Old Fashioned Root Beer Float Cake

Recipe courtesy Gale Gand and Jacquelyn Smola

Show: Sweet DreamsEpisode: Birthday Cake Bash

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (29)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(29)

Cook Time:
40 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
10 to 12 servings

Times:

Prep: 1 hr 0 min
Inactive Prep: 1 hr 30 min
Cook: 40 min
Total:: 3 hr 10 min

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Ingredients

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

Directions

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.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Old Fashioned Root Beer Float Cake
Laura Kirkland, WA 08-24-2009
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where to find root beer extract
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

if you're having trouble finding the root beer extract, try calling your local homebrew store. In addition to supplies for... making homemade alcohol of all types, they generally have supplies to make all kinds of soda.Read more
recipe Old Fashioned Root Beer Float Cake
Julius Minneapolis, MN 05-22-2009
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Substitution for Root Beer Extract
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I couldn't find root beer extract anywhere, so I tried this recipe first with a root beer reduction. Instead of the milk and... water, I used 3/4 cup Henry Weinhard's root beer and a little over 1/4 cup of the same root beer, reduced to half volume. The cake was tasty, but no root beer taste came through. Then I found some root beer oil at a cake/candy shop. I think it's more for candy, but the lady there said she'd used it in cakes. She said you use about 1/4 the volume as you would with root beer extract. That wasn't quite enough. I ended up using 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of root beer oil instead of the extract, and I had some reduced root beer left over, so I used that instead of water. I also didn't add vanilla. Also, I made the frosting with 2 cups of butter instead of 2 1/2, and I used root beer oil instead of vanilla. I think the vanilla overpowers the root beer oil, so I left that out. I ended up with a nice cake with a good root beer flavor. So this is a nice recipe, and I mostly just wanted to comment in case anyone else is having the same problem finding root beer extract as me. Read more
recipe Old Fashioned Root Beer Float Cake
connie houston, TX 04-09-2009
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yummmmmmm
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

you can combat the dryness with buttermilk. you will never have dry cake again. there is nothing wrong with this cake.... perfect recipe.Read more
recipe Old Fashioned Root Beer Float Cake
DANNY SAN LEANDRO, CA 11-27-2008
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old fashion root beer float cake
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

this cake is very good i always try to make a cake that people say " man where did you learn to make cakes " so this one is a... very good cake and for the people that say the cake is not that good i would say to them take a baking class because there is nothing wrong with the recipe it may be your baking skills. Read more
recipe Old Fashioned Root Beer Float Cake
nicole grosse ile, MI 08-23-2008
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Very Yummy!!
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I found this recipe to be very yummy. The cake had a great moist texture to it and the root beer flavor was perfect! Several... people have commented on it being an involved recipe, which I did not find it be. If you're used to making cakes from scratch, then this is just another cake. My whole family enjoyed this cake very much and I will definately be making for the next function. Thanks!Read more
recipe Old Fashioned Root Beer Float Cake
Anika Jeannette, PA 07-24-2008
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Pretty good
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I made this cake for my son's first birthday party and everybody liked it. I read a couple reviews before making it, so I... taste-tested the batter to see if it had enough root beer flavor, and it did. I also didn't use all of the frosting and I agree with many reviewers that it is very sweet. But I think if you use a little less than the recipe calls for the sweetness is not overwhelming. As for the cake itself, I also had some problems with dryness, but I think if I hadn't stored the finished cake in the fridge (it was very warm that day) then I might have been able to avoid that problem. Overall, it still tasted really good and it looked fabulous with some colored straws as decoration.Read more