After a recipe from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking helped me bake the most fudgey, decadent, and all around best brownies I’ve ever made, 
There’s no need to get fancy with the ingredients for these cupcakes. I used good ol’ IBC root beer. Just make sure you stick with the regular stuff and don’t try to cut calories by using diet. Deliciously flavored cupcakes are worth a little extra time on the treadmill!
Root Beer Float Cupcakes
by sugarkissed.net (adapted from Root Beer Bundt Cake by Baked: New Frontiers in Baking)
Ingredients
2 cups of root beer (Diet root beer is forbidden!)
1 cup of dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup of unsalted butter (cut into 1-inch pieces)
1-1/4 cups of granulated sugar
1/2 cup of dark brown sugar (firmly packed)
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon of LorAnn Oils root beer flavor
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Line a cupcake pan with paper liners and set aside.
Using medium heat, melt the butter, root beer, and cocoa powder together in a saucepan. Then, add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, whisking until dissolved.
Remove the mixture from the heat and set it aside to cool.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt using a whisk.
Beat the eggs in another bowl and them add them to the cooled cocoa mixture, along with the root beer flavor.
Combine all ingredients by folding the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture.
The root beer float cupcake batter is ready when it is combined yet slightly lumpy.
Pour the mixture into cupcake liners, filling 3/4 of the liner.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time.
Test cupcakes for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. Remove the cupcakes from the oven when the toothpick comes out clean.
Let cupcake pan sit on a cooling rack for about 20 minutes. Then, remove the cupcakes from the pan and place them on the rack until completely cooled.
To make sure these cupcakes screamed, “Root Bear Flooooooat!” I decided to top these babies off with a sweet root beer glaze followed by a stack of luscious vanilla frosting. To make my glaze, I adapted Bakerella’s recipe for Vanilla Glaze using LorAnn Oils root beer flavor
If your root beer float cupcakes will be served in liners, like the gold foil cupcake wrappers I used, simply pour a small amount of glaze in the center of each cooled cupcake. For a more drool-worthy display, 
Root Beer Glaze for Root Beer Float Cupcakes
by sugarkissed.net (adapted from Vanilla Glaze by Bakerella)
Ingredients
2 cups of powdered sugar
1 tablespoon of butter (room temperature)
1/4 teaspoon of LorAnn Oils root beer flavor
4 tablespoons of whole milk
Directions
Sift powdered sugar into a medium bowl and combine with butter.
Add root beer flavor.
Slowly stir in milk a little bit at a time and mix until the glaze is smooth.
For these cupcakes to truly be root beer float cupcakes and not just root beer cupcakes, they need the perfect touch of vanilla creaminess. For that, I highly recommend my all time favorite Vanilla Bean Frosting by Sally’s Baking Addiction. I swear, I could eat a bowl of this stuff by the spoonful!
I didn’t add any root beer flavoring to the frosting, but I did add brown stripes! This extra design element takes these cupcakes over the top and is so easy to do. Simply paint some stripes of brown food coloring down the sides of your pastry bag using a food safe paint brush. Stack that vanilla frosting high! (I used AmeriColor gel food coloring in warm brown and a Wilton 1M star tip for frosting
Put the final touches on your root beer float cupcakes by topping them off with a gummy root beer candy or maraschino cherry. Rolled wafer cookies make adorable edible straws, but keep in mind that they can get soggy so you will want to add them as close to serving time as possible.
Vanilla Frosting for Root Beer Float Cupcakes
Very slightly adapted from Vanilla Bean Frosting by Sally’s Baking Addiction
Ingredients
1 cup of unsalted butter (room temperature)
3 cups of powdered sugar
1/4 cup of heavy cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Seeds from 1/2 a vanilla bean
Directions
Using a paddle attachment, beat the butter for a couple of minutes on speed 4 (or medium) until it is creamy.
Split a vanilla bean in half vertically and scrape the seeds from 1/2 the bean.
Leave the mixer running and add the seeds, sugar, cream, and vanilla extract to the butter.
Increase the mixer’s speed to high for a few minutes to thicken.
I have lots of root beer float fans in my family and I know they would love these cupcakes!
Beth @ Hungry Happenings recently posted..Serve a Cheese Ball Birthday Cake at your Next Birthday Party.
I hope you get the chance to give the root beer float cupcakes a try, Beth. Sound like they’d be a hit at your house!
YUM! These look delicious – I love the straw detail – perfection!
Jennifer @ Not Your Momma’s Cookie recently posted..No Bake Peanut Butter S’mores Bars
Thanks, Jennifer! If you like root beer, the glaze really takes the flavor of these cupcakes over the top!
Hi Janine,
Saw this pic on Marvelous Mondays. Had to stop by to check it out. These look so good. Can’t wait to try.
I’m new to food blogging, hope you’ll by and say hi!
Kathy @ Melding Magic
Kathy recently posted..Buffalo Chicken Tenders
Thanks for stopping by, Kathy!
These are adorable and I bet they taste divine! I hope you’ll stop over and share them at Mix it up Monday
http://www.flourmewithlove.com/2013/09/mix-it-up-monday.html
Lisa @ Flour Me With Love recently posted..Mix it up Monday!
Thanks for the invite, Lisa!
Lovely cupcakes. My grandkids will love these! Thanks for posting at the Marvelous Monday Link Up Party. I am sure I will be visiting again. I had to pin this to my must bake board!
Deb @ Kneaded Creations
Deb @ Kneaded Creations recently posted..Master Mix Muffin Monday- Zucchini Walnut Bran Muffins
Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Deb!
Janine,
Visiting from Wonderful Wednesday blog hop. Love the cupcakes and pinned them too.
Annamaria \
Annamaria @ Bakewell Junction recently posted..Apricot Brandy Pound Cake with Apricot Brandy Glaze
Thanks, Annamaria!
I love your blog it’s beautiful.
Celeste @Healthful Mind Body and Soul recently posted..Great After Workout Smoothie and Tasty Tuesday
That’s so sweet, Celeste! Thank you!
Has anyone told you that your pictures are kinda… sorta….SUPER FREAKIN’ AWESOME?! Can you just take pictures of everything all the time and show them to me?
I’m now following on facebook.
Holly @ Holly’s Helpings recently posted..Coach Bag Giveaway
Aawww… You’re making me blush, Holly.
thanks for the follow!
These would be such a hit in my house.. my husband is in love with root beer floats!
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl recently posted..Candy Corn Oreo White Chocolate Chip Cookies
You MUST make these for your hubby, Pamela!
Hi Janine! These looks so yummy and pretty. I love the look of the glaze and then the frosting on top! I agree as well diet rootbeer is forbidden. Pinning this and thank you for sharing it!
Thanks for stoping by to check put my root beer float cupcakes and for pinning, Helen!
These are not only adorable, I’ll be they taste amazing, too!
Michelle recently posted..FREE eBook `sometimes´
If you’re a fan of root beer floats, Michelle, these cupcakes make the perfect summertime dessert!
Janine, these are all kinds of crazy awesome!!! I love all the layers and details you added to them!
Jocelyn @BruCrew Life recently posted..Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes
Thanks for your sweet comments about my root beer cookies, Jocelyn!
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