Root Beer Cake

Now I have to give you the full disclosure here: this isn't my recipe. If you haven't heard me say this before, most recipes I post are recipes I've seen other places but have tweaked them here or there to suit my fancy (I love saying the word fancy. As in "fancy that" or "I'd fancy some root beer cake." I suppose deep down I wish I were British) but before I get too sidetracked over vocabulary what I was saying was that most recipes, while not entirely original, are changed here and there.

And then there are those that are completely original (which I'll usually brag about) and then there are some that I've had in my files so long I couldn't possibly remember who the original source was.

However, this one fits none of the above. Instead, I found it at Joy the Baker's place and I'd feel funny about sharing it except that it seems she herself was passing it along from the book she references so I don't feel the need to get too worked up over sourcing on this one. And I promise, it's a fabulous, amazing, terrific recipe. How many more adjectives can I recycle to convince you?

You might think it tastes like root beer (which I happen to adore--though on another rambling side note I've heard that the flavor is most definitely an American taste. I had a friend who'd lived in Denmark who claimed the Danes thought root beer reminiscent of toilet bowl cleaner and I'm not sure if that speaks more definitively of the Danes or of root beer because how on earth would anyone know what toilet bowl cleaner tasted like? Obviously they're not to be trusted on the subject and need to stick to pastries) but it doesn't.

Doesn't taste like root beer that is. At least not really. The root beer brings out the super-chocolate flavor of this dense, rich, dark bundt cake and because the frosting too is made with root beer there's more of a root beer flavor in the frosting but it's not necessarily a strong root beer flavor. Subtle. Very subtle. Like my flowing prose which lilts from one run-on sentence to the next.

The root beer flavor does become stronger over time so it's perfect to make a day ahead, a practice which actually improves the texture and flavor of almost any cake though I doubt many people know that because who bothers to leave cakes sitting around their house to "mellow"? What, are we talking cheese here people? Of course not. But if you can find the self-control you will be rewarded.

Enough talk. On with the recipe.

2 cups non-diet root beer
1 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs

Preheat even to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.

In a small saucepan, heat the root beer, cocoa powder and butter over medium heat until butter is melted. Add sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.

In a small bowl whisk the eggs until just beaten. Then whisk into the cocoa mixture until combined. Mix the flour into the batter which will be slightly lumpy. Whisk it a bit to mix but don't over beat the batter or it will make the texture tough. Just get some of those lumps out.

Pour the batter into pan and cook for 35-45 minutes until a sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely then loosen edges with a butter knife and turn out onto a cake plate.

Chocolate Root Beer Frosting

2 ounces semi-sweet chips melted
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup root beer
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Beat softened butter and cocoa powder. Add the melted chocolate, salt, powdered sugar and root beer. Beat together until smooth. Spread on top of cooled cake.

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