Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

Mini me had a beach party theme for her 5^th Birthday a few weeks ago.

Rather than a slice of Birthday cake to take away (which was a flip-flop) I made ice cream cone cupcakes for the party bags.

I used a basic chocolate sponge cooked in an ice cream cone then found a marshmallow frosting recipe to look like ice cream and topped off with a bit of flake.

I was really happy with the results and they went down a treat with the children.

The only thing to note is the cones go soggy if left overnight (even in an airtight container) so you need to bake and eat on the same day.

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

(Makes approx 20 cupcakes)

Cupcake

Ingredients:

250g Butter, softened

250g Caster Sugar

200g Self Raising Flour, sifted

50g Cocoa Powder

4 Medium Eggs

Cup Cornets

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180C / Gas Mark 4 and place the cup cornets in a muffin tray.
2. Put all of the ingredients into a bowl or food mixer and mix with a wooden spoon – or process on a high speed – for about 2 minutes or until smooth.
3. Scoop the batter into each cornet. If using an ice cream scoop, one scoop is adequate for each one.
4. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool down completely.

Marshmallow Frosting

Ingredients:

250g Caster Sugar

1 tbsp water

4 Egg Whites

A Pinch of Salt

Cadburys Flake

Directions:

1. Put all the ingredients in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk slowly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is foamy. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches at least 60C (140F) on a sugar thermometer.
2. Immediately pour the frosting into the bowl of a freestanding mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use an electric whisk and bowl) and beat on a medium speed until it will stand in stiff, glossy peaks – about 3 minutes.
3. Spoon into a piping bag and use immediately.
4. Decorate with a piece of Flake. 

Cosmopolitan Cupcakes

This is the first of hopefully many cake recipes on my blog. 

I recently attended a Creative Cupcake course run at Queen Anne High School in Dunfermline, Fife where this was one of the recipes.

This Cosmopolitan Cupcake is alcohol free so it suitable for children but please feel free to add spirits for adult only versions. You can use this recipe for any shop bought cocktail mix should you fancy a margarita, mojito or pina colada.

Cosmopolitan Cupcakes

(Makes 12 Cupcakes)

Cupcakes

Ingredients:

210g Plain Flour

½ tbsp Baking Powder

¼ tsp Salt

100g, Unsalted Butter, room temperature

190g Granulated Sugar

2 Large Eggs, room temperature

1 ½ Limes, zested and juiced

¼ tsp Vanilla Extract

120ml Buttermilk

20ml Cosmopolitan Mix

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 160C / Gas Mark 3 and line a 12-hole muffin tray with baking cases.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir with a fork to blend.
3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy. This will take about 3-5 minutes. Blend in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Beat in the lime zest, lime juice and vanilla.
5. With the mixer on a low speed, mix in the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending the dry ingredients. Beat each addition until just incorporated.
6. Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake cases, filling each about ¾ full. Bake 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Once cupcakes are cool, lightly poke holes in the top with a fork. Brush the tops lightly with the Cosmopolitan mix.

 Cosmopolitan Buttercream

Ingredients:

110g Unsalted Butter, room temperature

40ml Cosmopolitan Mix

1 Lime, zested and juiced

500g Icing Sugar, sifted

Red Food colouring

12 cocktail umbrellas

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, cosmopolitan mix, 1 tsp of lime juice, lime zest, a few drops of food colouring and half the icing sugar until smooth – this can take several minutes with a hand mixer. Gradually add the remainder of the icing sugar and beat again until the buttercream is smooth and creamy.
2. Top each cupcake with a cocktail umbrella.