Here's a quick treat (part trick, actually) to whip up for your Fourth of July celebration. These easy, adorable Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes are too cute for kids to resist and so delicious, you'll find the adults sneaking as many as they can. I've used my favorite Red Velvet Cupcake recipe, but you can use whatever cake recipe you like. (You could even use a boxed mix. I promise not to tell!)
Red Velvet Cupcake Cones
1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar (minus 2 tablespoons)
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 oz. red food coloring
1 oz. water (use the empty food coloring bottle to measure)
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 cup + 1 1/2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vinegar
24 flat-bottomed ice cream cones
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small dish, mix a paste of the cocoa, food coloring, and water. Once it is well combined, add it to the creamed mixture, followed by the salt. Alternate adding the flour and the buttermilk to the mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Add vanilla and mix well.
In a small, separate bowl, mix the soda and vinegar together. Add the soda/vinegar mix to the cake batter and gently fold it into the batter with a spoon or spatula, but do not beat with a mixer. Place ice cream cones in muffin tins and pour batter in about 3/4 full and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are firm and spring back to shape. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
5 tablespoons flour
1 cup whole milk
1 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
sprinkles (optional)
sour candy cherries (optional)
Directions
Mix flour and milk together in a double boiler over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until a thick paste forms. Cool mixture completely (you can use the fridge or freezer to speed it up). Cream butter at high speed until it is light and creamy. Add the sugar and blend until fluffy. Take a generous scoop of the sugar/butter mixture and add it to the cooled flour/milk mixture and blend it well. Add all of the flour/milk mixture to the sugar/butter mixture and beat until fluffy and light. Finally, add vanilla and mix well.
Pipe frosting to look like a soft-serve cone, top with sprinkles and a sour cherry candy.
Enjoy your holiday and be safe!
