These Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes make celebrating a birthday just that much better! Filled and baked with cake batter, topped with vanilla buttercream and finished with sprinkles, they're fun to make and fun to eat!
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When I think of the most classic, nostalgic birthday treat from my childhood, these Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes are the first thing that come to mind! I loved when my classmates would bring these for their birthdays to share....I mean, just look at them! Aren't they SO much fun and festive?!
As you'll see from the photos below, there are many variations to try. From different flavored cake & frosting to tye-die cake to ice cream-topped cake cones....the possibilities are endless!
How to make Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
First, you'll set your cones in the holes of a mini muffin tin or close together in a 9x13 pan. Add the prepared cake mix to each cone, about ⅔ full. (Not sure if you're filling them the right amount? Bake just 1 or 2 cones first and see how they turn out and adjust the remaining cones accordingly).
Bake until the cake is done, then let cool completely. Next, you can either make a homemade frosting or use a tub of store-bought frosting to top the cupcakes with! And then add your favorite sprinkles, little candies, etc to the top! .....Or check out my other two fun ways of decorating below.....
How to make Tie-Dye Cupcake Cones!
I couldn't help it - these were just TOO fun!! For these super colorful cones, I split the cake batter into three bowls and used food coloring to make them blue, yellow and a dark pink. I added them into the cone little by little, layering the different colors then taking a toothpick to swirl them a bit.
Then for the frosting, I made just a simple vanilla buttercream. Before adding the white frosting to the piping bag, I put a drop of a few different colors onto the sides of the bag. Then, I added the frosting, squeezed a little out until I got color and voila!! And of course, topped it off with sprinkles!
Want cake AND ice cream?! Get the best of both worlds!
Alright, ice cream lovers!!! If you don't want cake without ice cream, I've got you covered. Either skip the frosting (or do a very small layer), then put a scoop of ice cream on top! The sprinkles will stick perfectly to the ice cream! 🙂 If you know me well, you know I'd prefer a giant scoop of ice cream over frosting any day!
How to transport Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
This is perhaps the most difficult thing to do with these cute cupcakes as they love to topple over, being so top-heavy. One thing you can do is line them up really close together in a 9x13 pan, so they are too close together to fall over. Another option is to make a little "holder" for the cones. Take an empty 9x13 pan, cover it tightly with heavy-duty foil, then make 12 "x's" in the foil with a knife. Press a cone into each "x" and the foil should hold it into place.
I don't recommend making these much ahead of time as the cones can get soft, due to the moist cake inside.
The best Birthday Desserts
Ice Cream Cake Roll is the perfect treat for any celebration. With chocolate cake, ice cream, Oreos and fudge in each bite, every fork-full is a slice of heaven!
Nothing says "birthday" better than a big 'ol slice of Funfetti Cake! This is a doctored-up cake full of sprinkles, making it the perfect treat for any kind of celebration!
And for chocolate lovers, this Matilda Chocolate Cake is sure to make their birthday just that much sweeter! It's a moist, chocolatey cake and the smooth and glossy frosting is truly the "icing on the cake!"
Print the Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes recipe below or PIN IT for later!
Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 24 ice cream cones (cake cones)
- 1 box cake mix (flavor of choice) + water, oil and eggs noted on box instructions
- 3-4 c frosting store-bought or homemade (see below)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place ice cream cones in the holes of a mini muffin tin. (Or put them closely together in a 9x13 baking pan). If the cones aren't setting straight up, see if there's excess crumbs on the bottom that needs scraped off first!
- In a large bowl, mix the cake batter according to the box instructions and fill the cones about ⅔ full.
- Bake the filled cones 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick pressed into the center of the cupcake comes out clean; let cool completely.
- Use a piping bag to frost the cupcakes (or spread on with a butter knife) and top with sprinkles.
Notes
Nutritional Disclaimer
“Dance Around the Kitchen” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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