Root Beer Float Cupcakes

I have been obsessed with the idea of root beer cupcakes ever since I saw a couple of versions on the cupcake project blog over a year ago. I kept thinking about how fabulous they would be if they truly replicated the deliciousness of a root beer float- yummy, almost spicy root beer cake topped with creamy vanilla frosting. I found this recipe that actually used melted ice cream in the frosting in the cupcake book Hannah got for her birthday. The root beer cupcakes were good and moist, but the root beer flavor was not quite as powerful as I was hoping. So I doubled the amount of extract in the recipe below. I think it should be perfect.



¾ cup butter
3 eggs
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
2 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups sugar
2 Tbsp. root beer extract
½ tsp vanilla
1 ¼ cups root beer

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowlbeat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about sugar, about ¼ cup at a time, beating on medium speed until combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat on medium speeed aabout 2 minutes more, until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in root beer extract and vanilla. Alternatly add flour mixture and root beer to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.
3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 to ¾ full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth the batter in the cups.
4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffing tines on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin tin. Cool completely on wire rack.
5. Pipe Float Frosting over cupcakes. Top with root beer candy and straws.

¼ cup better
¾ cup vanilla ice cream
½ tsp. vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

Allow the butter to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Allow ice cream to stand at room temperature for 1o minutes, In a large bowl, beat butter on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in ½ cup of the ice cream and ½ tsp vanilla. Beat in the powdered sugar. If needed, stir in additional ice cream, 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches spreading consistency.