Battle of the Cupcakes on Test Tube Kitchen (part two)

Welcome to the Battle of the Cupcakes on this week’s Test Tube Kitchen.

In this four part series I have baked two competing Root Beer Float Cupcake recipes, compared the results and will crown the Winner of the Root Beer Float Cupcake. Competing Recipe #1 comes to us from Bittersweet, a vegan recipe blog. Competing Recipe #2 hails from Teamsugar, which pretty much says it all.

Let’s start the BATTLE OF THE CUPCAKES!!

Competing Recipe #1 comes from Bittersweet, an excellent blog that specialises in vegan recipes. For the original recipe for Bittersweet’s Root Beer Float Cupcakes click here. As stated in yesterday’s Rules and Guidelines I have replaced root beer with sarsaparilla, white sugar with dark brown sugar and any required oils with olive oil.

1 Cup Sarsaparilla
1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
3/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Teaspoons Root Beer Extract (note: if you can find it, use it. I could not find it)
1 1/3 Cups Flour
3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt

There is something missing from the picture of ingredients…


That’s better.


First preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).

In a bowl add the root beer and apple cider vinegar and let set for a few minutes.



While waiting, now is a good time to line the cupcake tin with papers. This recipe makes 12 cupcakes.

Now add the sugar and oil into the root beer mixture and whisk until frothy.



Stir in the vanilla extract (and the root beer extract if you can find it). Then slowly add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Take care not to overmix.

Next spoon the batter into the cupcake liners until they are ¾ full.



Bake for approx 20 minutes.

In case you are wondering why 12 cupcakes went into the oven, but only 11 cupcakes appear here? I think it was abducted by mice who love to eat hot cupcakes.

After cupcakes cool, add chocolate ganache and butter cream frosting. Bittersweet’s original recipe called for making the butter cream with soy milk and vegetable shortening. I don’t have a use for soy milk and vegetable shortening is come in waxy sticks here, so I made a traditional butter cream frosting (which was also needed for Competing Recipe #2).

MUSIC TO BAKE BY:
A mix of disco favourites.


COOKING COCKTAIL:
Root beer floats conjure up wholesome images from the 1950s. Keeping with this theme, Martinis were in order.

How does this recipe rate? Find out on Friday.

Tomorrow we bake Competing Recipe #2 from Teamsugar.