Chocolate Orange Cupcakes with Cointreau Buttercream…

I was told that someone had made a chocolate orange version of my mint chocolate cupcakes and I knew I had to try it myself! This is a recipe adapted from my Basics Cupcake recipe and also uses an alcoholic orange liqueur butter cream! They are very tasty and elegant, great for a party!

This recipe makes 12 cupcakes! If you would like to try to make them, here’s the recipe!

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1 Batch of Basic Cupcake Recipe (available here)

1 Orange

100g Orange Flavoured Dark Chocolate

40g Cocoa Powder

2tbsp Caster Sugar

Topping

Unsalted Butter

Icing Sugar

2 tbsp Cointreau (orange liqueur)

Method

1. To make the cakes we will alter the flour quantity from the basic cupcake recipe to substitute for some cocoa. The other ingredients will remain the same quantity but we will also add some additional extras!

2. To begin preheat the oven to 190C (Gas Mark 4) and line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases.

3. Next cream together the butter and caster sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. (see below)

4. Gradually whisk in the eggs until just combined.

5. Next add the milk and mix again.

6. Now, instead of adding the full quantity of sifted flour from the basic cupcake recipe add only 135g. Make up the flour quantity with the 40g of sifted cocoa powder. Mix well until fully combined.

7. Now its time for the extras! Split eh chocolate bar in two. Gently melt half of the chocolate in the microwave and chop the remaining chocolate into chunks.

8. Add the two types of chocolate along with the zest of the orange to the bowl and mix again.

9. Now split the mix between 12 cupcake cases and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until well risen.

10. Now its time to make the toppings. To make the drizzle, squeeze the juice from the orange and place in a bowl. Add to the juice about 2 tbsp of caster sugar and mix with a wooden spoon. This will be drizzled over the cakes.

11. When the cakes are ready remove from the oven and immediately prick all over with a toothpick or skewer (see below). Drizzle the orange juice and sugar mixture over the cakes and keep them in their tins until fully cooled. (this allows the drizzle to soak in)

12. Finally its time to make the topping. Make a traditional buttercream by creaming the butter and gradually adding icing sugar to achieve your preferred sweetness. Add 2 tbsp of orange liqueur to this and mix again. If the addition of liquid has made the buttercream too thin jut thicken it again slightly with a little more icing sugar!

13. To finish fill your piping bag with the buttercream and place in the fridge to firm up slightly before use. When your cakes are completely cooled decorate as you like!

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