I haven’t given up on root beer flavored desserts – this is the third I’ve made, and I’m convinced that it’s definitely not something that’s easy to do. Either the flavor is too subtle, or it tastes off. This is a really good cake, though. I don’t think it tastes particularly like root beer, unless you know it’s supposed to be root beer – then it’s familiar.

The cake has a lot of ingredients and takes some time to make. It’s deceiving, because it’s just a plain little snack cake. The cake itself is really moist and flavorful, very similar to a gingerbread. But better, I think. The recipe says to use a 10-inch cake pan, but I used 9-inch and it worked just fine.

The glaze is interesting – it includes cream steeped with sassafras bark. The bark isn’t that hard to find – either online, or at a natural foods store. I love the smell – it’s the essence of root beer itself. Even though it smells like root beer, I don’t think the cream tasted like root beer after it steeped. It was herbaceous and kind of bitter, but it works great in the glaze. Find the recipe at Epicurious.

• Root Beer Cake (American Flavor, p. 256)