Root Beer Cake

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.

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

1. Mix the sugars. Whisk together sugars and olive oil until it resembles wet sand.
2. Add cocoa powder: Whisk in cocoa powder, then the eggs.
3. Add dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Stir this into the wet ingredients. Don’t over mix the batter.
4. 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.

5. 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.
6. Make glaze. Whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla, and softened butter. Add the root beer to your desired consistency.
7. 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!

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Root Beer Cake

Laura Bashar | Family Spice

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.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Additional Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course Cakes

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Calories 407 kcal

Ingredients

  

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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

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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

Serve alone or with a glass of root beer and a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 407kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 5gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 379mgPotassium: 193mgFiber: 4gSugar: 54gVitamin A: 127IUCalcium: 31mgIron: 3mg

Keyword root beer bundt, root beer cake, root beer float bundt, root beer float cake

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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.

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