Root Beer Bundt Cake

Maybe you do the same thing that I do. You get a new cookbook and you look through it once. Then you go and look at it again and pick out the 1 or 2 recipes that you have to make "right now" or at least by tomorrow.

The most interesting recipe I saw when I looked through my copy of Baked, was the Root Beer Bundt Cake. I must confess that I don't drink soda, pop or coke, daily, weekly or monthly even. But when I do have a carbonated drink, I go for Root Beer. It doesn't have to be a certain brand or anything like that, I just like it every once in awhile.

I had offered to make some cakes for a dinner and this cake looked like the perfect choice.

I read reviews that said the flavors tasted better if you let the cake sit overnight, but I didn't have time for that, so I made it, frosted it, and sent it away.

My 2-year old cleaned out the food processor that I made the frosting in and I took a little taste. Yummy. That was really good frosting. Some of the best I have ever tasted.

I didn't get to taste a piece of the cake, but those who did, gave it rave reviews.

Other reviews I have seen said that the actual root beer flavor is very faint, but it makes for a really moist, chocolately cake. And it looks gorgeous.

Root Beer Bundt Cake
- yields 1 (10-inch) Bundt cake

-Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers In Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito
Ingredients
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
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
Topping

Vanilla ice cream
Procedure
For the root beer Bundt cake:1. 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.
2. 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.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together.
4. 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.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, 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 the rack.

For the root beer frosting:

1. Put all the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until the frosting is shiny and smooth.
2. 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.

Coming Tomorrow- Coconut French Toast with Grilled Pineapple and Tropical Salsa