Deep, dark chocolate with a hint of root beer, this Root Beer Bundt Cake is super moist and irresistible. This cake gets even better the second day!
Originally posted April 24, 2009 – It’s kind of funny, because I really don’t make dessert a lot. Not even on a weekly basis, usually. But I feel like I’ve been posting a lot of dessert recipes lately, and that’s all I have ready to post right now! So I’m obviously not working on my beach body right now – haha!
I actually had to make dessert for a family dinner recently, so I brought 3 cakes, and this Root Beer Bundt Cake was one of those cakes. If you read the original post below, you will read that this cake didn’t have a lot of root beer flavor. I wanted to up it a bit, so I did add in some root beer extract this time. It still didn’t taste strongly like root beer, but I could get it in the background. It is a very chocolate heavy cake, though, so it’s understandable that the root beer flavor isn’t quite as strong as the chocolate flavor. But regardless, this is now one of my favorite chocolate cake recipes. It is so full of chocolate flavor. And it is so super moist. Not to mention that it came out of the bundt pan perfectly. If you’ve ever made a bundt cake, you know this is quite the feat.
This Root Beer Bundt Cake is definitely a winner, and you can bet that I will be making it again in the future!
The original post from 2009 follows:
Ooooh, my 4th recipe from this book, and the last for the month. I had such a hard time choosing – would I make the Tuscaloosa Tollhouse Pie? The Coconut Snowball Cupcakes? The Pecan and Almond Chocolate Toffee? So many to choose from, but I ended up going with the Root Beer Bundt Cake. Was it a good decision? Most definitely!!
We are root beer drinkers in our house. We don’t drink a ton of soda, but we do have a few liters of diet root beer in the pantry for whenever we get that craving. Unfortunately, you aren’t supposed to use diet for this recipe, so really, the root beer was the only ingredient I had to pick up from the store – everything else I had on hand. I was originally intending on making this into cupcakes so I could share them, but I decided last minute to go ahead and make the bundt cake.
The book says that the cake’s flavor intensifies overnight, so I tried a slice after making the cake, and again the next day. Was the cake good? YES! Was the cake chocolaty? YES! Was the cake moist? YES, YES, YES! Did the cake have a strong root beer flavor? No. That was the only disappointing part of this cake. In fact, I could taste a hint of root beer the day I made the cake, but that hint was totally gone the next day. I actually don’t think you’d even be able to pick the flavor out at all if you didn’t know it was in there. But this cake is so delicious, and one of the moistest cakes I’ve ever made, that I would go to this recipe again in a heartbeat if I was wanting a good chocolate cake recipe. The frosting is equally good, although it, too, didn’t taste like root beer. I’m glad this recipe was so much better than last week’s. This one really is worth trying!
What do you need to make this Root Beer Bundt Cake?
*I love, love bundt cakes, so I have 2 bundt pans. I don’t even remember where I bought mine years ago, but this bundt pan has a lot of great reviews. And it’s pretty inexpensive, too!
*One of the things that sets this cake apart is the use of dark unsweetened cocoa powder. It is carried in most grocery stores these days and can also be purchased on Amazon.
*The easiest way to spread the frosting on top is with an offset spatula.
Looking for more can’t miss bundt cake recipes?
Orange Glazed Bundt Cake
Crazy for Coconut Bundt Cake
Almond Joy Candy Bar Filled Bundt Cake
Caramel Apple Bundt Cake
Chocolate Bundt Cake
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Root Beer Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 cups root beer
- 1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons root beer extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
Frosting:
- 2 ounces dark chocolate 60% cacao, melted and cooled slightly
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup root beer
- 1 teaspoon root beer extract
- 2/3 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream if needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Generously grease the inside of a 10-inch bundt pan with butter or shortening and dust it with flour. Tap out any excess flour.
- Combine the root beer, cocoa powder, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter is melted. Add the granulated sugar and the brown sugar and whisk to dissolve. Remove from the heat and stir in the root beer extract.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
- Whisk the eggs in a small bowl, then whisk the eggs into the cocoa mixture. Add the cocoa mixture to the large bowl with the flour mixture and fold together. Do not overmix – the batter will be a little bit lumpy.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the bake time, until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Gently turn the cake out onto the rack.
- To make the frosting, combine the melted and cooled chocolate, the butter, and the salt in a large bowl and beat to combine. Slowly beat in the root beer and the root beer extract, followed by the cocoa powder. Add the powdered sugar in 1/2 cup at a time until it is all combined. Add heavy cream, if needed, until you have the correct consistency. The frosting will still be thick, but creamy enough to spread on top of the cake.
- To assemble, spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake in a thick layer.
gayle says
Always in the market for a good chocolate cake recipe – with or without root beer. I’ll have to give this one a try!
Are you sure you can’t manage to sneak in that Tuscaloosa Tollhouse Pie before the end of the month? (drool drool)
Talia says
That looks fabulous. I’m going to have to try it! What’s the cooking time for doing cupcakes instead?
RecipeGirl says
I keep hearing about this root beer cake. It’s interesting. I mean, who would think to put root beer in a cake? Too bad you can’t really taste it. I’m a big root beer fan, so it would be fun to have that flavor present. Chocolate is good too though 🙂
Maria says
I have heard a lot about this cake. I don’t like root beer, maybe I will like it if it wasn’t that strong!
Hilary says
Hmmm….interesting. I have seen cola cakes before…but never root beer.
kristina says
I would be a little disappointed not to taste the root beer too, as root beer floats were my favorite special treat growing up!
But a fab chocolate cake recipe (and especially such a moist one, and one that keeps so well) is perhaps even more useful! Must give this one a try. K x
MindyW says
OOOOHHH! Now you are speaking my language! We love bundt cakes! And, soda! This looks scrumptious! Thanks for the recipe.
Carol says
This cake looks simply delicious!
Erin says
I love this cookbook! I’ve been wanting to make this, along with so many other delicious recipes! It looks wonderful!
Elyse says
I can’t say it enough! I love my Baked cookbook. You’ve shown me yet another recipe that I need to make from the book. I am sad that the rootbeer flavor doesn’t shine through, but your description of a moist and super chocolatey cake sounds great by me! Maybe we could think of a rootbeer syrup to pour over the hot cake to preserve the rootbeer flavor? Man, the cake sure does look delicious! Can’t wait to try the recipe.
Melanie Anne says
What a cool cake!! My boys would love this! Thanks for sharing this recipe. Your blog is GREAT!!
annasmimi says
We love Root Beer, what a great looking cake! Yum!!
Melissa @ For the Love of Health says
That looks so tasty!
Shari says
a root beer cake sounds wonderful! It is such a pretty cake too! Might have to try it!
Carrie says
I love rootbeer. I think I’ll have to try this recipe. Thank you!
thebrunettebaker says
I like my root beer with pizza and I’m just not sure I want it in my cake. So many of the Baked recipes sound great (haven’t made any yet) but this one?????