Fat Friday: Root Beer Float Cupcakes

If you are interested in a chance to win these cupcakes (and live in Las Vegas near me), answer this question: What is your favorite soda? Mine would be Dr. Pepper. Hmmm, wonder if they have Dr. Pepper cupcakes?=)

Photo courtesy of confessions of a cookbook queen

I decided to go out of my usual routine and not do chocolate for once. I think I'll survive one week! I wanted to try something root beer because of summer and nothing says "summer" like root beer float! I combined two recipes because I wasn't really up for "from scratch" today!

The cupcake recipe comes from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen and is just the easiest 2 indredient recipe ever! I even used diet soda and it was still awesome!

1 box white cake mix (I always use Duncan Hines)
1 cup of your favorite root beer

Preheat oven to 350. Line 24 muffin tins with paper liners.

Mix together root beer and cake mix (yes, just those two ingredients). Pour into paper liners and fill 3/4 full.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Remove from oven and allow to completely cool.

Wow! Yum, right?

And I got the frosting recipe from How Sweet Eats. The cupcake recipe also looked delectable, but like I said, not in a "from scratch" mood.

Vanilla and Root Beer Frosting

1 1/2 sticks butter, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon root beer extract

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter until smooth. On low speed, add powdered sugar one cup at a time, increasing speed to bring the frosting together. Add milk and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth. Remove almost all of the vanilla frosting, leaving behind about 1/3-1/2 cup in the mixer. Set vanilla frosting aside. Add root beer extract to remaining frosting in the bowl and beat until it comes together.

Prep two pastry bags (or you can simply use spoons) and fill one with vanilla frosting and the other with root beer frosting. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, fill each one with root beer frosting (I simply plunge the pastry tip into the cupcake and squeeze), then top with vanilla frosting. Top with hot fudge or cocoa syrup.