Description
Vanilla cupcakes topped with colorful “ice cream” frosting, chocolate ganache “hot fudge,” and sundae toppings! A fun and delicious treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Gel food coloring (various colors, like pink, blue, and yellow)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Maraschino cherries
- Sprinkles (various colors and shapes)
- Chopped nuts (optional)
- Mini chocolate chips (optional)
- Waffle cones, broken into small pieces (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes).
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low speed until combined.
- Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, add a little more heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
- Divide the frosting into separate bowls (I usually do three). Add a drop or two of gel food coloring to each bowl and mix well until you achieve your desired colors. I like to use pink, blue, and yellow to mimic strawberry, blueberry, and banana ice cream.
- Place the chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it just begins to simmer.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let it sit for a minute or two to soften the chocolate.
- Gently stir the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted and the ganache is smooth and glossy. If there are still some unmelted chocolate pieces, you can microwave the mixture in 15-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth.
- Let the ganache cool slightly before using. It will thicken as it cools.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, frost them with the colored frosting. You can use a piping bag with a large round tip to create a swirl that resembles a scoop of ice cream, or you can simply spread the frosting on with a knife. I like to use a piping bag for a more professional look.
- Drizzle the chocolate ganache over the frosting to resemble hot fudge. Be generous!
- Now comes the fun part! Decorate the cupcakes with maraschino cherries, sprinkles, chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips, and broken waffle cone pieces. Get creative and have fun with it!
- Serve the cupcakes immediately or store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. These are best enjoyed fresh!
Notes
- Don’t overmix the cupcake batter, as this can lead to tough cupcakes.
- Make sure the cupcakes are completely cool before frosting.
- If the frosting is too thick, add a little more heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
- The chocolate ganache will thicken as it cools.
- Get creative with the toppings!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes