Instructions

ROOT BEER CAKE

1. Adjust an oven rack to the center position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners and set aside.
2. Add 1 ½ cups root beer to a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, until reduced to ¾ cup. Do not boil the root beer. Pour reduced root beer in a heat proof liquid measuring cup to see if you have ¾ cup. Pour root beer back in the saucepan if it has not reduced enough and continue to heat until you have ¾ cup. Set reduced root beer aside to cool to room temperature, about 8o degrees. You can put the root beer in the refrigerator if you want to speed up this process.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, and the butter and sugar and cream together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the sour cream, vanilla extract and root beer concentrate and mix until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In a 2 cup liquid measuring cup, combine the milk, cooled and reduced root beer, plus
   the remaining ¼ cup root beer and set aside.
5. Add half of the flour mixture to the batter and mix until incorporated. Add the root beer mixture and beat until combined. Add the remaining half of the flour mixture
   and mix until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
6. Divide the batter among the prepared cupcake pans, with 3 tablespoons of batter in each cup. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, (rotating pans halfway through baking) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let cupcakes cool in their pan for about 5 minutes, then invert on to a cooling rack to cool completely.

VANILLA ICE CREAM FROSTING

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, shortening and salt on medium speed until light and creamy, about 8 minutes. Slowly add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract and vanilla ice cream.
2. Reduce the speed to the lowest setting possible on your mixer and beat for 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes.

ROOT BEER ICING

1. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, heavy cream, root beer, root beer concentrate and corn syrup. Heat the mixture on low until the sugar has melted. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately pour the mixture into a heatproof bowl. Whisk in the powdered sugar and allow icing to cool and thicken. While the icing is cooling start frosting the cupcakes.

ASSEMBLE

1. Fit a piping bag with Ateco piping tip #827 and fill bag with frosting. Pipe a swirl on top of each cupcake. Using a spoon or a piping bag, top the frosting with root beer drizzle. Place a straw and cherry on each cupcake and serve.