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This delightful ice cream cupcake recipe transforms ordinary cupcakes into an ice cream sundae experience. The combination of moist yellow cake, chocolate ice cream, and vanilla frosting creates a dessert that looks impressive but is surprisingly simple to make.
I created these for my daughter's birthday party one summer, and they were such a hit that they've become our signature dessert for every celebration. The kids always fight over who gets the cherry on top!
Ingredients
- Yellow cake mix: Provides a reliable base that never fails
- Granulated sugar: Enhances the sweetness of the cupcake
- All purpose flour: Gives structure to the cake
- Salt: Balances the sweetness
- Eggs: Bind everything together for the perfect texture
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and depth
- Milk: Moistens the batter beautifully
- Buttermilk: Creates tenderness in every bite
- Sour cream: Makes these cupcakes exceptionally moist
- Hudsonville Classic Chocolate ice cream: Creates the surprise center
- Butter: Serves as the foundation for silky frosting
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens without grittiness
- Heavy cream: Makes the frosting and ganache luxuriously smooth
- Chocolate chips: Melt perfectly for glossy ganache
- Sprinkles: Add festive color and crunch
- Maraschino cherries: Complete the sundae look
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line muffin pans with paper liners. Combine cake mix, flour, sugar, salt, eggs, vanilla, milk, buttermilk, and sour cream in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly until the batter is smooth but not overmixed, which takes about 1 to 2 minutes with an electric mixer. The batter should be thick but pourable.
- Fill and bake:
- Fill each cupcake liner halfway with batter. This is important as filling too much will cause them to overflow. Bake in the center of the oven for 18 to 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. The tops should spring back when lightly touched. Cool completely before proceeding to ensure the ice cream doesn't melt immediately when added.
- Create the ice cream centers:
- Use any tool you have available to create a hole in the center of each cupcake. The hole should be about an inch deep and wide enough to hold a small scoop of ice cream. A melon baller works perfectly, but even a clean finger can do the job in a pinch. Press the removed cake crumbs gently to create more space.
- Add the ice cream:
- Scoop Hudsonville Chocolate ice cream into each cupcake hole, pressing down slightly to fill the cavity. Make sure the top is flat so the frosting will sit nicely. Work quickly so the ice cream doesn't melt, and immediately place filled cupcakes in the freezer. Keep them covered with plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn.
- Make the vanilla frosting:
- Beat room temperature butter until light and fluffy, about one full minute. This creates the base for a silky smooth frosting. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, mixing on low speed until incorporated. The mixture will look dry at first but will come together. If needed, add heavy cream to reach a pipeable consistency.
- Prepare chocolate ganache:
- Place chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream until it just begins to simmer then pour over chocolate. The hot cream will slowly melt the chocolate. Let sit undisturbed for one minute before stirring until completely smooth. Transfer to a squeeze bottle when slightly cooled but still pourable.
- Assemble the sundae cupcakes:
- Remove cupcakes from freezer. Use a large cookie scoop to create an ice cream shaped mound of frosting on each cupcake. The secret is to press the scoop firmly into the frosting bowl and level it against the side. Drizzle with chocolate ganache, add sprinkles, and top with a dried maraschino cherry.
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The secret to these cupcakes is the combination of three dairy products in the batter. When I first experimented with this recipe, I discovered that using milk, buttermilk AND sour cream creates a cake that remains tender even when frozen, which is essential for an ice cream dessert.
Storage and Serving
These ice cream cupcakes must be stored in the freezer until serving time. Place them in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn and maintain freshness. I recommend removing them from the freezer about 5 minutes before serving to allow the cake portion to soften slightly while keeping the ice cream center firm.
Flavor Variations
While chocolate ice cream is delicious, feel free to experiment with other flavors. Mint chocolate chip pairs wonderfully with the yellow cake, and strawberry creates a beautiful color contrast with the chocolate ganache. During the holidays, I switch to peppermint ice cream and add crushed candy canes instead of sprinkles for a festive touch.
Make Ahead Tips
These cupcakes are perfect for preparing in advance. You can bake the cupcakes up to three days ahead and store them in an airtight container. The day before serving, add the ice cream centers and freeze. The final assembly with frosting, ganache and toppings can be done several hours before your event, giving you plenty of time to focus on other preparations.
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Serving Suggestions
For an impressive dessert table, arrange these cupcakes on a tiered stand. They look stunning when displayed alongside traditional ice cream sundae toppings like extra cherries, sprinkles, and chocolate sauce for guests to add as desired. During summer months, serve them with fresh berries on the side for a refreshing accompaniment.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I use different ice cream flavors?
Absolutely! While this recipe calls for Hudsonville Classic Chocolate, you can substitute any ice cream flavor that complements yellow cake. Vanilla, strawberry, cookies and cream, or mint chocolate chip would all work wonderfully.
- → How long can these cupcakes be stored?
Store assembled cupcakes in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 5 days. For best texture and flavor, allow them to sit at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes before serving.
- → Can I make these cupcakes in advance?
Yes! You can prepare the components separately: bake and freeze cupcakes (unfilled) for up to a month, make and refrigerate frosting up to 3 days ahead, and prepare ganache up to 2 days in advance. Assemble just before serving or freeze assembled cupcakes.
- → What can I use if I don't have buttermilk?
Make a quick substitute by adding 1½ teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to ½ cup of regular milk. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until slightly curdled before using in the recipe.
- → How do I prevent the maraschino cherries from bleeding color?
As mentioned in the recipe, thoroughly pat the cherries dry with paper towels before placing them on the frosting. For extra protection, you can let them air dry on paper towels for about 30 minutes before using.
- → Can I use a different frosting technique?
While the scoop method creates the classic ice cream sundae look, you could also pipe the frosting using a large star tip for a soft-serve appearance, or use a knife to create a flat-top 'ice cream' look.