Recipes to try this summer, using root beer for something besides the usual ice cream root beer float.
After last weeks article on ice cream floats, I was thinking about root beer a lot. But the only recipes I can find are more ways to make a root beer float, which really isn't much more complicated than a mug of root beer with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in it. Not much to write about there.
So here are a few other ways to make treats with root beer, specifically ways to bake with root beer.
Root Beer Cake
A pretty simple cake recipe that will have that unique sweet taste of root beer all through it.
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups flour
- ½ cup butter
- 2/3 cup root beer
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 eggs
Preheat oven to 375F. Stir together all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. With a hand mixer, blend for 2 to 3 minutes until smoothly combined. Pour batter into a 13 x 9 cake pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack before frosting or slicing.
Root Beer Float Cake
The whipped topping on this cake is supposed to make it look like an ice cream float. This cake will whip up quick because it uses cake mix as a base.
- 1 package of white cake mix
- 1 ¼ cups root beer
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup whipped topping
- ½ cup root beer
Preheat oven to 350F. At low speed, beat together the first four ingredients (mix, root beer, eggs, oil). Mix until blended, and then increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for another 4 minutes. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Bake cake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before topping.
To make the topping, whip together the last ½ cup of root beer with the whipped topping. Spread over the cake in soft peaks, to look like the ice cream in a float.
Root Beer BBQ Sauce
Ok, this one isn't a baked dessert, but still a treat nonetheless. A very sweet and tangy sauce for your next BBQ
- 2 L root beer
- 1 ½ cups vinegar
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup yellow mustard
- 2 tbs worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tbs butter
In a large saucepan, heat root beer on a low simmer until reduced to about a cup. Stir in all the remaining ingredients except the butter. Continue to simmer for about 20 minutes. Then whisk in butter to thicken up the sauce.
If you like cooking or baking with soft drinks, you can find some fun Mountain Dew recipes here as well.
