Sprinkles Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Grease and flour the wells of an ice cream cone pan.

Make the cupcake batter according to the package instructions. Transfer half the batter to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Spoon the remaining batter into the prepared wells, dividing evenly and filling each well to within 1 1/2 inches of the rim. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Gently remove the cupcakes from the pan, set them upright on the rack and let cool completely. Wash and thoroughly dry the pan. Grease and flour the wells and repeat with the remaining batter.

To make the frosting, have all the ingredients at room temperature. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the confectioners sugar, butter, the 2 Tbs. milk, the vanilla and salt on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add food coloring to reach the desired hue and beat until no streaks of white remain, about 30 seconds. If the frosting is too dry, add more milk, 1 tsp. at a time, until it is creamy but still holds peaks.

To frost the cupcakes, fit a pastry bag with a large star tip and fill with frosting. Pipe the frosting on the cupcakes, swirling it on the top to resemble soft-serve ice cream. Makes 12 cupcakes.