Chocolate Orange Cupcakes
Moist chocolate orange cupcakes dipped into a chocolate orange ganache and then topped with a chocolate orange buttercream.
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Calories: 505kcal
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- stand or hand mixer
- heat proof bowl
- Saucepan
Ingredients
Chocolate Orange Cupcakes
- 1 stick butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons orange zest
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup orange juice
Chocolate Orange Ganache
- ½ cup chopped orange chocolate heaping (see notes)
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
Chocolate Orange Buttercream
- 1 stick butter
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup orange juice
Instructions
Chocolate Orange Cupcakes
- Line a cupcake tin with paper liners and preheat oven to 350℉.
- Beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy.1 stick butter, 1 cup sugar
- Add eggs and orange zest and mix until combined.2 eggs, 2 tablespoons orange zest
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ cup cocoa powder
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and orange juice, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, and mixing between each addition. Mix until just combined.1 cup orange juice
- Spoon batter into the paper liners in the muffin tin, filling about ⅔ full.
- Bake for 16-18 minutes, until a toothpick entered into the center of a cupcake comes out mostly clean. Cool completely.
Chocolate Orange Ganache
- Place the chopped orange chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and set aside.½ cup chopped orange chocolate
- Heat heavy cream over low heat until hot, but not boiling.⅓ cup heavy cream
- Pour hot cream overtop of the chopped chocolate. Let sit for a minute or two, then stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Cool slightly.
- Dip the tops of the cooled cupcakes into the ganache or spread a layer of ganache overtop.
- Let set.
Chocolate Orange Frosting
- Beat butter until smooth.1 stick butter
- Add remaining ingredients and beat until desired consistency.¾ cup cocoa powder, 4 cups powdered sugar, ½ cup orange juice
- Pipe or spread the frosting onto the ganache covered cupcakes and enjoy!
Notes
For the orange chocolate, you can use any brand. Terry's Chocolate Oranges are very popular around Christmas time in the U.S., and Lindt and Ghirardelli also have orange chocolate bars available year round.
Be sure not to zest the white skin underneath the orange peel. The white layer is bitter and you don't want to include that.
The cupcakes can be cored and filled with chocolate ganache instead of topped with it if preferred.
The cupcakes need to be fully cooled before dipping in chocolate ganache or the tops will break.
Add sprinkles or a candied orange peel for a pop of color.
To make these as mini cupcakes, the bake time will need to be reduced quite a bit. Start checking them around 8-10 minutes in and keep an eye on them from there.
Nutrition
Calories: 505kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 339mg | Potassium: 286mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 61g | Vitamin A: 676IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 3mg
