Ice Cream Cupcakes

Before you decide to make these (which you totally should) make sure you give yourself 1-1/2 to 2 days to make them. But these little guys are really good!

Here's what you do:

Start with cupcakes. Some of mine were mini cupcakes in a tiny muffin pan, and I also made regular sized ones.

Make any sort of cupcake batter you like. I used a chocolate cake mix. Spray the muffin tins with nonstick spray. Fill the muffin tins only half as full as you normally would. For the mini muffin tins, this means using a little less than a teaspoon of batter. For the regular muffin tins, this means using about 1 Tablespoon of batter.

Bake cupcakes at 350 degrees F and check them after 8 minutes.

Remove the cupcakes from the oven, let cool in their tins for 15 minutes. Loosen the cupcakes by running a knife along the edges of the muffin cups. Make sure that none of the cupcakes stick to the pan, but keep the cupcakes in the cupcake pan, cover with plastic wrap and put in the freezer for 3 hours, or overnight is best.

Remove the cupcakes from the freezer when you’re ready to use them. Ideally, you’d like to have 1/2-inch little cupcake bottoms.

Remove the ice cream from the freezer to let soften before filling cupcake tins. The picture shows chocolate mint, I used cookies and cream. Leave on the counter for 10 minutes or defrost in the microwave. When ice cream is softened, spoon and flatten ice cream on top of the cake while they are still in the muffin tins. It’s a little messy, but don’t worry about that. When all of the cakes are topped with ice cream, return to the freezer to harden. I left my ice cream cupcakes in the freezer over night, but give them at least 4 hours.

Be creative and top your cupcakes with anything you like. Whipped cream, chocolate ganache or caramel and then throw some sprinkles on top or some mini M&M's.

(by: Raenie)