Cooking Lesson #1058: Root Beer Float Cake

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? When I was a kid the only soft drink I indulged in was Dad’s Old Fashioned Root Beer—over ice or as a root beer float with vanilla ice cream. A Root Beer Float Cake is the retro dessert of my dreams.
 
Sodas have been more than a great drink since the first “soda jerk” put a little flavor into a glass of fizzy refreshment. When flavored sodas and soft drinks became popular in the United States in the late 1800s, home cooks found creative uses for them in the kitchen. You can pop open a can and enjoy everything from Coke Pork Carnitas to a 7-Up Cake and many others.
 
But the hit of the last century was Coca-Cola, and one of its most iconic uses is in Coca-Cola Cake. That would have been the same Coca-Cola Cake I introduced at Disneyland in 1991. It developed a following with Mouseketeers back then and is still going strong since it first appeared on the menu.
 
Why are cakes made with flavored sodas so craveable? The herby root beer flavor complements and deepens the chocolate flavor, and the carbonation in the soda acts as a leavening agent in the cake. The shiny, crackly glaze, also flavored with another hit of root beer, is the perfect contrast to the fudgy, moist interior.
 
Make sure to use natural cocoa powder in this recipe, not Dutch-process cocoa. Natural cocoa is more acidic than Dutch-processed and is needed to react with the baking soda and root beer to create optimal rise.
 
Serve my root beer cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream to make this an official Root Beer Float Cake.
 
Prep Time:  20 minutes
Bake time:  30 minutes
Cool & Frost Time: 15 minutes
Set Time: 1/2-2 hours
Yield:  12 servings
 
Ingredients 
For the cake
Nonstick cooking spray
1 (12-ounce) can Root Beer (I prefer Dad’s Old Fashioned or A&W)
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter
1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder, plus more for dusting the pan (I prefer Guittard natural cocoa)
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine grind kosher salt
3/4 cup room temperature sour cream
2 large room temperature eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
 
For the icing
1 (12-ounce) can Root Beer
1 stick (4 ounces) cubed unsalted butter
1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine grind kosher salt
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350° F.
2. Spray an 8- or 9-inch Bundt baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, dust with cocoa powder; set aside.

To make the cake

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the root beer, butter and cocoa powder.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently to make sure it doesn’t boil over, until the butter is melted and the ingredients are well-combined, about 7 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
4. In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
5. Pour the warm root beer mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until no dry streaks remain.
6. Whisk in the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla until combined.
7. Transfer the batter to the prepared Bundt baking pan, spreading it into an even layer.
8. Bake until the edges of the cake begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached; 28 to 30 minutes.
9. Remove the pan from oven and let it cool in the baking pan on a wire rack while preparing the frosting.
10. Remove the cake from the pan while still warm and set it on a frosting rack.

To make the frosting

1. In a large saucepan, bring the root beer to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil, undisturbed, until the root beer has reduced to 1/3 cup, about 12 minutes.
2. Add the butter and cocoa to the reduced root beer and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the butter is melted and the cocoa is thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the powdered sugar and salt and whisk until smooth.
4. Pour the frosting over the warm cake, spreading it into an even layer.
5. Let the frosted cake rest until cooled to room temperature and the frosting is fully set, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
6. Slice, top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and serve.
7. Store any leftovers (without the ice cream) in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Do not refrigerate.

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ChefSecret:  Do not use Dutch-processed cocoa powder in this recipe. The acidity of natural cocoa powder is needed for the baking soda to react. Spreading the frosting over a hot cake may seem unusual, but the heat allows it to spread easily over the cake’s surface, drip down the sides and gives the frosting a shiny sheen.

Quip of the Day:  Why was the root beer float always invited to parties? It knew how to mix things up!
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food
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