This moist and fluffy chocolate root beer cake is an easy Bundt-style dessert with a fun, nostalgic twist. Infused with real root beer and topped with a root beer float-inspired glaze, it’s the perfect cake for parties, potlucks, or anyone craving those classic soda shop flavors.

Since I am the parent who grew up in the US, I am the one who introduces the kooky American treats to my kiddos. From wild kool aid cakes to homemade chipwich, my kids happily inhaled what I made for them. So when my kids were old enough to appreciate it, I introduced them to the joys of root beer.
My boys fell in love with root beer, but my girl wasn’t so keen on it. It was a hot and boring summer day when I really changed my kids’ lives and introduced the root beer float to them. This chocolate root beer cake always takes me back to long lazy summer days.
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Recipe highlights
- Easy Bundt Cake: This root beer cake is a breeze to make—no fussy layers or complicated steps. Just mix, bake, and drizzle on a rich root beer glaze for a dessert that looks impressive but couldn’t be easier.
- Light and Fluffy Texture: Despite its rich chocolate flavor, the cake has an airy, tender crumb that keeps each bite light and melt-in-your-mouth soft.
- Nostalgic Flavor: Inspired by the classic root beer float, this cake is full of retro charm. It’s the perfect sweet throwback for birthdays, barbecues, or any all-American celebration.
- Root Beer Twist: Root beer isn’t just a background note. it’s baked right into the chocolate cake and whisked into the silky glaze. A must-bake for root beer fans!
Ingredients you need
- Root beer: Since this is the star of the show, so choose a root beer that has tremendous flavor. You can use A&W, Barqs or even stronger flavors like Dad’s and IBC.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: You can use regular or dark unsweetened cocoa powder. I have made this recipe with both.
- Extra virgin olive oil: If you’ve read my blog before, then you learned your lesson on how to bake with olive oil. You don’t need much for this recipe, but still choose a mild tasting olive oil and not a peppery one.
- Butter: Yes, the cake is baked with oil, but a little butter is used for the yummy root beer glaze.
- Eggs: Large eggs are a staple in baking.
- Sugars: You will use regular granulated sugar and brown sugar (either light or dark) for the cake and powdered sugar for the glaze.
- Vanilla extract: Even though this is a chocolate cake with root beer, vanilla extract is also added to the glaze to enhance the chocolate flavor.
- Pantry staples: All purpose flour, baking soda, salt
Step-by-step directions
- Mix the sugars. Whisk together sugars and olive oil until it resembles wet sand.
- Add cocoa powder: Whisk in cocoa powder, then the eggs.
- Add dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Stir this into the wet ingredients. Don’t over mix the batter.
- Bake. Pour the batter into 10-inch bundt pan coated with cooking spray. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes.
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- Cool. Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes in the pan before gently loosening the sides of the cake from the pan and inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make glaze. Whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla, and softened butter. Add the root beer to your desired consistency.
- Glaze the cake. Spoon the glaze over the cake and let it drip down the sides.
Expert tips and recipe FAQs
This recipe can also be used to make a 9-inch 2-layer cake. But know that this recipe includes a thick glaze but not a spreadable frosting.
If you love chocolate cake, you must try my Chocolate Guinness Cake or my Raisin Black Forest Cake. All three of these cakes are dreamy and chocolatey and fabulous!
Storing/Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: Cover and store any leftover kabob on the counter at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
TO FREEZE: You can also freeze leftover cake. Transfer to a resealable bag or freezer safe container and freeze for up to 4 months.
It’s best to use regular root beer for both flavor and structure. Diet sodas contain artificial sweeteners that may alter the taste and texture of the cake. If you like the flavor, you can use diet root beer for the glaze.
The root beer adds a subtle note that enhances the chocolate, but it’s not overwhelmingly root beer-y. Think of it as a nostalgic twist rather than soda in cake form.
Sure, but the root beer glaze is part of the magic and our favorite part! If you prefer, you can dust the cake with powdered sugar or serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream instead.
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Root Beer Cake
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 2 cup root beer
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
Glaze Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cup powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup root beer
Instructions
Cake Directions
- Position an oven rack to the lower third of the oven and preheat it to 325ºF.
- In a large mixing bowl combine olive oil and sugar until it resembles wet sand.
- Whisk in cocoa powder, then add eggs.
- In a small bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix this into the chocolate batter and whisk until just combined.
- Spray a 10-inch Bundt pan generously with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes.
- Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes in the pan before gently loosening the sides of the cake from the pan and inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely (spray the rack lightly with nonstick spray before inverting the cake to prevent it from sticking as it finishes cooling).
Glaze Directions
- In a medium sized bowl, whip the butter until smooth then add vanilla.
- Combine powder sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Whisk this into the whipped butter.
- Whisk in the root beer. You can adjust the glaze to your taste by thinning it (adding more root beer) or thickening it (by adding more powdered sugar). I preferred a thicker glaze.
- Spoon the glaze over the cake and let it drip down the sides. Let the glaze set for 15 minutes or so before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
I have been looking for a Root Beer Cake recipe forever! Must, must try this ASAP! I look forward to getting to know you better through your blog!
What a great looking cake – so fun for summer birthdays, too! I had never had a rootbeer cake until the LA Cupcake Challenge and have been dreaming about them ever since. Gotta give this a try.
Great meeting you at Camp Blogaway!
What a beautiful bundt. Lovely job.
I know! Root beer cake wasn't on my radar and what was I thinking??! I hope you all try it soon!
ROOT BEER CAKE? I never heard of it, but I am in love already. Looks so beautiful, definitely one to make AFTER I'm home from Camp Blogaway. Love your blog, see you @ camp!
my kids love rootbeer cake too 🙂 Looking forward to meeting you this tomorrow!
Wow that sounds like fun….didn't know about that kind of gatherings:)
Have a great weekend….
Looks yummy! Looking forward to a fun, fun weekend!