Two of my favorite things in one pan – root beer and chocolate cake! A quirky spin on a classic, this root beer chocolate cake is perfect for an event, occasion, or a family fun night at home!
Root Beer Chocolate Cake vs. Texas Sheet Cake
I’ve been making Texas Sheet Cake for years. My mom made it often growing up, and something about the “mix between a brownie and cake” was intriguing and delicious. It was fluffy, gooey, moist and decadent all at the same time. You couldn’t possibly eat just one piece…
What I loved about my mom’s sheet cake was that it wasn’t as thin as your typical “sheet cake”. It wasn’t as tall as a traditional cake, but was definitely taller than a brownie! I loved the “in-between” and this recipe yields that same wonderful volume!
A Spin on the Classic “Coca Cola Cake”
Sometime in college I was introduced to “coca cola cake”. I loved it, because it mimicked the same familiar flavor and texture as the sheet cake I grew up loving. It was slightly thicker, but the coke levelled up the flavor and texture! I got to thinking… why Coca Cola?
A longtime fan of root beer, I knew I had to find a way to create my own version of this chocolate cake with root beer as the star! So for everyone out there struggling to decide between chocolate cake or a root beer float on the menu, this Root Beer Chocolate Cake is for you!
Does the Type of Root Beer Matter?
No it doesn’t! I’ve always preferred A&W, so that’s what I use. But any root beer will do! The variation of flavor between brands is so slight that it won’t make much of a recognizable difference!
How to Make the Root Beer Chocolate Cake
This cake is not hard to make. That being said, there are a handful of steps that should be executed with care to achieve the best possible results! Here are the outlined steps.
Prepare Root Beer Chocolate Cake Batter
- Prepare your pan, oven, and buttermilk substitute (milk + lemon juice). Buttermilk also works for this recipe, but I’ve only ever used milk + lemon juice since that’s normally what I have on hand!
- Heat root beer, butter, and cocoa in a small saucepan and bring to a boil! As soon as it begins to boil, remove from heat and allow to cool for a few moments!
- Combine dry cake ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk. Crack your eggs into the center of this mixture and slightly whisk them together with the vanilla on top of the dry ingredients. Then, add the buttermilk substitute and fold them all together!
- Pour your slightly cooled (a few minutes will do) root beer mixture from the saucepan into your batter and beat together with a spoon until smooth and clump free! Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan and bake at 375 for about 30 minutes. You know it’s ready when a knife comes out clean!
Prepare the Icing
While your cake is baking or cooling, prepare your icing according to the recipe instructions! It will begin to set the longer it’s left at room temperature, but stirring occasionally until you’re ready to pour the icing will keep it from becoming too stiff. Timing of when you make/pour the icing will depend on what texture/thickness of cake you prefer! Below are the instructions for icing prep for each type of cake!
For a more fudgy, brownie like cake (photographed):
Prepare the icing while your cake is cooling (or cooking, but you may need to stir a few times to keep it from setting too much). Allow your cake to cool for about 30 minutes – until it is warm but not hot. Pierce the cake with a fork a dozen or so times randomly along the surface to create tiny holes for the icing to fill. Pour the icing evenly over the top allowing it to melt into the cake as it spreads. Allow it to set for a few minutes before serving!
For a more thick, fluffy, traditional cake texture:
Prepare the icing shortly before you are ready to pour. Wait until the cake has completely cooled (an hour or two should do), and pour the icing over the top, using a spatula or spoon to evenly spread it. Allow it to set for a few minutes before serving!
Looking for More?
I’ve got one heck of a sweet tooth, and plenty of recipes to match! Here are a few of my favorite chocolate dessert recipes:
- S’mores Bars
- Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Double Dark Chocolate Cheesecake
- Chocolate Whiskey Mousse
- Old Fashioned Fudge
Ready for the Root Beer Chocolate Cake Recipe?
Root Beer Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Root Beer Cake
- 2 C sugar
- 2 C flour
- 1/2 C milk
- 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 C butter
- 1/4 C cocoa powder (heaping 1/4 cup)
- 1 C Root Beer (sub water)
Chocolate Root Beer Icing
- 1/4 C root beer (or milk)
- 1/2 C butter
- 1/4 C cocoa powder
- 3 C powdered sugar
Instructions
Cake (Prep first)
- Preheat your oven to 375 and spray a 9X13" baking pan with non-stick spray.
- Stir lemon juice into milk and let sit for 5 minutes (you are preparing a buttermilk substitute). The buttermilk substitute is ready to use when you notice small clumps!
- Meanwhile, bring butter, cocoa, and root beer to a boil in a small saucepan. As soon as it begins to boil, turn off heat, set aside, and allow to cool for a few minutes while you prepare the rest of the cake batter.
- While your saucepan contents are cooling, combine the sugar, flour, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Add two eggs and vanilla into the center of the bowl (on top of the dry ingredients) and whisk eggs/vanilla together with a fork slightly. Add buttermilk to the bowl as well and fold all ingredients together.
- Pour the slightly cooled saucepan mixture into the mixing bowl and combine all ingredients. Stir batter until it is smooth and free from clumps. Pour batter into your prepared pan and bake at 375 for 28-32 minutes (when an inserted fork comes out clean)!
Icing (Prep Second)
- While cake bakes, prepare frosting and leave out at room temperature until you are ready to ice the cake! You can pour the frosting when the cake is warm to yield a dense, more gooey cake (more like a sheet cake/brownie), or you can wait until the cake has completely cooled to pour the icing for a more fluffy, voluminous cake with a more traditional cake texture!
- Rinse out the saucepan and the mixing bowl you used to make the cake. In the saucepan over medium heat, bring the root beer, butter, and cocoa powder to a boil while stirring occasionally. Once a boil is reached, remove from heat.
- Pour your powdered sugar into a mixing bowl. Pour the saucepan contents into the powdered sugar and whisk together with a fork. Stir until smooth and fully incorporated. Set aside at room temperature and stir occasionally until you are ready to ice the cake! Pour the icing via one of the two instructions below for your preferred cake outcome!
For a Gooey, Brownie-like Cake
- Allow the cake to cool for 30 or so minutes (so it is warm but not hot). Pierce the top of the cake a dozen or so times at random placement with a fork to create holes. Pour the icing evenly over the top of the entire cake.
For a fluffy, thicker, traditional Cake
- Wait until the cake has cooled completely before pouring icing (an hour or more). Keep icing consistency in-tact by beating occasionally until you are ready to pour!
Nutrition
I hope you give this one a try! If you do, pretty please leave a recipe rating :).
With Love from my kitchen to yours!
Kelsie
