By Tracey
Root Beer Bundt Cake
from Baked by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito
(This is the full recipe, but I halved it (as usual), which worked perfectly in my 6-cup pan. Also, the baking time for my mini was pretty close to the time listed in the recipe (not typical, usually it’s shorter), so I suspect you may need to add a few minutes if you make a full size bundt.)
Ingredients:
Cake
- 2 cups root beer (not diet)
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark)
- 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 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup root beer
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 F. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour.
Set a small saucepan over medium heat and add the root beer, cocoa powder and butter. Heat until the butter is melted then add the sugars and whisk to incorporate and dissolve. Turn off the heat under the pan and set aside to cool.
Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl.
Beat the eggs in a small bowl with a fork then add them to the cooled cocoa mixture. Don’t be worried if the batter is a bit lumpy, just don’t overmix or the cake will be tough.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely then turn out.
To make the frosting: Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of your food processor. Pulse until the frosting is shiny and smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
Frost the top of the cooled bundt cake using an offset spatula. Let the frosting set before serving.
