Cupcakes

Chocolate orange cupcake recipe – The guest post!

choc-orange-cupcake A couple of months ago I was asked if I would be interested in having someone guest post here on CakesBakesAndCookies.com and to be honest I was more flattered than anything else. I hadn’t really thought about it before- seeing as I do most of the guest posting on other sites. But when the lovely team at Cakedecoratingstore.co.uk offered me this recipe I jumped at the chance. You see I am not great at cupcakes. I think it may be because I expect the sponge to be soft and tasty and I have never been very happy with the recipes I have used… until now! This Chocolate orange cupcake recipe is really good. I mean who doesn’t love a chocolate/ orange combo?

And that’s where Heather comes in. She’s a mum of one who lives and breathes all thing cakes and cupcakes. After starting working life in the Ministry of Defence and NHS, she decided she wanted to do something more creative with her life.  After meeting her now husband, who already ran a business, she decided that she would turn her love of baking into a business and 4 years on and the Cake Decorating Store is going from strength to strength. Have you seen it? It’s got everything you need and a whole lot of baking stuff you just really, really want! Check it out. 

I can’t think of anyone I would want to be my first guest poster so without any further ado here’s over to Heather….

 

Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

Just like Emma, I always have a cupboard full of chocolate and need a way of using it up and taking it out of temptations reach. So, what could be nicer than chocolate and orange cupcakes…..and surely this will count towards your one of your five a day? I wish! The amount of chocolate in these is obscene but that’s what makes them so delicious. This recipe also has a few extra steps, but bare with it, as the result is an amazingly moist and rich cupcake that will last for days (given the chance).

Here’s how I make them:

Cupcake Ingredients:

115g good quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa if possible)

85g unsalted butter, softened

175g soft brown sugar

2 large eggs, separated

185g plain flour

¾tsp baking powder

¾tsp bicarbonate of soda

Pinch of salt

250ml semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature

1tsp orange extract (try to use the extract not essence or flavoring)

 

Orange Frosting Ingredients:

115g unsalted butter, softened

400-450g icing sugar

1 tsp orange extract (I got mine from Lakeland)

1 tbsp milk

 

To decorate:

Cocoa powder

Chocolate cigarellos (or Cadbury Flakes)

 

How to make Chocolate Orange cupcakes

Before you start, pre-heat your oven to 170°C (fan) / 375°F / Gas Mark 5. Line a muffin tray with 12 cases.

Melt the chocolate in bowl over simmering water and leave to cool a little. Using a stand mixer (with a beater attachment) or hand whisk, cream together the butter and sugar. Don’t underestimate how long this will take, it will be at least 5 mins. And in my experience you can’t over beat! The mixture should be paler in colour and fluffy.

In a separate bowl beat the egg yolks together for 2 mins then slowly add to the egg/sugar mixture, beating in well. Next, pour in the melted chocolate and beat in well.

Weigh out the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt) and sieve together. In a jug measure out the milk and add the orange extract. (If your milk is straight from the fridge the just give it a quick blast in the microwave to warm it up). Then add to the egg/sugar/chocolate mix, alternating between the wet and dry ingredients. Make sure you beat well between each addition.

Almost done! The last step is to add the egg whites which you will need to whisk together in a clean bowl until they form soft peaks. Using a metal spoon, gently fold your egg whites into the batter. Fold till they are just combined and that no egg white is visible.

Spoon your mixture into the cases, filling about two-thirds full. Place in the centre of the oven and bake for approx 20-25 mins or until a skewer comes out clean.

Once cooked, leave in the muffin tray for 5 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

To make the frosting combine all the ingredients and beat together until the mixture is smooth and creamy. You may need to add a little more sugar or milk to achieve the correct piping consistency.

Once the cupcakes are cooled, decorate however you wish. I used a large round piping tip and piped two circles of buttercream then simply dusted with cocoa and topped with a cigarello. But you can use Cadbury flakes, grated chocolate….anything goes really. As long as it’s chocolate!

Hope you enjoy them,

Heather x 

Giveaway! 

Hello, It’s Emma again.

If the recipe wasn’t enough encouragement for you to make these delicious cupcakes, Cakedecoratingstore.co.uk has given me some of the essential items needed to make them to giveaway worth £19.98. Here’s what you can win:

Dark chocolate cigarellos & Cupcake piping set with 3 nozzles & Cupcake cases as seen below with the finished cupcake! 

cigarello

To win the set all you need to do is share this recipe on Facebook or twitter and leave me a comment below letting me know that you have done so. Simple as that! A random number generator will select a number from the comments on Friday at 20.00 GMT so get your skates on bakers. It’s time to get sharing and commenting.

 

Good luck and thank you Heather.

EmmaMT

p.s. Just in case you didn’t know – you can link and post a Tweet/ Facebook share / share a pin by clicking on the icons below! Good luck x

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EmmaMT from CakesBakesAndCookies.com

Follow me at www.cakesbakesandcookies.com for inspirational cake design, recipes and cake decorating tips.

9 Comments

  1. Dear Emma a must to try but where do i buy the dark cake cases from .
    regards Rowena

    1. EmmaMT from CakesBakesAndCookies.com says:

      Hello,

      Sainsbury’s sell them now.

      Spk soon

      EM

  2. Oh no…this is my favourite flavour combination! If I get time I might make some for our Christmas in July show on the 11th…

    1. EmmaMT from CakesBakesAndCookies.com says:

      Ah but there won’t be any there by the time you arrive! The smell of them will drive you insane!

  3. Maxine Cooper says:

    shared and sounds delicious 🙂

    1. EmmaMT from CakesBakesAndCookies.com says:

      Thanks Maxine. X

  4. Cheynne Hempshall says:

    Shared!, think I’ll try some of these at the weekend.

Comments are closed.