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This ice cream cupcake recipe starts with yellow cake mix but no one would know, it tastes like it’s made from scratch! Each cupcake has a scoop of ice cream in the center, making these the best birthday cupcakes! Decorate the cupcakes to look like ice cream sundae cupcakes.
I’m partnering with Hudsonville Ice Cream to add sweeter moments to your day with these fun ice cream cupcakes! This is a great recipe to make to celebrate a birthday, especially if the birthday person can’t pick between cake and ice cream!
For this recipe I used Hudsonville’s Classic Chocolate ice cream that is anything but ordinary. It’s made with real Dutch cocoa and fresh cream. Hudsonville is focused on making moments sweeter, and this Midwest brand makes some of the best ice cream using a base recipe created in 1926! Feel free to personalize the flavors, using a different flavor of cake mix and ice cream to create your perfect combination!
Table of Contents
Ice Cream Cupcakes Components
- easy yellow cupcakes using a box mix
- chocolate ice cream
- vanilla frosting
- chocolate ganache
- sprinkles
- maraschino cherries
Why Start with a Box of Yellow Cake Mix?
Our yellow cupcakes start with a box of cake mix because this recipe is all about ease!
This box cake recipe is perfect for all of us who like the ease of a box mix, but want to doctor up the cake mix for more of a homemade taste. Plus, this doctored up version comes together just as quick as the box mix because you can still put everything into one bowl and beat it together.
How to Make a Box Cake Taste Homemade
It’s all about adding ingredients to the cake mix to give the cake better texture & taste. In our case, we’re adding ingredients with moisture like buttermilk and sour cream!
- yellow cake mix: the base of the recipe! Be sure to use a 15.25 oz box of yellow cake mix. Some brands have different sizes so be sure to get the correct size.
- all purpose flour: flour is necessary to build the cake structure
- granulated sugar: adds sweetness and flavor
- salt: just a pinch to balance the sweetness and enhances the other flavors
- eggs: binds the batter together by providing structure
- vanilla extract: adds that classic vanilla flavor to the cake
- milk: adds moisture
- buttermilk: adds moisture and acidity
- sour cream: adds moisture and acidity
How to Make a Hole in Cupcakes
When the cupcakes are baked and cooled, it doesn’t really matter what you use to make a hole in each cupcake, there just needs to be a hole for the ice cream!
Tool Options:
- piping tip
- melon baller
- knife
- a finger
- tablespoon
Pick the tool you like best to make a hole in the center of each cupcake.
Once you add a scoop of ice cream to each cupcake, be sure to cover the cupcakes with plastic wrap and store in the freezer until you’re ready to add the frosting.
Create Frosting that Looks like Ice Cream
One of my favorite parts of these birthday cupcakes is that the frosting on top of the cupcake looks like a scoop of ice cream!
To achieve that look use a large cookie scoop – one that’s 2.25 inches in diameter or larger. Press the scoop into the bowl of frosting, leveling off the excess frosting against the side of the bowl. Then use the spring release to place the scoop of frosting on top of the cupcake.
Finishing the Cupcakes
I like to transfer the chocolate ganache (aka the hot fudge sauce) to a squeeze bottle for easy application. A squeeze bottle helps to create those nice drips!
Next, add sprinkles and finish each cupcake with a maraschino cherry. For best results, be sure to pat the maraschino cherries with a paper towel to remove the excess liquid before adding them to the cupcakes.
How to Store Ice Cream Cupcakes
Because these cupcakes are filled with ice cream, they will need to be stored in the freezer.
Create a hole in each cupcake, add a scoop of ice cream, then cover the cupcakes well in plastic wrap and store in the freezer until ready to assemble.
Once the cupcakes are fully assembled with frosting and ganache, store them in the freezer until serving them, but for best results serve them the same day you assemble them.
Total Time Required
- 5 minutes to prep the cupcake batter
- 18-20 minutes to bake
- 30 minutes to cool the cupcakes
- 10 minutes to create holes and add ice cream
- 30 minutes to make frosting and ganache and assemble the cupcakes
More Frosting Options
- Chocolate frosting
- Salted caramel frosting
- Lemon frosting
- Oreo frosting
See where Hudsonville Ice Cream is sold near you with the Scoop Locator.
