There are very few sweet flavour combinations that beat the classic chocolate + orange duo.
I got given way too many chocolate oranges for Christmas this year. So of course, I had to use half of one to make some cupcakes for our BBQ on New Years Eve – how kind of me!
INGREDIENTS:
- 12 hole muffin tray, lined with cases
- 4oz butter or margarine
- 3oz caster sugar
- 1oz golden brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 4oz self raising flour
- 1oz good quality cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- Zest of 1 large orange
For the icing:
- 2oz soft butter or margarine
- 4oz icing sugar
- 1/2 chocolate orange, melted
METHOD:
- Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4 or 180oC
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar
- Slowly mix in the eggs, one at a time
- Sieve and fold in the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder
- Fold in the maple syrup and orange zest
- Bake for 15 minutes, until a skewer comes out of the cupcake centre clean (or when you press the top, they spring back to the original shape)
- Leave to cool on a wire wrack whilst you make the icing
- Beat the butter to soften, slowly adding in the sieved icing sugar
- Once a creamy, smooth mixture has formed, carefully fold in the melted chocolate
- Ice the cupcakes once the sponges are completely cooled
- Decorate x