This post is brought to you by McCormick. All opinions are my own.
When I think of root beer, I think of summertime. Frosty root beer floats piled high with vanilla ice cream — it's the quintessential summer treat! Did you know that in 1889, Willoughby M. McCormick went door to door selling one of McCormick & Company's first products, root beer extract? From there on, the product quickly rose in popularity and led to a trending sensation of root beer floats in the early 1900s.
This year, McCormick is celebrating their 125th anniversary and all of the products that have brought them where they are today, including root beer extract.
I was recently invited by McCormick to create a recipe using their famous Root Beer Concentrate as part of McCormick's Flavor of Together program— a year-long initiative to share 1.25 million stories about how flavor both unites and defines people across the globe. I thought I would stick to the root beer float theme — with a twist — and created some whimsical Root Beer Float Cupcakes ... aren't they adorable?
My root beer float cupcake consists of a chocolate-root beer flavored cake base with homemade root beer-vanilla buttercream, which I slightly modified from the Old Fashioned Root Beer Frosting Recipe on McCormick.com.
You can use any homemade or boxed chocolate cake mix for the cupcake, but to make it easy, I'm featuring the boxed directions. This cupcakes would be perfect for an end-of-the-year class party or a summer birthday!
Root Beer Float Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- 3 eggs (or amount called for on box)
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil (or amount called for on box)
- 1 ½ cups water (or amount called for on box)
- 1 tablespoon McCormick Root Beer Concentrate
- 6 paper straws, cut into thirds
- White nonpareils
Root beer-Vanilla Buttercream:
- 1 stick butter; softened
- 1 teaspoon McCormick Root Beer Concentrate
- ½ teaspoon McCormick vanilla extract
- 16 oz confectioners' sugar
- ¼ cup milk
Directions
- Prepare boxed cake mix according to instructions. Add 1 tablespoon McCormick Root Beer Extract to batter. Bake cupcakes as directed. Let cool completely.
- In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy. Add McCormick Root Beer Concentrate and vanilla extract.
- Gradually add confectioners' sugar, scraping the sides of the bowl as you blend.
- Add milk. Beat frosting until light and fluffy.
- Spread each cupcake with desired amount of frosting. Sprinkle with white nonpareils and top with paper straw.
As part of McCormick's 125th anniversary celebration, McCormick is giving back to communities around the world. For every story shared on any of McCormick's brand websites or social channels, McCormick will donate $1, up to $1.25 million, to United Way to help feed those in need. You're invited to join the conversation at FlavorofTogether.com where you can share your flavor story and discover globally inspired dishes, videos and more. Stories shared on social media channels should use #flavorstory — remember for every story posted you're helping McCormick feed someone in need!
Win a McCormick Anniversary Pack!
Share your own flavor story by commenting on this post using the hashtag #flavorstory. Once lucky reader will win a McCormick anniversary pack, including exclusive products not sold in stores (black pepper & vanilla extract), a McCormick recipe book and a branded canvas tote — all valued at $50.
Fill out the rafflecopter form below to enter. Giveaway ends March 31 at 11:59pm.
Brittney House says
I would use it in my cookie mix.
Nancy says
Root beer cookies with root beer cream cheese frosting sounds good to me.
april yedinak says
I would use it to make a coffee cake.
Melissa M says
Rootbeer fudge
Deborah Wellenstein says
I would use it for frosting for my chocolate cake.
Cynthia C says
I would flavor cookies with it.
Sue Ellison says
I would make the Root Beer Float Cupcakes.
latanya says
I would make a root beer flavored pound cake
Elizabeth Ray says
I would make the Root Beer Float Cupcakes.
Trisha Burgess says
I would make a cake!!
Christine says
a coffee cake
Danielle says
I would make rootbeer rice krispy treats
kim says
I would make a Homemade root beer Float my great grandmother used to make them for us when we were children and they bring back such good memories
Denise S says
I'd love to make those Root Beer Float Cupcakes. They look so good!
Sara Jane says
Sounds so yummy! I can't wait to try these.
Cori Westphal says
I'm thinking a root beer ice cream shake would be on my menu!
coriwestphal at msn dot com
D Schmidt says
I would make a root beer flavored trifle.
Fred says
To make homemade root beer or even to coat a baked ham.
Morgan says
Fudge! Or some yummy cookies. 🙂
Jen R says
I would make homemade root beer floats with the McCormick Root Beer extract.
Gale says
I would make root beer flavored muffins with mini marshmallows.
sue says
i make root beer cookies with this... so yummy and everyone asks for the recipe...
Liz Saurin says
I would make anything that I can remember from the 50s that had root beer in it!
Debra Hall says
i would make a milk shake
Stephanie Galbraith says
Now that I've seen this recipe, I want to make this! I didn't even know they had Root Beer Concentrate.
Mihaela Day says
Root beer cookies with root beer cream cheese frosting
Erica C. says
I'd make some cookies.
Kimberly Hilbert says
I'd probably make rootbeer cookies since I'm not a big cake fan.
Christina Sparks says
I would use it in a chocolate cake mix.
kristy thiel says
I think I'd make some root beer vanilla cookies!
Paula Michele Hafner says
I would try making homemade Amish Rootbeer.
joe gersch says
i would make root beer
Francine Anchondo says
I would make cupcakes.
Dorothy Deakyne says
I would make cookies
tina reynolds says
I would make a root beer float for my kids and hubby a big hit in my house
Karrie Millheim says
Rootbeer Cupcakes. yum
Laurie Emerson says
I would try to make Root Beer Walnut Cookies.
Katherine Donovan says
The Root Beer Float cupcakes you made are adorable!! mY grandson would love them! I looked at McCormick's recipes and the Root Beer Bars with Vanilla Ice Cream look good too!
Rebecca Lock says
I would make a root beer float dessert that I have.
Crystal Sell says
I think it would taste great as a cake and make some sort of complimentary frosting.
Gary Shayne says
I would love to share these with my family,. I can imagine my daughter with a big smiles as she enjoys this.
Emily Morelli says
I'd make root beer ice cream with this. Yum!
Suzie Williams says
I'd make root beer flavored cookies.
laurie says
I would make those cupcakes I love root beer I didn't know they had this flavor
Breanne says
I'd make cookies