CHOCOLATE ORANGE CUPCAKES WITH CHOCOLATE ORANGE BUTTERCREAM

Chocolate orange sponge topped with smooth chocolate orange buttercream and topped with a slice of Chocolate Orange – Chocolate Orange Heaven!

INGREDIENTS
Cupcakes

• 150 g self-raising flour
• 30 g cocoa powder
• 175 g caster sugar
• 175 g soft margarine - or softened butter
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp orange extract
• 75 g milk chocolate - choose something from the baking aisle in the supermarket as it will cope well with the heat in the oven without going grainy
• ½ tbsp milk
• 12 cupcake cases

Buttercream

• 250 g unsalted butter - soft at room temperature
• 250 g icing sugar
• 150 g milk chocolate - choose a chocolate from the baking aisle as this won’t go grainy when it’s melted
• 40 g cocoa powder
• ½ tsp orange extract
• A little milk
• To finish
• 12 pieces of Chocolate Orange
• Orange sprinkles

INSTRUCTIONS
For the cupcakes

1. Pre-heat your oven to 160ºC/140ºC fan.
2. Put your cupcake cases into a muffin tin.
3. Grate the milk chocolate (75g).
4. Put all of the ingredients into a large bowl (150g self-raising flour, 30g cocoa powder, 175g caster sugar, 3 large eggs, 175g soft margarine, 1 tsp orange extract, ½ tbsp milk and the grated chocolate) mix on a low speed until fully combined.
5. Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 cupcake cases (I use a cupcake scoop to help split it evenly).
6. Put the tin into the oven and cook the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes. After 20 minutes put a skewer in the middle and check if it comes out clean. If it does they’re done, if not pop them back in for a couple more minutes and check again.
7. Once cooked, remove the cupcakes from the oven and leave them to cool in the tins for a few minutes.
8. Remove the cupcakes from their tin and pop them onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the buttercream

1. Break the chocolate (150g) into pieces and melt it (either using short bursts in the microwave – stirring regularly, over the lowest possible heat in a saucepan – stirring constantly, or in a bain marie – stirring constantly).
2. Once melted remove from the heat and pour into another bowl (this will help it to cool as it needs to be back to room temperature before mixing with the buttercream).
3. Beat the butter (250g) until soft then add the orange extract (½ tsp), cocoa powder (40g) and icing sugar (250g) and beat until fully combined (it’s easier to avoid the cocoa powder and sugar flying everywhere if you add it a spoonful at a time).

Read more please visit : charlotteslivelykitchen.com

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