Name: Snow Cone Cupcakes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2 2/3 c. all purpose flour; 3 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 c. butter softened; 1 1/2 c. sugar; 4 eggs; 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon zest; 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 2 teaspoons vanilla; 2/3 c. milk; 1/2 c. butter (softened); 2 c. powdered sugar; 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract; 2-3 Tablespoons milk; red (yellow, and blue sanding sugar); wooden spoons (optional)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read the full disclosure here.

Delicious lemon cupcakes topped with buttercream frosting and colored sanding sugar make the cutest Snow Cone Cupcakes.

A plate with three snow cone cupcakes on it.

Summer is here and I’ve been trying to find ways to cool off. The heat has been ridiculous especially since we’ve had little rain.

One thing I love to make in the summer is ice cream. My No Churn Blueberry Ice Cream with fresh blueberries is the perfect way to showcase summer produce. When I want a light and refreshing ice cream I tend to make No Churn Lemon Shortbread Ice Cream.

The problem with ice cream is that it doesn’t travel well. Half of my family have birthdays in the summer so I like to make desserts whenever we celebrate. Taking my homemade ice cream just isn’t in the cards.

However, just because I can’t take the real thing doesn’t mean I can’t take something decorated like my favorite frozen treats. One of my favorite things to make are these fun Snow Cone Cupcakes.

What are snow cones?

Snow cones are a popular frozen treat made by shaving or crushing ice and then drizzling flavored syrup over the top. They are usually served in a paper cone or a cup. The ice used for snow cones is typically coarser and crunchier than the finely shaved ice used in other frozen treats. Snow cones can come in a wide variety of flavors. They can be found at fairs, carnivals, outdoor events, and even in designated snow cone food trucks.

I used my favorite lemon cupcakes as the base flavor in the cupcakes. It’s a bright, summer flavor and works well with the snow cone theme.

However, feel free to use your favorite flavor of cupcake. If you want vanilla flavored cupcakes use my Vanilla Cupcake recipe. If lime is more your jam then try these sweet and tart Lime Cupcakes.

Can I use boxed cake mix to make the cupcakes?

Of course you can! No shame in using a boxed cake mix for the cupcakes and you can use your favorite flavor. If you want to use a cake mix but want it to taste homemade try these doctor cake mix cupcakes for tips and tricks on how to make them taste homemade.

Then I simply made a basic buttercream for the top. You won’t need a huge amount of frosting because you are just going to cover the top of the cupcake before decorating them.

The cupcakes are decorated with sanding sugar. You can use red, yellow, and blue or red, white, and blue sugar. Simple put the red on one side, the blue on the other side, and then the yellow or white in the middle.

What is sanding sugar?

Sanding sugar is a type of coarse sugar used for decorating baked goods. It is larger than regular granulated sugar, which gives it a sparkling, crunchy texture when applied to the surface of cookies, cupcakes, and other pastries. Sanding sugar comes in a variety of colors.

If you want to go the extra mile and really make these look like snow cones then you can stick a small wooden spoon in them before serving.

Ingredients:

all purpose flour
baking powder
salt
unsalted butter (or salted if you prefer)
granulated sugar
eggs
vanilla extract
lemons
whole milk (or plant based milk)
powdered sugar
sanding sugar (in red, yellow, and blue)

To make the cupcakes preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well and set aside.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.

Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well. Add in the milk and and mix until well combined. Add remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Fill the muffin tins 3/4 of the way full with cupcake batter. I like to use a 1/4 cup cookie scoop to fill the muffin cups so they are even.

Bake for 22-25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire baking rack.

To make the frosting place the butter in a bowl. Use a hand mixer and mix on medium high speed for 1-2 minutes or until fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk and beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until the frosting is fluffy and smooth.

Place a tablespoon of frosting on the cupcake and smooth over the top. Place the red sugar in a shallow dish and the blue sugar in a shallow dish. Dip one side of the cupcake top into the red sugar and the other side into the blue sugar. Sprinkle the middle with the yellow sugar. Add a wooden spoon if desired and enjoy!

These cupcakes were so fun! They looked just like snow cones. I took them two different places and both the kids and the adults raved about them.

Snow Cone Cupcakes would be great for a summer party or a pool party. You can change out the color of the sugar and the cupcake wrappers to fit your theme.

The lemon cupcakes hold up well to the frosting and sugar. They are bright and a little tart which pairs well with the sweet buttercream frosting and sanding sugar.

How do you store snow cone cupcakes?

Store the cupcakes in an air tight container for up to 4 days. If you are using the wooden spoons do not put the spoons in until ready to serve otherwise the cupcake will become dry around the spoon area.

If you’ve tried my Snow Cone Cupcakes or any other recipe on Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you! You can FOLLOW ME on:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM