Ice-cream cup cakes

I saw an idea on Pinterest to bake cupcakes inside ice-cream cones!  As baking cupcakes is Miss H's MOST favourite thing to do, I thought we could give these as go - as something a little different!!  Master J (who is not normally interested in baking) also thought they were a great idea

Now I'm sure you could get these little ice-creams looking far more professional and perfect if you used an icing bag and piped it on properly (and then stuck a sneaky chocolate flake in the side).  However, my kiddies though these were the bomb!!  They tasted pretty good too (not that I broke my diet to sample one *wink wink*).

I used a really easy peasy chocolate cake recipe with buttercream icing.  The recipe has been Thermomixed as I'm a hopeless cook without it.

EASY PEASY CHOCOLATE CAKE

120g butter
2 eggs
100g milk
1 tsp of vanilla essence
120g sugar
120g plain flour
30g coco powder (Cocoa)
2 tsp baking powder

First pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees (in bold because I ALWAYS forget this part)

• Melt the butter in the thermomix for 3 minutes at 60 degrees on speed 1.
• Place all other ingredients into the thermomix bowl and mix for 30 seconds on speed 5.

You see.......  I told you it was easy!

yummy chocolate cake mix in less than 5 minutes

Very important to taste test

Next, pour the cake mix evenly into ice-cream cones.  (Obviously don't use the pointy ones).  Don't fill them all the way to the top - only about 3/4 as the cakes will rise in the oven.  This recipe will make about 12 ice-cream cones.

Place the cakes into the oven for approximately 20 minutes.  Give the thermomix a quick rinse by placing about 300g water into the bowl and mixing it on speed 10 for 20 seconds.  Now you're ready for the icing.

EASY PEASY BUTTERCREAM ICING

150g butter
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbs milk
300g icing sugar (pre-made in the thermomix).

To make the icing sugar, place 300g of raw sugar into the Thermomix bowl and mill for 20 seconds on speed 10.  Scrape down the sides and mill again for another 10 seconds on speed 10.  *(When using thermo-made icing sugar it is not as white in colour as shop bought icing sugar - but it is much purer and better for you (if you can call sugar good for you).*

Add all other ingredients and blend for 20 seconds on speed 8.

I have made vanilla buttercream to make it look like ice-cream, but you could of course add a drop or two of any food colour to change the look!

All ready to decorate

The next bit is the fun bit and if you like things to be perfect (and like me, have a tiny bit of OCD), then I advise you now to step out of the kitchen and leave the kids to it!!

Make sure the cakes have cooled down completely before attempting the icing.  Buttercream will just melt if it is put on something too hot!

Such concentration

And there you have it!  Cup cake ice-creams!!  They really were delicious...