Root Beer Float Cupcakes

Months ago I bought a bottle of root beer concentrate when I was looking for caramel extract...I thought it would make for something yummy, only I didn't have a recipe to use it with.  Then I came across this recipe last week while perusing different cupcake blogs.  These were incredibly yummy and very light...would be a great summer recipe.

Cupcake Ingredients

1 1/4 cups cake flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

4 tsp root beer concentrate

Root Beer Whipped Cream Ingredients

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/8 cup sugar

1/2 tsp root beer concentrate

Vanilla Root Beer Swirled Buttercream Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

(Yield: 15 cupcakes)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and position the racks toward the center. Line cupcake pans with papers.  Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.  Whisk the egg for 20 seconds, then add the sugar and whisk an additional 30 seconds until thick and frothy.  Add the oil, vanilla and root beer concentrate and beat until combined. 

Alternate the flour mixture and buttermilk and beat until combined.  

Divide the batter between 15 wrappers in cupcake tins and bake for 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack completely before coring and frosting.

For the whipped cream, thoroughly clean and chill your mixing bowl for 10-15 minutes first. Add the whipping cream to the bowl and, using the whisk attachment, whip until peaks form. 

Add the sugar and root beer concentrate and whip to combine. Chill until you're ready to fill the cupcakes.

For the frosting, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add 1 cup of sugar, beating until combined. Add the vanilla. Finally, add the remaining sugar gradually and whip until light and fluffy.

To assemble the cupcakes, core them and pipe the root beer whipped cream into the centers. 

Add the vanilla frosting and pipe onto the cupcakes.  (I used the large star tip from the Wilton Cupcake Kit and it gave me perfect frosting.)

 *Note: The original recipe called for double the ingredients listed above, but I found that I had WAY too much whipped cream left over.  Half should be plenty, especially if you use a melon baller to core your cupcakes as I did.  Also, chill your cupcakes after adding the whipped cream or it will start to melt.

Source:  http://www.cupcakefridayproject.com/2012/03/root-beer-float-cupcakes/