Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

Driven by a force beyond my control, I HAD to try these novelty treats.  I'm usually looking for taste rather than show, but I got to thinking that my grand-daughter might get a big kick out of these little cakes. These were tasty, but next time, I will make the cake a different flavor, like chocolate, to contrast with the cone.

24 Keebler ice cream cups (flat bottom cones)
Install these into muffin tins covered with foil.  I made little circles in the center of each cup and just gently pushed the cone into place.  Gently is the operative word here...the cones are fragile.

Trader Joe's cake mix is very moist and doesn't even taste like a mix. 
Trader Joe's 16 oz. Vanilla Cake and baking mix
2 eggs
1 cup water
1/2 cup (one stick) melted butter
Combine and fill each cone to the mid ridge on the inside of the cone.  DO NOT OVERFILL. This batter is enough for 24 cupcakes with a little leftover. If you use a regular cake mix, you will have lots of leftover. What you want is for the batter to bake up just level with the top of the cone, otherwise you will have a volcano of batter spilling down the side. Less is more, in this case.
Straighten the cones and bake them at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Remove from tins to cool, but reinsert them into the muffin pans for icing.



This is what happens when you have a broken edge or fill too full.

 Icing:
2 pounds of confestioners' sugar
2/3 cup butter, softened
3 Tablespoons of vanilla (Yes, 3!)
1/2 cup cream
Depending on the humidity, you might need a few tablespoons more of cream to make it easy to pipe.  Beat icing until smooth.  I used a disposable piping bag with a wide open tip.  I don't do cake decorating, so this has to be easy enough for everyone.  It took three bag fillings to pipe all the cupcake cones. If you notice, there is a purple band around the top of my piping bag. This is a gadget that will keep the icing from oozing out the top while you are squeezing the bag. (Made by Wilton)
Just start at the outside of the cupcake and travel around the edge in concentric circles,ending with a little dollop on top. ADD THE SPRINKLES AFTER YOU ICE TWO OR THREE. They will not stick after icing starts to harden.

I froze most of mine by placing them in the freezer while they were still in the muffin pan.  Then I individually wrapped them in plastic wrap and put them in a freezer bag.