Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

•  ½ cup unprocessed cocoa powder
•  1/3 cup boiling water
•  3 large eggs (at room temperature)
•  ¾ cup unsalted butter (softened)
•  ¾ cup + 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
•  1 cup all purpose flour
•  2 teaspoon baking powder
•  2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
•  2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Frosting

•  1 cup butter (softened)
•  3 cups powdered sugar
•  ½ cup cocoa powder
•  3 tablespoon sfresh orange juice
•  1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
•  Splash of milk

Decoration (optional)

•  Extra orange zest and orange slices

Method

Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
2. Sift the cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl and pour the boiling water into the bowl. Mix into a smooth paste.
3. Add all remaining cupcake ingredients and mix with an electric mixeruntil combined.
4. Evenly distribute the mixture between the liners, filling each about 2/3 of the way.
5. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a skewer poked into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
6. Leave the cupcakes in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting

1. Add the butter to a large mixing bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
2. Gradually sift in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder a little at a time, mixing after each addition. When the mixture starts to become a little too thick to mix, add the orange juice and zest. If it’s still too thick, you can add a splash of milk. The frosting should hold its shape but be smooth enough to spread/pipe easily.
3. Mix the frosting for another minute or so to get it super smooth.

Decorate the Cupcakes

1. Spoon, spread, or pipe swirls of the chocolate orange frosting on top of each cupcake. I used a Wilton 1M piping nozzle.
2. Add small slices of fresh orange and a little zest of the top for decoration (optional!).