Rootbeer float inspired cupcakes! These cupcakes have delicious rootbeer float flavor, are easy to make, and the perfect accompaniment to pizza night.
I grew up in a family that is food obsessed, so it is not surprise that has carried on in me and has even become my career choice. One of my favorite things from my past is pizza night. We would get to choose our favorite toppings, and the whole family would get together and eat pizza. The kids would set the table. And dad would make floats. Never fail, pizza was accompanied by rootbeer floats. We loved rootbeer floats. In fact, to this day, I can’t eat pizza without rootbeer. It just goes together.
For me, pizza and rootbeer is like peanut butter and jelly. A natural combination that just works.
We would eat pizza, play games, and just have fun together. Check out this photo from when my husband and I had just had our first baby and we had pizza night with my family! Hahaha Can you see how everyone has their floats?
Pizza night still happens at our house, and just like when I was a kid, my kids love to give their input as to what toppings the pizza should have. I love picking up a Red Baron pizza to make things easy. It has the perfect crust, and bakes up to a delicious golden brown. It is easy to make, and is a timeless tradition. My kids set the table, Dad makes the floats, and I make pizza and dessert. It is a win-win-win!
The whole family ends up happy! And I can’t complain that
Anyway, let Red Baron cover the pizza, and then make these simple rootbeer float cupcakes! You won’t believe how simple they are to make, and how much flavor they have! It starts with a simple box mix that is given an upgrade!
Ready to get to that recipe?

Rootbeer Float Box Mix Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 box vanilla cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup rootbeer fountain syrup
Frosting
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 Tbs unflavored gelatin
- 4 Tbs cold water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Mix cake mix, eggs vegetable oil, water, and rootbeer fountain syrup together in a large bowl using a hand mixer. Beat for 2 minutes.
- Line 2 muffin tins with cupcake liners and fill with 1/4 cup batter in each cup
- Bake cupcakes for 15-18 minutes until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool on a cooling rack
- While cupcakes cool, prepare frosting.
Frosting
- In a small sauce pan put 1 Tbs unflavored gelatin, and 4 tbs of water, and stir, let thicken.
- Once thickened turn on medium heat, and stir while heating until gelatin melts and is no longer grainy.
- Remove from heat and set to the side to cool.
- Now in a large bowl, add heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla, and using a hand mixer, mix until thick, but not yet holding peaks.
- Slowly add cooled (but not set) gelatin mixture to whipped cream, while beating, and continue to beat until stiff, holding peaks.
- Frost rootbeer cupcakes with stabilized whipped cream frosting, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.

I loved seeing the old photos of my family on pizza night. Check out the Red Baron site for a hysterical travel through time and enjoy the Timeless tradition of pizza night, as showcased with traditions, fads and trends from the four decades that Red Baron has been around. I spy cassette tapes, big hair, huge phones, and so much more that totally made my smile. Help Red Baron celebrate 40 years by enjoying a family pizza night! And be sure to make these tasty cupcakes to go with!
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