4th Of July Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

Name: 4th Of July Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 15.25 ounces Red Velvet Cake Mix (1 box); 3 eggs* (use box instructions if different); ½ cup oil* (use box instructions if different); 1/4 cup water* (use box instructions if different); 12 ice cream cones; 32 ounces white icing; red food coloring; blue food coloring; patriotic sprinkles

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These festive 4th of July Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes combine red velvet cake baked in an ice cream cone with colorful swirls of red, white, and blue frosting. Both easy and delicious, these treats make a fun addition to any patriotic celebration.

Two ice cream cone cupcakes with red, white, and blue swirled frosting, sprinkled with candy, on a festive tabletop.

Patriotic Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

We love celebrating the 4th of July with fun red, white and blue desserts and these fun treats may just be our new favorite! They’re a whimsical twist on traditional cupcakes because they’re baked directly in ice cream cones. So not only are the cupcakes super easy to hold, but they’re also totally edible.

This recipe starts with a simple box of red velvet cake mix, so making these cupcakes is a breeze. Topped with creamy swirls of red, white, and blue frosting and finished with patriotic sprinkles, they look every bit as festive as they taste.

Whether you’re hosting a big barbecue bash or just celebrating with the family, these fun cupcakes are sure to be a hit! You may even want to serve them with this deliciously easy 4th of July Punch!

Three cupcakes with red, white, and blue frosting, adorned with sprinkles, displayed on a table with patriotic decorations.

Why We Love This Cupcake Recipe

Easy to make: All you need is a box mix, store-bought cones, and a few other simple ingredients.
Festive colors: The patriotic colors make these the perfect 4th of July cupcakes.
Customizable: Make these for other holidays by swapping out the cake flavor, frosting, or even the sprinkles.

Ingredients

Red velvet cake
Eggs, oil, and water (see your box for amounts)
Ice cream cones
White frosting
Red and blue food coloring
Patriotic sprinkles

Tools Needed:

Cupcake baking tin
Piping bag with a 1M tip
Parchment paper or plastic wrap
Electric mixer

How to Make Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

Step 1. Start by adding the cake, mix, eggs, oil, and water to a large mixing bowl.

Step 2. Mix on high until well combined.

A glass bowl containing ingredients for cupcakes, set on a table with a patriotic-themed cloth.

Red velvet cupcake batter by a red and blue star-patterned napkin on a white wooden surface.

Step 3. Fill each cone 3/4 of the way full with cake batter.

Tip: For less mess, pour your batter into a pastry bag first. Then, just pipe the batter mixture into each cone.

Step 4. Place your cones in a cupcake baking pan to hold them upright in the oven.

Step 5. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool completely.

Ice cream cones filled partway with red velvet cake batter

Ice cream cones filled with red velvet cake

Step 6. Place a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap on the counter or other flat surface.

Step 7. Divide the frosting into three separate bowls. Add red coloring to one bowl and blue to the other. Mix well.

Step 8. Start with the blue icing and make one line on the paper. Next to it, add a line of red and a line of white (shown in the image below).

Step 9. Next, roll up the icing in the parchment paper or plastic wrap, cut off the end, and drop into a piping bag with a 1M tip. By doing it this way, you’ll create a pretty swirl effect when piping it onto the cupcakes.

Step 10. Once your cupcakes have cooled, swirl the frosting onto the top of each cone, covering the top entirely.

Red, white, and blue icing in three straight lines

Five ice cream cones with red, white, and blue swirled frosting displayed upright on a table with scattered festive decorations.

Step 11. Top with patriotic sprinkles and serve!

Storage Instructions

These cupcakes are best served right after you decorate them. Don’t count on leftovers but if you do have them, you can store these in the fridge for up to a couple of days. Just use the same muffin or cupcake pan you baked them in to help them stand upright.

Several ice cream cones with red, white, and blue frosting and sprinkles, arranged to stand upright on a white surface.

Variations and Add-ins

Different flavors: Have fun by changing up the flavors of the cupcake batter. Chocolate cupcakes, strawberry cupcakes, and lemon cupcakes are fun choices.
Frosting: Feel free to experiment with different types of frosting, like vanilla buttercream frosting, cream cheese frosting, or even stabilized whipped cream frosting.
Mix-ins: Toss chocolate chips, nuts or sprinkles into the cupcake batter for added texture and flavor.
Toppings: Sprinkle crushed cookies, candies, or chopped nuts on top of the frosting for extra decoration.

Three patriotic-themed ice cream cone cupcakes with red, blue, and white frosting, standing near an American flag, with sprinkles and a decorated cookie in the foreground.

FAQs

Do the cones get soggy once the cupcakes are baked?

They shouldn’t. If you want to make sure, you can gently poke a hole in the bottom of the cone with a toothpick or wooden skewers. The moisture can build up from the heat and this allows some of it to escape.

Can I use sugar cones instead?

We use regular flat-bottomed ice cream cones but you can use sugar cones. If you do, you can use a cupcake cone baking rack like this one to bake them.

Can I make this recipe a day ahead of time?

You can make these cupcakes the day before you plan on serving them, but the cone may soften slightly.

Red velvet cake inside ice cream cones topped with colorful frosting and patriotic sprinkles, set against a white background.

Other 4th of July Dessert Ideas

Colorful cupcakes in ice cream cones with red, white, and blue frosting and sprinkles, displayed on a light wooden surface.

5 from 1 vote