Award-Winning Ginger Root Beer Float Cupcakes

On Sunday, I shared the story of my first baking competition at the Sacramento Chef Challenge. I developed this Ginger Root Beer Float Cupcake recipe to fit the “Hot Summer’s Night” theme and also incorporate the secret ingredient, ginger. I tried different combinations of ginger beer, root beer, fresh ginger, and ground ginger, and I found that root beer and ground ginger came together for the best flavor.

I tried several brands of root beer and settled on Capt’n Eli’s Root Beer, which I found locally at Nugget Market. It’s sweetened with cane sugar and has wintergreen oil, anise, vanilla and other spices and flavorings, which gives it a strong, spicy root beer flavor. The cupcakes came out extremely moist and light, with a strong root beer flavor at first and lingering ginger aftertaste.

I topped the ginger root beer cupcakes with a vanilla bean buttercream frosting that tastes like vanilla ice cream. This is a winning recipe – literally. The professional judges and 1,000 event attendees voted that this was the top cupcake out of all the contenders, including ones from professional cupcake bakeries.

If you want to read more about my saga of baking 350+ cupcakes in my home kitchen in 2 days, plus how we incorporated the theme into a display (a mini drive-in movie theater for cupcakes), visit my last post Battle Cupcakes: My First Baking Competition.

Recipe:

Ginger Root Beer Float Cupcake

Adapted from Serendipity Mommy

Makes 12 cupcakes

  • 1 cup root beer (I used Capt’n Eli’s Root Beer)
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 tsp root beer concentrate
  • 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 Tbsp ground ginger*
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350°F and line cupcake tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl, combine root beer and vinegar and let stand for a few minutes. Add sugar and oil, then whisk until mixture is slightly frothy. Pour in vanilla extract and root beer concentrate and whisk until combined.

In a medium bowl, mix together flour with baking soda, baking powder, ground ginger and salt. Pour into root beer mixture and whisk until ingredients are just combined.

Fill prepared cupcake tin by pouring 1/4 cup batter into each liner (until 3/4 full). Bake for 15 minutes, or until cupcakes spring back lightly when touched and/or tester comes out clean.

*You can omit the ginger if you prefer a plain root beer cupcake, but I promise it’s really good! 🙂

 

Vanilla Bean Buttercream

Adapted from Cupcake Project

Makes just enough to lightly frost 12 cupcakes – if you like a lot of frosting, double this recipe.

  • 1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup), at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste

Beat butter and powdered sugar together for several minutes until well combined and creamy. Add vanilla bean paste and mix until well combined.

Note: if you beat the frosting for several minutes, it will come together and become creamy. If needed, you can add a tablespoon of milk if it’s too thick.

24 Comments on Award-Winning Ginger Root Beer Float Cupcakes

  1. Kachet
    July 3, 2012 at 9:42 am (12 years ago)

    Wow! These look incredibly tasty. Congrats on your win!

    Reply
    • Stephanie
      July 3, 2012 at 9:54 am (12 years ago)

      @Kachet – thank you! 🙂

  2. David
    July 3, 2012 at 1:18 pm (12 years ago)

    Thank you thank you thank you, cant wait to make

    Reply
  3. Ayesha
    July 3, 2012 at 2:41 pm (12 years ago)

    I will definitely try……Congratulations!

    Reply
  4. Malisa
    July 3, 2012 at 2:59 pm (12 years ago)

    I am so excited to try these cupcakes. My husband absolutely loves root beer and these will be perfect. In our trials of all root beers, Captain Eli’s is a tasty choice! Congratulations on winning, Stephanie.

    Reply
  5. Luli
    July 3, 2012 at 4:49 pm (12 years ago)

    I can’t wait to try these!
    Luli recently posted About Me

    Reply
  6. Stephanie R
    July 4, 2012 at 7:43 am (12 years ago)

    Sounds delish!
    What do you think about the idea of turning this into an ice cream cake, especially using a homemade (or least gourmet-quality if store-bought) vanilla bean ice cream between the ginger root beer cake layers?
    (Or just make the cupcakes as-is since they are so cute with the little stripped straws like mini-float cups, and just serve with vanilla ice cream!) 🙂

    Reply
  7. Stephanie
    July 4, 2012 at 8:31 am (12 years ago)

    @ David, Ayesha, Marisa, Luli – thanks! I hope you all enjoy 🙂
    @Stephanie R – I had that same thought! If I were entering Cupcake Project’s Ice Cream Cupcake Contest this year, I would have added vanilla ice cream to this and submitted it (I’m a judge this year so I can’t enter).

    Reply
  8. Susan
    July 7, 2012 at 4:32 pm (12 years ago)

    What an interesting recipe…I’m glad that Ellen (Baking with Booze) listed your site; we have a lot in common! XOXO

    Reply
  9. David
    July 8, 2012 at 1:58 am (12 years ago)

    Hey Steph,

    You have inspired me to start a blog, see my web address, only one post on there so far would appreciate a read. Any tips for successful blogging would be great.
    David recently posted Deliciously Moist Chocolate Cupcakes

    Reply
    • Stephanie
      July 8, 2012 at 9:34 am (12 years ago)

      @David – I’m so happy I inspired you! I’ll go visit your first blog post now 🙂

    • Stephanie
      July 11, 2012 at 9:04 am (12 years ago)

      @Becca – thank you so much!! 😀

  10. Janelle
    July 16, 2012 at 6:52 am (12 years ago)

    The only root beer float cupcakes I’ve ever seen were chocolate cake with root beer in it, and it wasn’t a strong enough root beer flavor. I’m excited to try these.

    Reply
  11. Shumaila
    August 6, 2012 at 3:32 pm (12 years ago)

    Congratulations on the win! Looks like all that effort you put into them paid off! Pinning it to hopefully try them out one day!
    Shumaila recently posted August SRC & Recipe Swap

    Reply
  12. Christy A
    December 7, 2012 at 11:39 am (12 years ago)

    No eggs? Typo or correct before i make these 🙂

    Reply
    • Stephanie Nuccitelli
      December 7, 2012 at 11:44 am (12 years ago)

      Christy, it’s correct–no eggs needed.

  13. Kathy G
    May 7, 2013 at 3:02 pm (11 years ago)

    I recently made your delicious rootbeer cupcakes. I actually lost count on how many compliments I received. They are unbelievable! Thanks for making my desert buffet a hit!

    Reply
  14. candice
    September 15, 2013 at 3:47 pm (11 years ago)

    Hi Steph, was so in love with your cupcakes that you have made! Feel like trying it!
    Would like to check with you how long did you allow the root beer and vinegar to stand for in step 2? Like how many minutes in particular?

    thank you!!

    Reply
    • Stephanie Nuccitelli
      September 15, 2013 at 7:49 pm (11 years ago)

      Candice, 2-3 mins should be enough. Hope you enjoy the cupcakes!

3Pingbacks & Trackbacks on Award-Winning Ginger Root Beer Float Cupcakes

  1. […] 7/3/12: The recipe is now published – see my Award-Winning Ginger Root Beer Float Cupcakes post. /* Share […]

  2. […] Sweetapolita’s fluffy vanilla cake, which made 3 6-inch layers and used about 3 batches of my vanilla buttercream frosting (the recipe is also posted below the […]

  3. […] fallen in love with several over the years. (Nutella buttercream, salted caramel frosting, and vanilla bean buttercream to name just a few.) However, this frosting may trump them all. It’s a buttercream that […]

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