CHOCOLATE ORANGE CUPCAKES

 I needed to practice my icing skills as I have a big cake order coming up so decided the best way was to make some yummy cupcakes. I decided to make chocolate ones but wanted to jazz them up a little so though 'what goes really well with chocolate.... orange!' Chocolate orange is the best, and delicious. So here is my own chocolate orange cupcake recipe, give it a go and let me know what you think.

 
INGREDIENTS
CAKE
100g self-raising flour
100g unsalted butter
100g casting sugar
30g cocoa powder
2 eggs
pinch of salt
1 orange

 METHOD

 Makes 12

Takes 15-20 minutes to bake

1. Preheat your oven to gas mark 4 (180C/350F), place your cupcake cases in a muffin tin as this makes them taller. Make sure your eggs and butter are at room temperature.

 2. Beat together your butter and sugar until it is nice and smooth.

 3. Add the eggs, flour, cocoa powder and salt to the bowl and mix together until smooth and well mixed.

4. Add the zest of one orange and one tbsp of juice.

 5. Place your mix in the cupcake cases and bake for 15-20 minutes until risen and when a skewer comes out clean.

 6. They should look like this, leave to cool and move on to the icing.

 

INGREDIENTS
ICING
75g butter
250g icing sugar
orange food colouring
half the zest of an orange
1tbsp orange juice.

METHOD

1. Mix all the ingredients together until nice and thick so it is easy to pipe. Now either place in an icing bag and pipe into your choosen design or just spread over your cakes using a spoon.

 

I decided to go with some rose designs and for my first attempt I think I did pretty good, still a lot of work to go though. These were super yummy and easy. Give them a go and let me know what you think :)