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Root Beer Cupcakes Recipe

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Root Beer Cupcakes Recipe: A Nostalgic Delight

If you’re a fan of the classic root beer flavor, our Root Beer Cupcakes are the perfect treat for you. Infused with the rich, old-fashioned taste of root beer and topped with a delicious root beer buttercream frosting, these cupcakes offer a sweet twist on a beloved soda fountain flavor.

A Personal Story Behind the Recipe

Let me share a little anecdote. I was never one to shy away from a challenge, but when my son dared me to create root beer cupcakes with root beer buttercream frosting, I couldn’t resist. His challenge led to the discovery of this fantastic recipe, which has since become a treasured family favorite.

The History of Root Beer

Root beer has a fascinating history dating back to August 19, 1893, when the innovative mind behind Colorado’s Cripple Creek Brewing, Charles H. Wisner, created the first-ever root beer float, as noted by Spoon University. Our Root Beer Cupcakes are a homage to that iconic soda fountain flavor, offering a modern take on a nostalgic treat.Close-up of a root beer cupcake topped with a spiral swirl of creamy root beer buttercream frosting

Why You’ll Love These Cupcakes

While these cupcakes might not fizz like a classic root beer float, their rich flavor and delightful aroma will evoke cherished memories and bring a smile to your face. Perfect for root beer enthusiasts and anyone looking to enjoy something special, these cupcakes are sure to be a hit.

Root Beer Cupcakes Recipe

Servings: 12 cupcakes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Cooking Time Guidelines for Different Cupcake Sizes:

  • Mini Cupcakes: Bake at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Jumbo Cupcakes: Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.

Ingredients:

  • 1 box (18.25 ounces / 517 grams) vanilla or yellow cake mix
  • 1 and 1/4 cups (300 ml) root beer (room temperature)
  • 1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 3 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon root beer flavoring

For Root Beer Buttercream Frosting (Optional):

  • 1 cup (225 grams) unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 4 cups (500 grams) powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) root beer
  • 1 teaspoon root beer flavoring

Ingredients for making root beer cupcakes, including root beer, cake mix, and butter, displayed on a countertop

How to Make Root Beer Cupcakes

  1. Preheat the Oven
    Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. Prepare the Batter
    In a large bowl, mix the room-temperature butter and eggs for 30 minutes. Gradually blend the cake mix into the root beer until smooth. Add root beer flavoring and mix until fully incorporated.

 

Eggs being broken into a custard cup to ensure no shell fragments get into the cupcake batter

Tip: Break the eggs individually into a custard cup or small bowl first. This way, if any shell fragments get in, you can easily remove them before mixing the batter. Slowly blend the cake mix into the root beer, ensuring a smooth fusion. Add the root beer flavoring, mixing until fully incorporated, and regularly scrape the bowl for even blending.

Measuring root beer flavoring into cupcake batter to infuse rich root beer taste

  • Fill and Bake
    Fill each cupcake liner about 3/4 full (around 1/4 cup / 60 ml of batter). Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Cool and Frost
    Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Optional: Filling the Cupcakes
Use a pastry bag with a Bismark tip to fill cupcakes with frosting. Alternatively, create a cavity with a melon baller, fill with frosting, and top with more frosting.

 

Root beer cupcakes just out of the oven cooling on a wire rack

For Root Beer Buttercream Frosting:

  1. Beat the room-temperature butter until smooth and creamy.
  2. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until well combined.
  3. Add root beer and root beer flavoring, beating until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Root beer buttercream frosting in a mixing bowl, perfectly whipped and ready for cupcakes

Decorating the Cupcakes:
Frost the cooled cupcakes with Root Beer Buttercream Frosting. For a fun touch, top each cupcake with white frosting to mimic a root beer float, add a paper straw, and garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Storage and Leftovers:

  • Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to a week, letting them return to room temperature before serving.

FAQs – Root Beer Cupcakes Recipe

  • Can I use a different type of cake mix? Yes, vanilla or yellow cake mix works best. Other flavors may alter the taste.
  • What if I don’t have root beer flavoring? Substitute with vanilla extract for a slightly different but still delicious flavor.
  • Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time? Yes, they can be baked in advance and stored as instructed above.
  • Can I use a different frosting? Certainly! Cream cheese frosting or chocolate frosting are great alternatives.
  • Can I make these gluten-free? Use a gluten-free cake mix and ensure all ingredients are gluten-free.
  • Can I add mix-ins? Yes, chocolate chips or nuts can be added to the batter.
  • Can I make these vegan? Substitute plant-based butter and flaxseed eggs for a vegan version.
  • Can I use this recipe for a cake instead? Yes, adjust the baking time for a cake pan.
  • Can kids enjoy these cupcakes? The baking process removes the alcohol, but you can use non-alcoholic root beer for a kid-friendly version.
  • Can I pipe the frosting? Absolutely! Use a piping bag with a decorative tip for a fancier look.
  • Can I add ice cream on top? Adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream is a fantastic idea to mimic a root beer float.
  • Can I experiment with different soda flavors? Definitely! Try using cola or cream soda for a different twist.
  • How can I enhance the moisture? Adding a tablespoon of sour cream can make the cupcakes even more moist.

Want More Delicious Recipes?

Craving more scrumptious and easy-to-make recipes? Explore my Pinterest board for a treasure trove of culinary inspiration. And for a handy collection of quick and delightful recipes, check out my cookbook, The How-To Cookbook for Teens: 100 Easy Recipes to Learn the Basics. Packed with easy-to-follow recipes, it’s perfect for elevating your cooking game. Grab your copy today and start transforming your meals!

Enjoy making and savoring these Root Beer Cupcakes, and feel free to experiment to make them uniquely yours. Happy baking!

root-beer-cupcake

Root Beer Cupcakes Recipe

Yield: 24
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Indulge in a nostalgic treat with our root beer cupcakes recipe! These moist, flavorful cupcakes are infused with classic root beer and topped with creamy root beer buttercream. Perfect for parties or a sweet pick-me-up, this recipe brings a fun twist to your baking. Try it today and taste the delightful blend of root beer goodness in every bite!

Ingredients

  • 1 box vanilla or white cake mix
  • 1 1/3 cup root beer soda
  • 1/3 cup oil (I prefer the Mediterranean oil, but vegetable oil will work just as well)
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 Tablespoons root beer concentrate (or you can use root beer extract)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat oven to 335 degrees
  2. 2. Add cupcake liners to cupcake pan (this recipe makes 24 cupcakes).
  3. In a large bowl mix root beer with oil and eggs by hand or using an electric mixer on medium speed

Tip:

  1. Place your butter and eggs on the counter for 30 minutes to allow them to come to room temperature.
  2. This will help them blend easier and the eggs will incorporate more air giving your cupcake batter a lighter texture.

Tip:

  1. Break eggs individually into a custard cup or small bowl first.
  2. This way, if you get shell fragments, you can easily fish them out of the cup rather than try to get them out of the batter.
  3. 4. Stirring slowly, gradually add the boxed cake mix to the rootbeer mixture.
  4. 5. Once blended, add root beer flavoring.
  5. 6. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl regularly until well mixed.
  6. 7. Fill paper liners about 3/4 full…(about 1/4 cup of batter).

Tip:

  1. Standard 2½-inch cupcakes should have 1/4 cup batter to fill the liner 2/3 to 3/4 full.
  2. Adding more batter than this will cause the cupcakes to overflow the cups and create a mess in your oven.

Quick Ways to fill cupcake liners with cupcake batter:

  1. If the batter is thick, use two spoons to scoop it into the cups.
  2. Use a medium ice cream or cookie scoop to spoon batter into the cups.
  3. Fill a resealable plastic bag with batter and clip a small hole in one corner. Place your hole over the hole until the bag is over the cupcake liner. then squeeze the bag gently into the cups to fill. Cover the hold again with your finger to move to the next cupcake liner. (you can also use a piping bag)
  4. If your batter is thin, pour it into a large glass measuring cup. The spout on the measuring cup will make it easier to fill cupcake liners with batter.
  5. 8. Bake cupcakes in preheated oven for 20 minutes on center rack.

Tip:

  1. Insert a wooden toothpick into the center of the cupcake to check the doneness.
  2. When you pull the toothpick out, it should be clean, signaling the cupcakes are done. If the toothpick is removed and shows wet batter or several moist crumbs clinging, the cupcakes need to bake longer.
  3. Allow cupcakes to cool for 5 minutes in the pan before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
  4. 9. Fill the cupcakes, optional

How to Fill Cupcakes

  1. To fill your cupcakes with frosting or filling, use a pastry bag, or large resealable baggie and a Bismark filling Tip or a large round tip.
  2. Clip the corner of one corner if using a resealable bag.
  3. Insert the tip into the bag and then fill the bag by spooning the frosting into the bag.
  4. Squeeze the frosting down.
  5. You now have two options for filling:
  6. Insert the tip into the top of the cupcake, and squeeze the filling into the center of the cupcake. Don’t worry if you leave a hole because the frosting will cover it.
  7. You can also use a melon baller to remove the center of the cupcake, fill the hold with icing and add frosting over the top.
  8. Frost with Root Beer Buttercream Frosting, or your favorite frosting.
  9. Now for everyone's favorite part, eating the flavorful cupcakes.

Notes

Storage and Leftovers:

  • Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to a week, letting them return to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 61Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 21mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 1g

The Nutritional Information may not be accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

© Briana
Cuisine: american / Category: Cupcakes

Shout out to Briana for the recipe and photos.

By Author Julee

Home » Root Beer Cupcakes Recipe

About Julee: Julee Morrison is an experienced author with 35 years of expertise in parenting and recipes. She is the author of four cookbooks: The Instant Pot College Cookbook, The How-To Cookbook for Teens, The Complete Cookbook for Teens, and The Complete College Cookbook. Julee is passionate about baking, crystals, reading, and family. Her writing has appeared in The LA Times (Bon Jovi Obsession Goes Global), Disney's Family Fun Magazine (August 2010, July 2009, September 2008), and My Family Gave Up Television (page 92, Disney Family Fun August 2010). Her great ideas have been featured in Disney's Family Fun (Page 80, September 2008) and the Write for Charity book From the Heart (May 2010). Julee's work has also been published in Weight Watchers Magazine, All You Magazine (Jan. 2011, February 2011, June 2013), Scholastic Parent and Child Magazine (Oct. 2011), Red River Family Magazine (Jan. 2011), BonAppetit.com, and more. Notably, her article "My Toddler Stood on Elvis' Grave and Scaled Over Boulders to Get to a Dinosaur" made AP News, and "The Sly Way I Cured My Child's Lying Habit" was featured on PopSugar. When she's not writing, Julee enjoys spending time with her family and exploring new baking recipes.
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