Rootbeer cake?

[Piccolina]

Hi all,

I'm wondering if anyone can help? I have vaguely distant childhood memories of a rootbeer flavoured cake. I think the cake was white and the frosting (which sandwiched two cake halves together) was also white but tinted with rootbeer to create a sort of cappuccino hued spread and filling.
It tasted just like rootbeer which I think was involved in the icing, has anyone else ever heard of this? Or did I just dream it up in a cake-industed baking fantasy which combined my childhood love of rootbeer with the eternal love of baked goods?

 

[Michael in FtW]

Here are several recipes you can browse and see if any of them sound like what you remember:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=root+beer+cake+recipe

 

[PA Baker]

Here's my favorite recipe, IC:

Old Fashioned Root Beer Float Cake

Cake:
1 cup butter
2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups cake flour
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


Vanilla Frosting:
7 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 1/2 cups butter
3 to 5 tablespoons heavy cream
3 teaspoons vanilla extract

Equipment: 12 elbow straws and colored streamers

Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.


In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter; then add the sugar and continue mixing until light and fluffy.

Meanwhile, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt.

With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the water and eggs to the butter mixture until blended. Mix in the root beer extract and vanilla. Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to form a smooth batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake until just set, about 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes, and then invert onto cooling racks to cool completely before frosting.

Make the Frosting: In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the confectioners' sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended; then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes. 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.

To decorate the cake: Place 1 cooled cake layer on a cake stand, frost the top surface, and chill for 15 minutes (or freeze 5 minutes). Place the second cake layer on top, inverting it to create a flat top, and push down on it slightly. Frost the sides and top with a thin layer of frosting to hold in any crumbs (called a crumb layer), and chill 30 minutes or freeze 15 minutes. Apply a second layer of frosting to finish off the cake, swirling the frosting a bit. Place 12 elbow straws in the cake around the top, and place colored streamers around the edge of the cake flowing down to the base.

 

[Piccolina]

Hi guys,

Thank-you so much for the recipe and links! PA I haven't encountered root beer extract, do you know where to find it? Or instead could regular root beer sode be used?

 

[Michael in FtW]

During WW II - when sugar was rationed - soda's like Coke, Dr. Pepper, and Root Beer were available (didn't count as sugar on the ration cards) ... so they were used for their sugar content. They were used in cakes, pies, to bake hams, etc. - where normally some type of sugar would have been used. They were either used as a sugar substitute - or as a replacement for a portion of the sugar.

An extract will not have the sugar, a concentrate probably would - but it would be cheaper to just buy a bottle of "off the shelf" ready to drink soda of the appropriate flavor.

 

[PA Baker]

In the recipe I posted, it's best to use the extract. Like Michael said, it's concentrated flavor so using a small amount of the regular beverage probably wouldn't impart enough flavor for an entire cake.

The rootbeer extract can be found right with other flavorings and spices in the baking aisle of your grocery store. It's right in there with vanilla, maple, etc. It's pretty cheap, too. I'm guessing just a couple of dollars.

 

[kansasgirl]

Here is a very easy one.


Rootbeer Float Cake
1 box Super Moist white cake mix
1 1/4 c Root Beer
1/4 c Oil
2 Eggs
1 envelope whipped topping mix
1 c Root Beer, chilled
Crushed root beer candy barrels

Preheat oven to 350F.
1.Generously grease and flour rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches.
2.Beat cake mix (dry), root beer, oil and eggs in large bowl on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
3.Pour batter into pan. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; cool.
4.Serve topped with Root Beer Cream. Sprinkle with crushed root beer candies
Root Beer Cream
1.Beat topping mix (dry) and root beer in medium bowl on high speed about 4 minutes or until thickened.

 

[Mrs Brook]

Here is a very easy one.


Rootbeer Float Cake
1 box Super Moist white cake mix
1 1/4 c Root Beer
1/4 c Oil
2 Eggs
1 envelope whipped topping mix
1 c Root Beer, chilled
Crushed root beer candy barrels

Yes Mrs Brook says super!!!!! to this recipe i however would use more flour!!!!! and put in the oven for 3months!!!