Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes are the cutest dessert ever. Funfetti cake mix gets all dressed up with homemade buttercream, ice cream cones, and of course – sprinkles! Treat your inner child to these handheld treats today. You deserve it!
As obsessed with ice cream as I am, I think I like enjoying cupcakes baked into cones even more than I like to eat ice cream in them! There’s just something so undeniably FUN about these rainbow speckled funfetti cupcakes in handheld ice cream cones.
The cherry on top (literally) is the toppings that adorn these Ice Cream Cone Cucpakes. I’ve included recipes for vanilla buttercream, chocolate buttercream, and colorful buttercream, so your treats can look and taste exactly how you want them to. Also, grab your phone, because this is a treat you’ll want to snap a picture of. I mean, just look at how photo-ready they are!
While you don’t necessarily need a drizzle of hot fudge, a cherry, or rainbow sprinkles on top, I think they really sell the whole ice cream image. Plus, all three of those toppings are tasty additions, not just cute ones. Honestly, no matter how you top off your Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes, they’re bound to be pretty perfect!
What You’ll Need:
For the cupcakes:
- Funfetti Cake Mix – Make the batter as it directs you to on the box.
- Ice Cream Cones – They must be the type with the flat bottoms so they will stand in the cupcake tin.
For vanilla buttercream:
- Butter – It should be unsalted and softened to room temp.
- Powdered Sugar – No buttercream would ever be complete without this!
- Heavy Cream – Don’t substitute this with any other kind of dairy.
- Vanilla Extract – I like to use pure vanilla extract, not imitation.
- Salt
For chocolate buttercream:
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – This creates the best chocolatey flavor.
- Vanilla Extract
How to Make Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
For more detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post.
Bake the cupcakes. Make the cake batter. Place the cones into the tins of a mini muffin pan. Place the batter into the cones. Bake at 350°F for 23-25 minutes.
Make the buttercream. Cream the butter, then slowly add in the powdered sugar. Add vanilla and salt. Beat until fluffy. Add colors if desired, or the cocoa to make it chocolate flavored.
Assemble. Pipe the frosting into a swirl on each cupcake cone and garnish as you wish.
Common Questions
Can I decorate Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes for different occasions? Yep! It’s as easy as changing up the sprinkles and color of the buttercream. Heading to a gender reveal? Make the frosting and sprinkles pink and blue. Their versatility makes these treats ideal for birthday parties, graduations, and holiday celebrations of any kind!
How long will Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes stay fresh? In an airtight container at room temperature, these treats will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Have any more sprinkles you’re just dying to use?
Chocolate Glazed Donuts with Sprinkles
Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 funfetti cake mix make as directed on box – usually adding eggs, water and oil
- 24 ice cream cones flat bottoms
Vanilla Buttercream Recipe:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temp
- 3–4 cups powdered sugar
- 3–4 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- Dash of salt
Chocolate Buttercream:
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
Colorful Buttercream:
- A few drops of gel food coloring for desired color
Optional Garnish:
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare cake mix according to the package.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Using a 24 holder mini muffin pan, place your cones in each tin.
- Place about 3 Tablespoons of cake batter into each of the cones, just below the inside rim. You can spoon the batter in or use a small ice cream scoop to be more accurate. Do not overfill. If you do, the batter will spill over while cooking and make the rims of the cones soggy. Each cone may bake up a little differently in shape but they will look great as soon as you frost them!
- Bake them at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick releases clean.
- Allow them to cool completely.
- While the ice cream cone cupcakes are cooling, you can make the buttercream.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter on low speed until pale and creamy.
- Slowly add in 3 cups of confectioners' sugar and 3 tbsp heavy cream a little at a time, alternating between each, while mixing on low over the course of about 3 minutes.
- If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add the remaining cream.
- Add vanilla and salt.
- Beat on medium-high for about 2-3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- If you want to make multiple colors of frosting, just separate your buttercream into individual bowls and use food coloring to make whatever color your heart desires! If you want to make chocolate buttercream, add ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract and fold in with a spatula until incorporated.
- You can pipe the frosting into a swirl (using a Wilton 2D tip and piping bag) OR you can quickly just spread your frosting on top of each cupcake with a knife – kiddos will eat them either way!
- Toss some sprinkles on top for a fun garnish!