Name: Chocolate Orange Cupcakes
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 175 g Butter or baking spread (softened, unsalted); 175 g Caster sugar; 3 Eggs (large); 2 tsp Orange extract; 150 g Self raising flour; 25 g Cocoa powder; A pinch of baking powder; 200 g Butter (softened, unsalted); 350 g Icing sugar; 50 g Cocoa powder; 2 tsp Orange extract; 1 1/2 tsp Milk; 12 segments of Terry's chocolate orange; Orange sprinkles (optional)

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I feel like this recipe for Chocolate Orange Cupcakes has been a long time coming, considering how many chocolate orange recipes I already have on my website! Well here it is finally, delicious chocolate orange sponges topped with yummy chocolate orange buttercream, and of course a piece of Terry's Chocolate Orange!

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I will never get sick of chocolate orange, it is one of my top favourite flavours. It's such a festive flavour too, even though I eat it all year round, it's especially great for Christmas baking. These cupcakes are an easy and quick way to get your chocolate orange fix, I've made them so many times now and they hit the spot every time!

Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
For the best flavour, make sure to use a good quality orange extract and not an essence.
I used a baking spread for the cupcakes and unsalted butter for the buttercream.
You can use any cocoa powder for the cupcakes, of course the better quality it is, the better flavour it will have. Also do make sure you are using cocoa powder and not a hot chocolate powder.
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

Make the cupcake sponge by mixing together butter and sugar, whisking in eggs and orange extract, then whisking in self rasing flour, baking powder and cocoa powder.

Divide the mixture between 12 cupcake cases and bake them for 25 minutes, then put them on a cooling rack to fully cool.

For the buttercream, mix together butter, icing sugar, orange extract and milk until smooth. Pipe or spread it onto the cupcakes, then decorate with the chocolate orange segments and sprinkles.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

What can you use instead of orange extract?

I get my orange extract from either the supermarket or Amazon, and I do recommend it for this recipe. If you can't find orange extract for the sponge and buttercream, you can use the zest of two oranges for the sponge. Orange juice is not strong enough to get orange flavour in the buttercream, you would have to use a lot and it could make the buttercream sloppy. What I would suggest instead is mixing 100g melted chocolate orange into the buttercream, then adding 1 - 2 tbsp milk to loosen it if it's too thick.

How long do the cupcakes last for and can they be frozen?

The cupcakes will last for 2-3 days in an airtight container in a cool place. You can freeze both the cupcakes and the buttercream. To freeze them separately, wrap the cupcakes well in cling film or put them in an airtight container. The buttercream can be frozen in a sealed tub. To freeze them decorated, freeze the cupcakes on a plate until frozen solid, then carefully wrap in cling film. Remove the clingfilm when you take the cupcakes out of the freezer to defrost, as if they defrost with it still on it could damage the buttercream.

Can you make the cupcakes with plain/all purpose flour?

Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some additional baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. So for this recipe you'd need to add 1 + ½ teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

Can the cupcakes be made gluten or dairy free?

Yes! For gluten free you can replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour, so for this recipe you'd need to add 1 + ½ teaspoons baking powder. You may also like to add ¼ tsp xanthan gum for better texture. Terry's Chocolate Orange is not gluten free, so you will also need to use an alternative orange flavoured chocolate to decorate. For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread for the cupcakes and the buttercream. You will also need to decorate the cupcakes with a dairy free orange flavoured chocolate. If you want to make a vegan or egg free version, check out my Vegan Chocolate Orange Cupcakes recipe for the details. Please check the labels of everything you use if you are serving this cake to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

Can this recipe be made into a larger cake?

Yes! You might like my Chocolate Orange Cake recipe, my Chocolate Orange Loaf Cake recipe or my Chocolate Orange Drip Cake recipe.

More tips for making the Chocolate Orange Cupcakes:

I used a Jem 1E nozzle to pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes, but you can use any nozzle you prefer or spread it on with a spoon.
I recommend using a good quality orange extract (not an essence) to get the best orange flavour in these cupcakes. I like to use the brand Nielsen Massey

Troubleshooting

My number one tip for getting the best results is to read through this whole page of tips and recommendations before starting, and follow the recipe exactly. If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

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