Name: Ice Cream Cupcakes
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 1 (10- to 12-ounce) store-bought pound cake; 4 tablespoons strawberry jam; 2 pints strawberry ice cream; 1 cup heavy cream , chilled; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Why This Recipe Works

Cake and ice cream is a combination that’s hard to beat, so we used it in our Ice Cream Cupcakes recipe. For the base of our “frosted” ice cream cupcake, we found that a store-bought pound cake works well. The cake is dense enough to be cut easily without crumbling, and it also absorbed the melting ice cream. We included a secret jam center in our Ice Cream Cupcakes recipe. Since it doesn’t freeze hard, the jam lends the cupcake an interesting textural contrast, not to mention a boost of flavor.

Before You Begin

Combination foil/paper cupcake liners work best in this recipe. Use plain or Chocolate Whipped Cream (see related recipe).

Instructions

Cut cake and spread jam: Arrange 12 cupcake liners in 12-cup muffin tin. Cut pound cake into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Use 2-inch biscuit cutter to cut 12 circles. Reserve remaining pound cake and scraps for another use. Spread 1 teaspoon jam on top of each circle of pound cake. Place circles in cupcake liners.

Add ice cream: Place nicely rounded scoop of ice cream on top of each pound cake circle. Cover muffin tin with plastic and place in freezer until ice cream is very firm, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Frost with whipped cream: Beat cream, sugar, and vanilla to soft peaks. Remove muffin tin from freezer and cover ice cream with whipped cream, leaving cakes in tin and spreading whipped cream to form sloped sides with peak.

Freeze and serve: Return to freezer to allow to set overnight. Remove cupcakes from muffin tin and serve.