Ice cream cone cupcakes
Ice cream cone cupcakes are such a fun bake for kids. They look like ice cream cones but the cones are filled with cake and the ice cream is buttercream icing. They’re surprisingly easy. What’s not to love!?
Ice cream cone cupcakes are the most fun cupcake you can make with your kids. They’re made to look like a soft scoop ice cream cone but are really just a cupcake in disguise.
The best thing is this recipe is actually really easy, so they’re perfect for summer parties or kids birthdays. The cones are filled with our regular cupcake batter then baked. Once cooled, you can top them with a simple buttercream, then decorate with a flake and some sprinkles. There’s nothing more to it than that.
We used our easy vanilla cupcake recipe, but there’s nothing to stop you from making a chocolate version. Simply follow the instructions below but use our chocolate cupcake recipe for the batter instead. You could also colour your icing to give the effect of different flavours of ice cream.
How can kids help to make ice cream cone cupcakes?
All cupcakes make great bakes for kids as they’re so easy. And although these look quite spectacular they’re not really any more difficult than regular cupcakes to make so still a great recipes for kids to get involved. in.
As with most bakes, children can get involved in measuring out all the ingredients and mixing them together. With 3 eggs in the recipe, there’s also a great chance to practice their egg cracking skills – an important skill for any young baker.
These cones are a little harder than regular cupcake cases to fill as they’re a bit wobbly and have a smaller opening. That’s not to say that children can’t still do it – use a smaller dessert spoon or a tea spoon rather than an ice cream scoop (which we’d normally recommend.)
Finally, your kids might enjoy helping to decorate the cupcakes. Younger children might need help with the piping bag and you need to be careful not to knock them over, but it’s a fun job to try.
If piping the icing is too tricky for your kids, your kids could help by adding the flake and sprinkles on top.
How long do ice cream cone cupcakes keep?
These cupcakes will keep for a day or so in an airtight container. After that the ice cream cone will start to go a little soggy, although the cupcake itself will still be fine to eat.
I wouldn’t recommend freezing these cupcakes.
What can I use instead of self raising flour?
If you don’t have self raising flour, swap it for an equal amount of plain or all-purpose flour and put in an extra 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
What is baking spread/baking margarine?
Baking spread, (things like Stork), is just a non dairy margarine that’s perfect for baking. It makes cupcakes and cakes lighter and fluffier than butter, which means it’s a great, cheaper alternative.
I still like the taste of butter in buttercream icing so I wouldn’t swap the butter for baking spread in that but it’s great for the sponge.
Other fun cupcake ideas for kids
If you liked these ice cream cone cupcakes, why not try some of these other easy cupcake recipes for kids:
Victoria sponge
Lemon cupcakes
Strawberry cupcakes
Chocolate chip cupcakes
Funfetti cupcakes
Vanilla cupcakes
Lemon sponge cake
Orange sponge cake
Raspberry sponge cake
Eton mess cupcakes
Victoria sponge cupcakes
White chocolate cupcakes
Blackberry cupcakes
Blueberry cupcakes
Useful equipment
You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make these ice cream cone cupcakes
Digital scales
Mixing bowl
Wooden spoons
Measuring cup
Measuring spoons
Muffin tin
Wire rack
Piping bag
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Ingredients
For the cupcakes
12 wafer cones with flat bottoms
150g (2/3 cup) butter or baking margarine
150g (¾ cup) caster sugar
150g (1 ¾ cups) self raising flour
½ teaspoon of baking powder
½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
3 eggs
For the buttercream icing
150g (2/3 cup) butter, softened
300g (2 cups) icing / confectioners sugar
25ml milk
A few drops of vanilla extract
12 small chocolate flakes / sprinkles to decorate
* If you don’t have any self raising flour, swap it for an equal amount of plain or all-purpose flour and add an extra teaspoon of baking powder.
How to make ice cream cone cupcakes
Preheat your oven to 180C / 160C Fan / 350F.
Prepare the ice cream cones
Cut strips of tin foil and wrap them around the outside edges of the cones to protect them a bit when they are in the oven. Place each cone in the dip of a muffin tin. You need quite a gentle hand at this point not to crack the cones so this might not be a job for younger children.
Measure all the cupcake ingredients out
Get your kids to measure out all the cupcake ingredients and add them to a free-standing mixer or a large mixing bowl. You can do this in any order, but we tend to stick to the order they are listed in the ingredients so we don’t miss anything out.
Start by getting your kids to add the butter or margarine, caster sugar and flour. If you’re using baking spread/margarine like us, you can add it straight in. But if you’re using butter you need to make sure it is soft to mix in. If you haven’t left yours out of the fridge for long enough cut it into pieces and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it. Don’t do it for long enough for it to melt.
Measure out the baking powder and add it to your mixing bowl. Make sure your kids level the half teaspoon with their finger before it goes in so that they add just the right amount.
Add the vanilla extract. Younger children might need you to hold the teaspoon while they pour in the vanilla or vice versa. Older children should manage this themselves.
Finally, get your kids to crack the eggs into a small bowl before adding them to your mixing bowl. We tend not to crack eggs straight in just in case any shell goes in (which tends to happen). If it does, simply fish it out with a larger piece of shell or teaspoon – it should stick to that much better than it will your finger and it saves getting messy hands. We also find it a good idea to have a spare bowl or food bin nearby to put the egg shells in as it saves a lot of mess.
Mix the cupcake batter together
Using a hand held mixer, the k-paddle of your free-standing mixer, or even wooden spoons, beat everything together until the batter is nice and smooth. Mix it for a minute or so until it all comes together and no lumps of flour or butter are visible. Be sure not to over mix it.
You might need to get your kids to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure no unmixed ingredients are left at the bottom of your bowl.
Bake the cupcakes
Get your kids to divide the cupcake batter among the ice cream cones. We found a dessert spoon or tea spoon worked well for this job. Try to make sure each ice cream cone has roughly the same amount of batter so they bake evenly. They should be about ¾ full.
Bake the ice cream cone cupcakes for 20 – 25 minutes. They’re ready when the cupcake inside the cone has risen up and turned a nice golden brown colour. You can check they’re fully baked by inserting a skewer, cocktail stick or sharp knife into the middle of the cupcake. If they’re baked it should come out clean. If it’s not, pop the cupcakes back in the oven for a few more minutes.
Carefully remove the cupcakes from the oven and leave them to cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes before taking them out of the tin, removing the foil and putting them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the icing
Start by making the buttercream icing. Get your kids to measure the, icing/confectioners sugar, butter and milk out and add them to your free-standing mixer or a large mixing bowl. Again, if your butter isn’t soft chop it up and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to make it easier to mix.
Cover your bowl or mixer with the lid, or a clean tea towel to save a bit of mess (icing sugar has a tendency to go everywhere!. Use the k-paddle of your mixer or hand held mixers and start mixing the icing.
Start on a slow setting and once the icing sugar has mixed in, you can turn the speed up and keep beating it for at least 5 minutes. The longer you beat it the softer and more delicious it will become.
Put the icing into a piping bag fitted with a large star shaped nozzle. To stop it coming out of the top, you can add a bag clip at the end.
Decorate the ice cream cone cupcakes
Help your kids to swirl the icing on top of the cupcakes to make it look like the ice cream in the cone. Older children might manage this themselves or you can give them a hand. We find the easiest way to pipe the icing is to hold the piping bag at the top with our right hand to squeeze the icing out and use our left hand to guide the bag round. Start at the outside and go round in circles until you get to the middle.
Finally, get your kids to add a flake and some sprinkles on top. Our flakes were a little too big so we cut our in half first. If your kids find the piping too difficult, letting them decorate with sprinkles is a fun alternative job.
Serve and enjoy!
Ice cream cone cupcakes
Equipment
- Digital scales
- Mixing bowl
- Wooden spoons
- Measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- Muffin tin
- Wire rack
- Piping bag
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 12 wafer cones with flat bottoms
- 150 g 2/3 cup butter or baking margarine
- 150 g ¾ cup caster sugar
- 150 g 1 ¾ cups self raising flour
- ½ teaspoon of baking powder
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
For the buttercream icing
- 150 g 2/3 cup butter, softened
- 300 g 2 cups icing / confectioners sugar
- 25 ml milk
- A few drops of vanilla extract
- 12 small chocolate flakes / sprinkles to decorate
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C / 160C Fan / 350F.
Prepare the ice cream cones
- Cut strips of tin foil and wrap them around the outside edges of the cones to protect them a bit when they are in the oven. Place each cone in the dip of a muffin tin.
Measure all the cupcake ingredients out
- Measure out all the cupcake ingredients and add them to a free-standing mixer or a large mixing bowl. You can do this in any order, but we tend to stick to the order they are listed in the ingredients so we don't miss anything out.
Mix the cupcake batter together
- Using a hand held mixer, the k-paddle of your free-standing mixer, or even wooden spoons, beat everything together until the batter is nice and smooth. Mix it for a minute or so until it all comes together and no lumps of flour or butter are visible. Be sure not to over mix it.
Bake the cupcakes
- Divide the cupcake batter among the ice cream cones. We found a dessert spoon or tea spoon worked well for this job. Try to make sure each ice cream cone has roughly the same amount of batter so they bake evenly. They should be about ¾ full.
- Bake the ice cream cone cupcakes for 20 – 25 minutes. They're ready when the cupcake inside the cone has risen up and turned a nice golden brown colour. You can check they're fully baked by inserting a skewer, cocktail stick or sharp knife into the middle of the cupcake. If they're baked it should come out clean. If it's not, pop the cupcakes back in the oven for a few more minutes.
- Carefully remove the cupcakes from the oven and leave them to cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes before removing them and putting them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the icing
- Start by making the buttercream icing. Measure the, icing/confectioners sugar, butter and milk out and add them to your free-standing mixer or a large mixing bowl.
- Cover your bowl or mixer with the lid, or a clean tea towel to save a bit of mess (icing sugar has a tendency to go everywhere!. Use the k-paddle of your mixer or hand held mixers and start mixing the icing.Start on a slow setting and once the icing sugar has mixed in, you can turn the speed up and keep beating it for at least 5 minutes. The longer you beat it the softer and more delicious it will become.
- Put the icing into a piping bag fitted with a large star shaped nozzle. To stop it coming out of the top, you can add a bag clip at the end.
Decorate the ice cream cone cupcakes
- Swirl the icing on top of the cupcakes to make it look like the ice cream in the cone. Start at the outside and go round in circles until you get to the middle.
- Add a flake and some sprinkles on top. Our flakes were a little too big so we cut our in half first.
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