Orange Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

I couldn't help myself. I had a tree full of oranges and a bag of chocolate chips.

Have a sweet weekend. x




Orange Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Makes 12

For the Cupcakes:
250g plain flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup dark chocolate chips

115g unsalted butter, softened

1 cup caster sugar
1 tablespoon zest of an orange finely grated (I used blood oranges, but any orange will do)
2 eggs
3/4 cup cream
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Frosting:
55g unsalted butter, softened
2 cup icing sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons cream
1 teaspoon  vanilla
1 tablespoon orange juice
pinch fine sea salt
3 tablespoons cocoa (for adding to half of the frosting)

Make the Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.

In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy. With the mixer speed on medium, add the orange zest, then the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated.

In another bowl, mix the cream, orange juice and vanilla. Whisk to combine.

With the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 dry ingredients to the butter-cream mixer, then add 1/2 of the cream mixture. Mix until incorporated. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, the last 1/2 of the cream mixture and mix until incorporated again.  Finally, add the last 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated. Add the chocolate chip and stir them through with a spatula to distribute them evenly through the batter.

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the batter evenly into the paper liners and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove them from the pan and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the Frosting:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until it is creamy. Add the icing sugar and salt and beat until incorporated. Add the cream, vanilla, orange juice and beat on medium speed until it is pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Remove half of the frosting to a separate bowl. Add the 3 tablespoons cocoa to the remaining half of frosting and beat to combine.

Using a disposable piping bag, gently spoon the vanilla frosting down one side and then spoon the chocolate frosting down the other side. Snip a 1cm hole in the end. Pipe swirls of frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes.