This is a fun and festive Ice Cream Cone Drip Cake for people of all ages to enjoy. Fluffy, moist vanilla cake studded with funfetti rainbow sprinkles, coated in creamy vanilla buttercream and hot pink chocolate drip.
This semi-homemade cake recipe takes a store bought box mix and a homemade pound cake. Together makes a moist foolproof cake every time. The ice cream cone drip cake is a trending cake design that has picked up popularity for its extreme cuteness and festive summertime theme.
The scoop of ice cream is made from the tops of the cake crumbs and buttercream. Mixing the two together creates a cake mixture that’s similar to cake pops. It’s a great way to use the tops of the cake that you must cut off to make the cake layers flat. The same mix is used to fill the inside of the sugar cone to prevent the cone from breaking.
The hot pink chocolate drip looks just like melted ice cream; it’s incredible. You’ll have a great time making this cake but an even better time eating it!
What Tools You’ll Need to Make This Cake:
- Stand Mixer with Paddle & Whisk Attachments, or Electric Hand Mixer
- 3, 8-inch Cake Pans
- 8-inch or 10-inch White Cake Board
- Cake Leveler or Serrated Knife
- Turntable
- Bench Scraper
- Offset Spatula
- Piping Bag
- Whisk
- Rubber Spatula
- Cooking spray and parchment paper
- Ice Cream Scooper with Trigger Release (for dividing cake batter evenly)
- Cake Stand, optional
Here’s how to make this Ice Cream Cone Drip Cake!
Let’s Get Baking!
Foolproof Funfetti Cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray, line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium-size bowl, whisk and stir together the cake mix, all-purpose flour, and salt. Set aside.
- In the stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, vegetable oil, and sugar on high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add the whole eggs one at a time to the stand mixer bowl and beat on medium until well incorporated.
- Turn the mixer on low and add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture until fully incorporated.
- Add the vanilla extract and milk and beat on low until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Finish by adding the remaining flour mixture and mix on medium for another 30 seconds. Add funfetti rainbow sprinkles and mix by hand.
- Evenly distribute the cake batter among the three cake pans and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Remove cakes from the oven and let cool in pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto cooling racks to cool. Wrap cakes in plastic wrap and place into the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.
How to Make Creamy Vanilla Buttercream
- In the stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix until incorporated completely. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Add the purple gel food coloring as needed.
- Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat the frosting for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Turn the mixer on low and mix for 2 minutes to push out any air bubbles.
Pink Chocolate Drip
- In a medium-sized glass or microwavable bowl, melt pink candy melts in a microwave by heating 30 seconds at a time until fully melted.
- Mix in warm water to the melted chocolate with a rubber spatula. Mix until well combined and streak free.
- Pour the chocolate into a squeeze bottle for decorating. If chocolate drip hardens then heat in the microwave for 5-10 seconds, shake or stir to make all the same temperature.
Putting It All Together
- With a serrated knife cut off the tops of the cakes to make even and flat. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cake crumbs and 2 tablespoons of buttercream. Mix until well combined and is similar to a cake pop mixture. Fill the ice cream sugar cone with the cake pop mixture. Set aside.
- Form a 3-inch round ball of the cake pop mixture and place on a piece of parchment or wax paper. Pour the pink chocolate mixture to cover the cake ball fully. Place into the freezer to harden.
- Layer a chilled funfetti cake, cut side up onto cake board. Add a ½ cup of frosting and smooth out with an offset spatula. Next, add funfetti rainbow sprinkles. Place another cake layer cut side down over the top. Repeat process for another layer.
- Crumb coat and freeze for 20 minutes. Then add a thicker layer of buttercream and smooth the sides out using a bench scraper.
- Add the funfetti sprinkles on the bottom and drip the pink chocolate over the sides and on top. Place the cake ball on top of the cake and pour over more chocolate drip to cover any seams between the cake ball and top of the cake.
- Insert the wooden skewer through the middle of the cake filled sugar cone. Then continue to insert the skewer through the cake ball and some of the cake, so the cone is supported. Finally, add funfetti rainbow sprinkles over the top.
You May Also Enjoy:
- 25 Favorite Baking Tools for Beginner Bakers (post)
- How to Make a Magical Unicorn Cake (tutorial)
- How to Decorate Your First Cake (free course)
- Cake Decorating for Beginners (online course)
- Cake Decorating Tool Kit (24-piece kit with free shipping)
This ice cream cone drip cake is simply impressive. With help from this semi-homemade cake recipe, you’ll have a fun and festive cake that’s totally perfect for summer!
Happy Baking!
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Ice Cream Cone Drip Cake
Fluffy vanilla cake studded with funfetti sprinkles, covered in creamy vanilla buttercream and pink chocolate drip. This semi-homemade cake recipe takes a store bought box mix and a homemade pound cake. Together makes a moist foolproof cake every time.
Servings: 1 (4 LAYER) 6-INCH OR (3 LAYER) 8-INCH CAKE
Ingredients
Foolproof Funfetti Cake
- 1 cup (or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 7 whole eggs
- 1 box Duncan Hines Vanilla Cake Mix
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup funfetti rainbow sprinkles
Vanilla Buttercream
- 2 cups (or 4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 7 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- purple gel food color, optional
Pink Chocolate Drip
- 6 ounces (or 1 cup) hot pink chocolate candy melts
- 1 ounce (or 2 tablespoons) warm water
For Decorating
- 1/2 cup funfetti rainbow sprinkles
- 1 ice cream sugar cone
- 1(8-inch) wooden skewer
Instructions
Foolproof Funfetti Cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray, line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium-size bowl, whisk and stir together the cake mix, all-purpose flour, and salt. Set aside.
- In the stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, vegetable oil, and sugar on high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add the whole eggs one at a time to the stand mixer bowl and beat on medium until well incorporated.
- Turn the mixer on low and add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture until fully incorporated.
- Add the vanilla extract and milk and beat on low until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Finish by adding the remaining flour mixture and mix on medium for another 30 seconds. Add funfetti rainbow sprinkles and mix by hand.
- Evenly distribute the cake batter among the three cake pans and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Remove cakes from the oven and let cool in pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto cooling racks to cool. Wrap cakes in plastic wrap and place into the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.
Vanilla Buttercream
- In the stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix until incorporated completely. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Add the purple gel food coloring as needed.
- Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat the frosting for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Turn the mixer on low and mix for 2 minutes to push out any air bubbles.
Pink Chocolate Drip
- In a medium-sized glass or microwavable bowl, melt pink candy melts in a microwave by heating 30 seconds at a time until fully melted.
- Mix in warm water to the melted chocolate with a rubber spatula. Mix until well combined and streak free.
- Pour the chocolate into a squeeze bottle for decorating. If chocolate drip hardens then heat in the microwave for 5-10 seconds, shake or stir to make all the same temperature.
Assemble
- With a serrated knife cut off the tops of the cakes to make even and flat. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cake crumbs and 2 tablespoons of buttercream. Mix until well combined and is similar to a cake pop mixture. Fill the ice cream sugar cone with the cake pop mixture. Set aside.
- Form a 3-inch round ball of the cake pop mixture and place on a piece of parchment or wax paper. Pour the pink chocolate mixture to cover the cake ball fully. Place into the freezer to harden.
- Layer a chilled funfetti cake, cut side up onto cake board. Add a ½ cup of frosting and smooth out with an offset spatula. Next, add funfetti rainbow sprinkles. Place another cake layer cut side down over the top. Repeat process for another layer.
- Crumb coat and freeze for 20 minutes. Then add a thicker layer of buttercream and smooth the sides out using a bench scraper.
- Add the funfetti sprinkles on the bottom and drip the pink chocolate over the sides and on top. Place the cake ball on top of the cake and pour over more chocolate drip to cover any seams between the cake ball and top of the cake.
- Insert the wooden skewer through the middle of the cake filled sugar cone. Then continue to insert the skewer through the cake ball and some of the cake, so the cone is supported. Finally, add funfetti rainbow sprinkles over the top.
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alice Randor says
Random questions – Duncan hines makes a French vanilla cake mix, is this what you were referring to? Betty crocker makes a super moist vanilla cake Mix. Which one do I chose? Second, are we adding the wet ingradients from the box cake or JUST the dry box cake mix to this recipe?
Katie says
Hi Alice! Yes you can use either brand of cake mix. They will both work well! And yes you will need to add the wet and dry ingredients from the box cake mix to the other listed ingredients for the recipe! Thanks for reading and let me know if you have any questions!
alice Randor says
Hi there again,
So full clarification, sorry just don’t sant to get this wrong. The box cake calls for three eggs. Your recipe cals for seven eggs. So am I really beating in ten total eggs? Same question goes for the oil. The recipe calls for 1/3 vegerable oil, the cake box recommends I think half cup, so I’m adding that total amount of oil plus the recommended water? Just seems like a lot of eggs and oil. Is this correct?
Thanks again!
Katie says
Hi Alice! Thank you for clarifying! Follow the recipe as written here. This recipe takes into account the eggs, oil and water for the boxed cake mix. So you will only need the 7 eggs, 1/3 cup oil and 1 1/4 cup milk. Please let me know if you need anything else! Thank you!