty sure I would go crossed-eyed with the sugary richness :)

 

[KillerTasteBuds]

I made this for a 4th of July party, and it was eaten up. I didn't think that it tasted like a root beer float, but it was good, and a nice change. I'd make this again, but maybe with a lighter frosting, as I'm not a fan of buttercream.