Ice Cream Parlor Cupcakes

Ice Cream Parlor Cupcakes

everything you'll need... (individual recipes below)

• • 24 cupcakes (chocolate or vanilla work well with all the flavors of frosting used)

  • 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

  • 2 3/4 cups powdered sugar

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 3 tablespoons milk

  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla

  • green gel food coloring

  • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

  • 3 graham crackers

  • 1 Hershey's milk chocolate bar

  • 3/4 cup mini marshmallows

  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

  • 4 ounces dark, bittersweet chocolate, chopped

  • colored sprinkles

  • 1/8 cup finely chopped nuts

  • 8 maraschino cherries, with stems

Chocolate Buttercream and making the S'mores Cupcakes

• • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1 tablespoon milk

  • 3 graham crackers

  • 3/4 cup mini marshmallows

  • 1 Hershey's milk chocolate bar, broken into pieces

  • 8 cupcakes

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla and milk on low until combined, then increase speed to medium and whip for 4-5 minutes, scraping the bowl once or twice, until very light and fluffy. Crumble two of the graham crackers, and stir the crumbled crackers with 1/2 cup of the mini marshmallows into the buttercream.

Break the remaining graham cracker along the "cut" lines into 4 pieces, then break each of those in half.

Spread the buttercream ("pile" might be a better term, since the buttercream is difficult to "spread" with the add-ins) on top of the cupcakes. Decorate each cupcake with the remaining marshmallows, a piece of graham cracker, and a piece of Hershey's bar.

Vanilla Buttercream

• • 1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

  • 2 cups powdered sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

  • 2 tablespoons milk

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix ingredients on low until combined, then increase speed to medium and whip for 4-5 minutes, scraping the bowl once or twice, until very light and fluffy.

Divide buttercream in half.

Mint Buttercream and making the Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

• • Half of the vanilla buttercream, from above

  • green gel food coloring

  • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

  • 8 cupcakes

Beat a few drops of green gel food coloring and the peppermint extract into the vanilla buttercream, to achieve the desired shade of green. Stir in 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips.

Spread frosting onto the cupcakes then sprinkle the tops with the rest of the mini chocolate chips.

Making the Ice Cream Sundae Cupcakes

• • Half of the vanilla buttercream, from above

  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

  • 4 ounces dark, bittersweet chocolate, chopped

  • colored sprinkles

  • 1/8 cup finely chopped nuts

  • 8 maraschino cherries, with stems

  • 8 cupcakes

Cook's Note: The cherries need to be dried a little, so that the juice from the jar doesn't run all over the cupcakes. To dry them, place the cherries on two layers of paper towels set on a plate. Let them drain, then trade the paper towels for clean ones, draining them again until very little juice shows up on the towels. Let sit out for about an hour before you place them on the cupcakes.

First, you will need to make chocolate ganache, which is what looks like hot fudge dripping over the cupcake. Pour the heavy cream into a small saucepan and gently warm over medium-low heat, just until bubbles start to form. Meanwhile, chop the bittersweet chocolate and place in a bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let stand for 3 minutes, then stir with a spatula until completely smooth. Let cool at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Scoop the vanilla buttercream into a piping bag (or plastic zip lock bag) fitted with a star tip. Pipe the buttercream onto 4 of the cupcakes, making it look like soft-serve ice cream. Spoon about two teaspoons of the cooled chocolate ganache over the buttercream, letting it run down the sides like hot fudge. Top with sprinkles, chopped nuts and a maraschino cherry.

Take the remaining 4 cupcakes and dip them directly into the ganache, so that they are covered with a smooth layer of chocolate. Pipe the remainder of the vanilla buttercream on top of each, like a mound of whipped cream. Top with sprinkles, chopped nuts and a maraschino cherry.

Recipes and Concepts from Curly Girl Kitchen