This is an old post from when I made Red Velvet Cupcake Cones for my daughter's fourth grade Valentine's Day party. She graduated from elementary school a long time ago, but it's fun to look back on these memories. The Red Velvet Cupcake Cones recipe is a good one!
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Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
Fuzz's class is having their Valentine's Day party this week and I offered to bring some treats. The problem is that I can't decide what. Fourth graders are opinionated and like interesting things, so I have to choose carefully. Thinking Red Velvet Cupcake Cones might be fun, I made a test batch this afternoon using a very popular scratch red velvet cupcake recipe from McCormick.
After pondering over what type of butter to use since the recipe just calls for "butter" and doesn't specify salted or unsalted, I opted for unsalted and left the salt amount at ½ teaspoon. That might have been a mistake because the cupcakes have the perfect texture and a good flavor, but could have used more salt. Aside from the salt issue, the recipe is definitely worth making if you want a good, moist, scratch red velvet cupcake.
Keep Cupcake Cones From Getting Soggy
I used favorite cream cheese frosting rather than the one with the recipe so I've re-typed it below. I also baked the cakes in cones and tested a new trick I learned recently. To avoid soggy bottoms, poke a hole in the bottom of the baked cone cake to let steam escape. This should keep the bottom crisp.
Recipe
Red Velvet Cupcake Cones
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned lightly or sifted (315 grams)
- ½ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder, sift to remove lumps
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup salted butter, softened (230 grams)
- 2 cups granulated sugar (390 grams)
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 oz bottle McCormick Red Food Color
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened (230 grams)
- ½ cup salted butter (114 grams)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 ¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 18 to 24 muffin cups with liners. If using slightly larger cupcake papers you'll get 18 to 20. Smaller size cupcake liners will give you about 24. Alternatively, use flat bottom ice cream cones.
- Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
- Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla.
- Gradually add the flour mixture on low speed (or by hand) just until blended. Do not overbeat. Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup ⅔ full or spoon batter into 24 plain flat bottom ice cream cones – fill right to the point vanilla ice cream cones becomes wider.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. If using cones, use a skewer or knife and poke a hole in the bottom (or on the side near the bottom) of the baked cupcake cone to allow steam to escape (helps prevent a soggy cone).
- Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese, softened butter and vanilla extract in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually (start with a cup) beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.
Angie says
I made the cupcake cones this weekend with the Throwdown recipe. It's SOO good, moist AND red. I am never going to use cake mix for red velvet cakes again.
I would suggest poking a hole at the bottom of the cone instead of the side because a blob of cake will emerge after baking. Also, I was too excited with my first batch that all the cones fell over when I took them out of the oven and they weren't ready. I think with the hole at the bottom, it helps steady the cones.
I love your site!
Upstate NY Native says
You brought back memories of when I did these for my oldest son's 6th grade valentine bake sale. I made 24 and they sold out in minutes and the kids that didn't get one were so disappointed :-(( Fuzz's class will love them.
They are always a big hit even with adults. Yours looks really nice with the swirled icing and sprinkles.
Steph@Plain Chicken says
I've seen cupcake cones done another way - make cupcakes as usual and put the cone on top before you put the pan in the oven. That way the cake is on top and not just down in the cone.
I was actually going to make red velvet cupcakes tonight. I love red velvet. My recipe is a doctored cake mix though. Your recipes sounds divine!
Shelley says
So cute! I would never have thought to make cupcakes in ice cream cones. How clever!
melissa says
these look great! They're gonna love 'em!
Louise says
Betty Crocker bakes them upside down. http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/ice-cream-cone-cakes/9794e27f-63a9-4e2a-b1ed-b766b3ab9b7f
Jennifer says
Anna,
Good to know. My daughter's favorite kind of cake is red velvet and I'd actually cut out that McCormick's recipe from a magazine ad. She's at that age (16) where things that would have seemed baby-ish at 13, 14, now are cool again, so I think she'd like the ice cream "cones."
Jennifer
Gloria says
And one more thing..would the baking and filling instructions be the same if I was lazy and used a cake mix?-Sorry if that is like chalk on a black board!!!
Gloria says
Do you stand the cones up on a cookie sheet to bake them? I would think they might tip over while I carry them to the oven....And they don't burn? I'm thinking my niece would like this project, but it looks like it might be a little complicate...
Anna says
Jennifer, it seemed to work. I tilted the cupcakes a little so the hole wouldn't be obstructed. You could just poke a hole in the side. I was trying to make it so the hole wouldn't show, but it's not really a big deal if it does.
Now it did not work so well for the cupcake I frosted and left covered overnight. I think the moisture from the frosting made the cone soggy.
What worked the best for make-ahead was to make the cones as directed, poke holes in the bottom (or side), let cool, freeze, then frost on serving day. I'm going to add that note above.
Jennifer says
Did the poking hole trick work? I would think, since the cone is sitting on it's bottom, that the hole wouldn't allow much steam to escape.
Anna says
Louise, I just bought a cupcake courier which holds 36 cupcakes. Unfortunately, it will not hold the cone cakes, so for the cone cakes what I did was cut little holes in a cereal box. I'll take a picture of it when the cakes are ready to transport.
Louise says
How will you transport these to school?
the blissful baker says
These cones are so cute! What a creative and unique idea for Valentine's Day. I'm sure they'd be a hit!
Anna says
Dee, I think they'd be fine on Day 2. I put a frosted cone cake in a closed tupperware bowl and will let you know how it holds up. I also froze a few unfrosted.
Holly, I've kept things with cream cheese frosting out overnight and they were fine, but I usually refrigerate it.
Dee says
Could these be made a day ahead or would they become soggy...even with poking a hole in the bottom?
Holly says
These look great! Thanks for sharing your crispy cone trick. I assume leftovers would have to be refrigerated because of the cream cheese in the frosting?
Sandra says
Lucky kids!
Amy D says
My 2nd graders would be all over this treat. I know the 4th graders will be too!!
vanillasugarblog says
very cute. never tried these. i bet they would sell out at any bake sale at any school.
Michelle says
These look awesome! I bet the kids would just go wild over them.
Gloria says
Wish I could try one now...never seen one or had one 🙁
Sue says
I agree that these look great! Cupcake ice cream cones are the most memorable treat I ever took to school as a kid. Good luck with your decision!
Katrina says
Those look great!
C L says
Those look great! Just like bakery treats! The kids will love them! 🙂