Phenomenal Phoods

White and Dark Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

• 1/2 cup butter (softened)
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Zest of 1 large orange (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder (or just your favourite cocoa powder)
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup milk

For the chocolate orange slices:

• 2 small tangerine (peeled and divided into wedges)
• 3 ounces dark chocolate (melted)

For the frosting:

• 3 ounces white chocolate (melted)
• 1 cup 2 sticks butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup milk

Instructions:

For the cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a cupcake tray with cupcake liners.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition just until combined.
4. Stir in the vanilla and orange zest.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder.
6. In another bowl, whisk together the orange juice, buttermilk and milk.
7. Add the dry ingredients and milk mixture to the batter in alternating additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. You'll have 3 additions of the dry ingredients and 2 of the milk mixture. Stir after each addition just until it is barely combined to avoid over mixing.
8. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of the way with the batter.
9. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

For the chocolate orange slices:

1. Dip the orange wedges halfway into the melted dark chocolate and lay out on a piece of wax or parchment paper to set while your cupcakes are cooling. I put them in the fridge for a few minutes to set the chocolate faster.

For the frosting:

1. Use a mixer to cream the butter until soft.
2. Add in the white chocolate, mixing until combined.
3. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk and mix until combined. Add more milk if the mixture is too thick or more powdered sugar if it is too thin.
4. Pipe on top of cupcakes and to with a chocolate dipped orange slice.