As a kid, I loved root beer and Coca-Cola floats. The sweetness and creaminess of the ice cream, the bubbly and tangy soda, and the inevitable ice cream headache made it the perfect summertime treat. But why wait for summer to roll back around to enjoy this classic American dessert? No, thank you.
These cupcakes are perfectly balanced between vanilla and malt making them rich and indulgent. The cake is beyond tender and soft while the frosting is nothing short of biting into a root beer float. Quick note- I used root beer extract to make the frosting. If you're unable to find extract, you can definitely substitute root beer concentrate that's typically sold for use in home soda makers. Additionally, you can also reduce down root beer soda until it becomes thick and syrupy.
Malted Vanilla Cupcakes + Root Beer Float Frosting
Bowl #1
7 tablespoons [100 grams] butter, room temperature
1/2 cup [120 grams] granulated sugar
1/2 cup [110 grams] light brown sugar
Bowl #2
2 whole eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Bowl #3
1 1/2 cups [210 grams] all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup [35 grams] malt powder
In a cup:
1 cup [230 grams] whole milk
On the sidelines:
Root Beer Float frosting, recipe as follows
Cocoa nibs, for decoration, completely optional
1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
2
In the first bowl, cream together the butter and sugars for five minutes or until light and fluffy.
3
Add in the second bowl, one egg at a time, into the butter and sugars and continue to cream for a few more minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.
4
Whisk together the dry ingredients in the third bowl and add them into the batter. Mix until everything is evenly distributed but be careful not to overmix!
5
Portion the batter into the cupcake tin, filling each mold about 2/3 of the way full. Bake until golden brown and set, roughly 25-28 minutes. Remove and let cool thoroughly before frosting.
6
Either with a piping bag or spoon, smear the top of each cupcake with as much Root Beer Float frosting as your heart desires.
Root Beer Float Frosting
Bowl #1
3 cups [390 grams] powdered sugar
1 stick [113 grams] butter, room temperature
1/2 cup [50 grams] marshmallow fluff
4 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons root beer extract
Pinch of salt
1
Beat everything together until fluffy and amazing.
