Flavor of Summer Cupcake: Ice Cream Cupcakes

Monday, August 02, 2010
I'm taking part in a cupcake challenge over at Hoosier Homemade.  After a summer of eating, the last thing I need to be doing is making four more (summer themed) batches of cupcakes, but that never stopped me before, and that won't stop me now.  Week 1 is the 'Flavor of Summer.'  I initially thought of a citrus-ish cupcake.  I have a recipe I love for a Margarita Cupcake.  That recipe is here.  I thought about lemonaide,  watermelon, cherry, or a strawberry cupcake. I've been working on a strawberry filled cupcake (here),  but  really my summer is more about the flavor of ice cream.  I forget about ice cream the other 9 months of the year, but for three months....it's a necessary part of my life.  With an average temperature of 100 on a daily basis, things that need to be stored in the freezer before eating are always a good idea for cooling down.    I've made a banana split cupcake, a chocolate sundae cupcake, and I've baked cupcakes in cones, I could have used one of these old recipes,  but I fell in love with the ice cream cups at World Market (6 for $2), and the old recipes are great, but they just wouldn't do.
I saw this really cool, and EASY idea for a delicious cake batter in an old book I had where you use melted ice cream with a boxed cake mix to create a really creamy, rich cupcake.  I had to try this out. 
Ingredients for the Cupcakes:  1 white boxed cake mix, 2 c. of melted ice cream of your choice (if you use a more expensive ice cream like Ben and Jerry, 1 pint should make 2 c., but some of the more affordable ice creams have more air in them, so measure again once the ice cream melts, you will probably need more than a pint if you 'more affordable' brands), 3 eggs.  P.s.  The ice cream has enough 'stuff' that prevent you from needing any additional oil etc the original recipe calls for on the bake list of supplies.
Instructions:  Mix dry mix from boxed cake mix, melted ice cream (I used Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia, and it was really good b/c you can taste the chocolate chunks, and cherries in the cupcakes after they bake), and eggs using a beater (2-3 minutes until mixed and creamy). 
Fill muffin cups.  Usually I fill my cupcake liners at least 3/4 of the way through, but let me just warn (myself in the future, or you) that this cake REALLY puffs up, and this is completely unnecessary.  1/2 of the way filled should be fine, you should easily get 24 cupcakes out of this mix.  Overfilling looks like this: 
This isn't so bad, but....I needed them to fit in my cups like this.  I baked the cupcakes about 20 minutes at 350 (until they started to look gold along the edges). 
I then slipped these down into the ice cream cups. 
Next, I tried out a few icing recipes, included a whipped marshmallow icing, but I found my favorite combination in this case was a whipped, canned vanilla or chocolate icing.  Good news, it's easy to throw a canned icing on a cupcake, bad news....it took me a batch of bad marshmallow icing to figure that out.  I'm over it. 
I gave them a smooth icing layer. 
Then I added some sprinkles to match my containers.  It sooths my soul when things match. 
And then, because I believe in telling the whole story, I ate one. 
...or two.  I can't remember.  Or rather, I refuse to remember.  The end...of the chapter.  And now....3 more cupcakes to go....it's a rough life, but somebody has to live it. 
Linking To:


29 comments

staci @ lizard n ladybug said...

these look great! thanks for instructions too. I have been looking for a 'new' cupcake to try & these will be perfect!
The cups are too cute!

staci @ lizard n ladybug said...

I just shared this on my facebook page :)
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Lizard-Ladybug/115842225093348

Robin said...

I'm posting this on facebook too! These cupcakes are really cute and fun!

malia said...

yummy! they look so professional too!

Anji* said...

Wow! You are a cupcake genius.. these look awesome! and very yummy..

I love things to match too :)

susan said...

Christy-I am so glad to "meet" you and your cupcakes are THE cutest. I think I like ice cream even more than cupcakes, so this is a deadly combination for me....with so many possibilities!! :) I'll be back to visit often!

Maritez Gonzales said...

what a cute idea! new follower from TMTT :)

April@The 21st Century Housewife said...

No wonder you ate more than one! Your Ice Cream Cupcakes look absolutely scrumptious!!

Angie - Big Bears Wife said...

those look so cute!! what a neat idea!!

Melinda said...

I love how you used the melted ice cream! And they look so cute!

HoosierHomemade said...

How fun! What a great idea!
Thanks so much for joining Cupcake Tuesday and the Challenge!
~Liz

Jami said...

It is a toss up for me whether I like cupcakes more, or ice cream more. I think you just solved my dilemma! I have only hear of the melted icecream cupcakes, but never had a recipe before. Thank you so much for sharing it. My kids were standing over my shoulder drooling while I was reading the post. LOL

idesign said...

how did these taste?! i cant wait to try this! visiting from cupcake tuesday, come by and visit sometime :O)

even-star said...

I'm with you. When it comes to cake one should not dwell too much on personal accountability. It really just ruins the fun!

Erin said...

SUPER cute! You are so dang clever!!!

www.makingmemorieswithyourkids.blogspot.com

Brianna! said...

CUTE CUTE CUTE

xoxo
bB

Leslie said...

Oh these look so yummy! I love the cups too! Thanks for linknig up to Hoo's got talent!

Heather said...

These look so cute and yummy! I'll definitely be following your blog now. :)

Jenn @ Seeds on a Breeze said...

AWESOME!! We have a World Market in my town but I've never been to it.

BTW, thanks for the great comment on my puppy scrapbook page.

Sugar Swings said...

those look great, and I love cherry garcia, will have to try these!

http://sugarswings.blogspot.com/

nest of posies said...

these look fabulous!

too bad i can't taste & smell through the computer.

i love the smell of cupcakes baking ALMOST as much as i love eating them!

NancyC said...

Those are so cute! I bet they really yummy!

Katie said...

Seriously, I have to stop reading your blog late at night. It gives me a serious case of the munchies!

Crystal said...

this is very cute and probably tastes super yummy!

Elizabeth said...

Oh wow def going to be making these soon!

Rose said...

Wow! what a great idea. They look really delicious :)

Rose

Anonymous said...

That sound so good, and I love the cups they are in!

STYLISHRHEA said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
STYLISHRHEA said...

I found your page through Cut Out + Keep and had to leave a comment since I am OBSESSED with cupcakes and this recipe is amazing. I will try it out thanks for sharing!