Craving something chocolatey? These chocolate and orange cupcakes will certainly satisfy your sweet tooth.

Chocolate and orange is one of the best pairings and it is so versatile. Be it cupcakes, brownies or millionaire shortbreads, chocolate and orange is a flavour that will please the crowd!

This recipe makes 12 cupcakes in total. I topped my cupcakes with half of a Jaffa cake but you can top them with whatever you like. Why not try topping with a slice of a chocolate orange or a piece of candied orange peel!

🛒 Ingredients 🛒 

For the cupcakes:

▪️175g butter

▪️175g caster sugar

▪️3 eggs

▪️125g self raising flour

▪️1 tsp baking powder

▪️40g cocoa powder

▪️Zest of 1 orange

▪️2 tsp vanilla extract

For the icing:

▪️60g unsalted butter

▪️30g cocoa powder

▪️250g icing sugar

▪️2 tbsp orange juice

▪️1 tsp vanilla extract

👩‍🍳 Method 👩‍🍳 

1. Preheat the oven 180°C. Prepare your cupcake cases on a tray.
2. In a bowl cream together the butter and the sugar until pale. 
3. Add in one egg at a time and make sure you mix until it is fully combined before adding the next one. Then mix in the vanilla extract.
4. Next, sieve in the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder and fold through until completely mixed in. Add in the orange zest and stir until evenly distributed.
5. Scoop the cake batter into your prepared cases and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
6. Remove from the oven and leave too cool on a wire rack. 
7. To make the icing, beat the butter and vanilla in a bowl until it is pale. In a separate bowl, sift together the icing sugar and the cocoa powder. 
8. Add the icing sugar and cocoa powder mixture to the butter in stages. Whisk in each addition fully. Once you have added all of the icing sugar, add the orange juice and whisk until smooth.
9. Pipe the buttercream onto your cupcakes and top with your favourite toppings.