I have a confession to make. This is so embarrassing…

ahemaham, I never drank root beer.

 .

 .

Are you still there?

And then I came across this recipe in the “baked” cookbook and it sounded so interesting. You know I am always looking for new cake recipes.

So I had to ask the guy at the grocery store where can I find root beer. He looked at me kind of funny. I think (or was it my imagination?).

And then I came home and was ready to bake the cake. I opened the bottle and took a sip to taste it, and…………. how can you people drink this stuff??? It tastes like medicine.

But, oh well, at least now I can say that yeah, sure, I’m a root beer connoisseur.

So I caked the cake and it tastes wonderfully good. The authors claim it’ll taste even more rootbeer-y tomorrow.

Now. Remember the whisky/cognac soaked cake? Nooooooooo? Then first click here. That one is no cake for kids. But this cake, you can confidently serve to your kids. And, if you have any leftovers by Monday – I said “if” -  then you can share it with your colleagues at work, or pamper your kids teachers. Something you cannot simply do with a cognac drenched cake, because you don’t have any leftovers. A-ha!

I’ve decided to skip the frosting on this one. I’m not a big fan of buttercream (based) frosting. Give me a chocolate ganache on the other hand, and I’m yours. There’s something in my brain that keeps me from making and liking a frosting that uses 2-3 cups of sugar. I wonder why… So instead I’ve used a Nutella (only to discover the jar is almost empty) and some toasted walnuts for the topping.

But you… you can do whatever you want. Here’s the recipe.

Root Beer Bundt Cake
for 1 (10-inch) Bundt cake
From Baked: New Frontiers In Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

for the cake:

2 cups root beer (do not use diet root beer)
1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs

for the frosting:
2 ounces dark chocolate (60% cacao), melted and cooled slightly
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup root beer
2/3 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

For the cake:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously spray the inside of a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray; alternatively, butter it, dust with flour, and knock out the excess flour.

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

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

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until just beaten, then whisk them into the cooled cocoa mixture until combined. Gently fold the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture. The batter will be slightly lumpy–do not overbeat, as it could cause the cake to be tough.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes (I needed an extra 10 minutes – N.), rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a small sharp knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Gently loosen the sides of the cake from the pan and turn it out onto a platter.

For the frosting:

Put all the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until the frosting is shiny and smooth.

Use a spatula to spread the fudge frosting over the crown of the Bundt in a thick layer. Let the frosting set before serving, with the ice cream on the side.
 

Have a wonderful weekend!
Nurit

Categories : A cake for the weekend, Cakes, Recipes