Cupcakes in Cones

Alright, you all asked for it - Cupackes in Cones!
This is an old family favorite. I remember toddling into preschool carrying a huge plastic container full of these suckers. Everyone loved them. If possible, they make cupcakes even better. You bake them in the cones, so not only do you get to eat the cupcake "wrapper", you have fewer dishes to wash! Another great thing- you can use cake mix to make these, so if you find yourself in a time crunch, these will make it look like you went the extra mile, while secretly doing less work!

Bake at 375 degrees
Bake for 15-20 minutes
Prep time is 15  minutes
Total time is 40 minutes

The finish line

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
24 flat bottomed ice cream cones

Frosting:
Important notice, read the end of the post for frosting info - this recipe is better if made ahead!
1/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners sugar

Now here's the thing - I love making homemade cakes and such, but for this recipe, using a box mix recipe is actually nicer. If you could make the cones yourself - something I have not dared to try yet, it would probably be superior, but there's something about a processed item like ice cream cones with a homemade cupcake recipe that just seems like a weird mix to me. Still, this is a yummy cupcake recipe, so I still endorse it! But don't feel guilty about using box mix here. It's fine. 
  
 Cream butter and sugar together in a bowl. Beat in eggs and mix in the vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.  Add milk to butter mixture in 2 parts alternately with flour mixture in 3 parts, beginning and ending with flour. 

Cake Batter

Fun part! Fill in the cones about 3/4 full leaving the batter 1/2 inch from top. Place filled cones on a baking tray. Bake in oven for about 15 to 20 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. 

Sometimes I have difficult (being a tad clumsy) with balancing the cones on a baking sheet. Instead, you can take an egg carton and cut off the top portion where each egg would sit. The cones sheet fit in there nicely, and it will hold them steady throughout handling. Luckily, when baked, the cartons do not smoke or burn. 

Sorry...not my picture, as you can tell

Here's the frosting deal - you mix everything together. You may wish to add more milk or sugar to alter the consistency. If you have the time, let it set, then stir it again. This will smooth things out as the recipe has a tendency to be lumpy if not given time to set.