A sweet treat that’s fun to make – and share – with family and friends.

Is there anything more fun than making sweet treats during the festive holidays? These adorable snowmen are nestled on top of ice cream cones brimming with homemade red velvet cake. Delicious.

But the fun isn’t just in the taste, top them off with sprinkles and icing sugar and you have a magical holiday dessert. This is also the perfect recipe to help introduce your little ones to the kitchen—I am sure they’ll love decorating the snowmen.

Not a baker? No problem! Simply buy a red velvet cake mix, they will still taste delicious, look the same and I promise I won’t tell anyone.

Cooking time: 60 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 ice cream cones (most baking shops and supermarkets have them, or shop online)
• 125 g unsalted butter
• 150 g caster sugar
• 2 small eggs
• 25 g cacao powder
• 1 tsp (natural) red food colouring
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 150 g sifted flour
• 120 ml buttermilk
• -½ tbsp white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate
• 12 marshmallows
• 4 rosemary sprigs
• 100 ml sugar syrup
• 100 g sugar
• 2 sour strawberry belts
• Edible ink pens
• Icing sugar
• Festive sprinkles
• 4 medium-sized skewers

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 160C.
2. Combine the butter and caster sugar in a bowl, whisk until they become light and fluffy.
3. Gradually add the eggs, stirring after each addition until well combined.
4. Incorporate the cacao, food colouring and vanilla extract.
5. Add half of the flour along with the salt, mixing thoroughly.
6. Follow by adding half of the buttermilk and mixing again.
7. Repeat this process with the remaining flour and buttermilk.
8. Once you achieve a smooth batter, mix the vinegar with the baking soda, then add it to the batter. Stir until the batter is smooth again, then divide it into the ice cream cones.
9. Put them on a baking tray and bake for 40 minutes. Leave to cool.
10. While the cakes in the oven, dip the rosemary sprigs in the sugar syrup and roll them in the sugar. Let drain and harden on a rack.
11. Stick three marshmallows on a skewer and draw a face with the edible ink (you can also use melted chocolate, but it is easier with a pen).
12. Stick the snowmen into the cakes so that they stand upright. Decorate some snowmen with the rosemary sprigs and give other snowmen a scarf with the sour belts.
13. Decorate with sprinkles and dust with icing sugar.