I asked my mom recently for her recipe for ice cream cone cakes. She has many favorite recipes—like her Apple Slab Pie—and I have so many fond memories of her cooking and baking. One of those childhood treats was the ice cream cone cake.
Back in the 1980s it seemed like every party served these little cone cupcakes. I remember wondering: is it a cupcake or an ice cream cone? The answer: it’s both.
Last week I decided those handheld treats needed to be baked in my oven. They turned out even better than I remembered. Maybe nostalgia makes them taste sweeter, or maybe the simplest pleasures really are the tastiest.
These ice cream cone cakes are easy to make. You can use a store-bought cake mix or make the batter from scratch if you prefer. All you need are plain flat-bottom ice cream cones, cake batter, frosting, and sprinkles. They were popular long before cake pops came along!
Fill each cone with about 1/4 cup of batter.
Cones can be a bit tippy when you move them, so a muffin tin helps keep them upright. Take care when carrying the tray—I’ve learned the hard way that the tray can tip if you’re not steady.
If any batter overflows, that’s fine—those bits can be taste-tested immediately. If you prefer a neater look, trim any overflow with a serrated knife once cooled and cover the edges with frosting.
These cone cupcakes are a fun treat for beginners and perfectionists alike. They’re portable, nostalgic, and brighten any celebration. I hope you’ll make a batch and share them with someone you love.
Other childhood favorites from my mom include Scotcheroo Bars and Mandarin Orange Cake.
Recipe
Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 package yellow cake mix
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 24 flat-bottom ice cream cones
- 1 container frosting
- Sprinkles
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Prepare the cake mix according to package directions.
- Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each flat-bottom cone.
- Set each cone into a muffin tin slot to keep it upright.
- Bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake portion comes out clean.
- Allow cones to cool completely before frosting and decorating with sprinkles.
Farm Girl Tips
This recipe yields about 24 ice cream cone cupcakes. Moving the filled cones into and out of the oven requires a steady hand—use a muffin tin for stability. For extra support, cover the muffin tin with foil and poke each cone through the foil into a slot so the cones stay in place while baking.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cake (approximate)