Chocolate orange sponge topped with smooth chocolate orange buttercream and topped with a slice of Chocolate Orange – Chocolate Orange Heaven!
A couple of weeks ago I decided to experiment with some new buttercream flavours. I thought it would be fun to create some along a Christmas theme and as it turned out I found not one, not two, but five new flavours. So this week is now officially Festive Buttercream Week 🙂 A week of different flavours, perfect for adding a festive twist to your cakes.
My first new flavour is chocolate orange. The reason these are first is that my parents were visiting last week when I was testing the recipe and my mum enjoyed it so much she’s been nagging me to share it so she can make some more.
Seeing as chocolate orange is such an amazing flavour, I thought that I’d go all out and make the sponge chocolate orange flavour too, and I topped each one with a slice of chocolate orange just to finish them off.
Rather than melting down actual Chocolate Oranges into my cupcakes and buttercream, I decided to add the orangey flavour using orange extract. The main reasons I did this is because Chocolate Oranges don’t like heat. The chocolate goes grainy and unusable far more easily than the chocolate you’d find in the baking aisle. This isn’t great to eat, and let’s face it, no one wants to waste Chocolate Orange. It would spoil the whole baking experience.
CAN THESE CUPCAKES BE MADE INTO A FULL-SIZED CAKE?
Absolutely!
After many requests, I’ve converted this cupcake recipe to make a full-sized Chocolate Orange Cake.
Not only can this cake be baked as a round layer cake; there’s also a handy calculator so you can work out the recipe for any size of round, square or rectangular cake.
FREE GRAMS TO CUPS CONVERSION CHARTS
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Chocolate Orange Cupcakes with Chocolate Orange Buttercream
INGREDIENTS
Cupcakes
- 150 g self-raising flour
- 30 g cocoa powder
- 175 g caster sugar
- 175 g soft margarine - or softened butter
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp orange extract
- 75 g milk chocolate - choose something from the baking aisle in the supermarket as it will cope well with the heat in the oven without going grainy
- ½ tbsp milk
- 12 cupcake cases
Buttercream
- 250 g unsalted butter - soft at room temperature
- 250 g icing sugar
- 150 g milk chocolate - choose a chocolate from the baking aisle as this won’t go grainy when it’s melted
- 40 g cocoa powder
- ½ tsp orange extract
- A little milk
To finish
- 12 pieces of Chocolate Orange
- Orange sprinkles
INSTRUCTIONS
For the cupcakes
- Pre-heat your oven to 160ºC/140ºC fan.
- Put your cupcake cases into a muffin tin.
- Grate the milk chocolate (75g).
- Put all of the ingredients into a large bowl (150g self-raising flour, 30g cocoa powder, 175g caster sugar, 3 large eggs, 175g soft margarine, 1 tsp orange extract, ½ tbsp milk and the grated chocolate) mix on a low speed until fully combined.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 cupcake cases (I use a cupcake scoop to help split it evenly).
- Put the tin into the oven and cook the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes. After 20 minutes put a skewer in the middle and check if it comes out clean. If it does they’re done, if not pop them back in for a couple more minutes and check again.
- Once cooked, remove the cupcakes from the oven and leave them to cool in the tins for a few minutes.
- Remove the cupcakes from their tin and pop them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For the buttercream
- Break the chocolate (150g) into pieces and melt it (either using short bursts in the microwave – stirring regularly, over the lowest possible heat in a saucepan – stirring constantly, or in a bain marie – stirring constantly).
- Once melted remove from the heat and pour into another bowl (this will help it to cool as it needs to be back to room temperature before mixing with the buttercream).
- Beat the butter (250g) until soft then add the orange extract (½ tsp), cocoa powder (40g) and icing sugar (250g) and beat until fully combined (it’s easier to avoid the cocoa powder and sugar flying everywhere if you add it a spoonful at a time).
- Once the chocolate has cooled to room temperature (DO NOT add the chocolate when it’s still warm as it’ll melt the butter and your buttercream will end up too runny) pour it into the buttercream and beat until fully combined. You should find that the buttercream is soft and spreadable. If it is a little stiff then add milk a tsp at a time until it is the right consistency.
Build your cupcakes
- Pipe your buttercream onto the cupcakes. Top each one with a slice of chocolate orange and some orange sprinkles.
NOTES
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Any nutritional information provided is the estimated nutritional information per serving. Please refer to my guide to Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen nutritional information if you would like to learn more about how this is calculated.
Free From/Suitable For…
The ingredients I used to make this recipe are all free from the following allergens. However, please check any labels carefully for allergens you need to avoid as brands can vary and product recipes can change over time.
- Suitable for Vegetarians
- Tree Nut-Free (Chocolate Orange may contain nuts)
- Peanut-Free
- Sesame-Free
- Sulphur Dioxide & Sulphite-Free
- Lupin-Free
aimee says
I have not tried this so i can not comment on how nice hey are lol BUT a month or so ago i did make some chocolate orange buttercream using terry’s chocolate orange and it did not come out grainy infact the butter cream was to die for
150g butter
250-300g icing sugar ,
157g terry chocolate orange
2-3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-melt terry’s chocolate orange (in microwave) till its melted a bit then just stir it till its a paste
-beat sugar, icing, vanilla, milk extract in a bowl till creamy
-add terry’s chocolate orange and mix
(electronic mixer is so much easier)
Comes out nice and creamy and not grainy at all so you get a real terry’s chocolate orange buttercream that tastes great and can easily be addictive and eaten out the bowl haha
Charlotte Oates says
I’m glad you’ve found a recipe that works for you. I have found that Terry’s is more temperamental and more likely to go grainy which is why I don’t recommend it (so that people are more likely to get the results I’ve promised in the post). However, as you’ve found it can sometimes work well.
Lucy says
What yummy cupcakes! Thank you! Will definitely make again – do they need to be stored in the fridge or air right container on the side ok? Thanks
Charlotte Oates says
Unless the room isn’t too warm, they’ll be fine in an airtight container.
Louise Hickey says
How would I make this into a cake. Would I need to double both the cake and frosting recipe and how long would I cook it for. Thanks
Charlotte Oates says
You use this recipe 🙂 https://charlotteslivelykitchen.com/chocolate-orange-cake/
Florida says
Hi. I want to try this for my boyfriend’s birthday but I could only find the orange essence not the extract, will that be okay?
Charlotte Oates says
It should be fine.
Tara Lampon says
I have now used this recipe several times and as a chocolate orange lover – these definitely do not disappoint! Everyone comments on how delicious they are!
Shellie Boreiko says
I made this twice, delicious. My 9 year old made them the first time. I did it the second time and I can’t bake. A brilliant recipe. This is now one I go to regularly. Input mini orange chocolate segments instead of the large ones for a butterfly look. Thanks for your recipe
Martha Dickson says
this recipe is a brilliant one for my whole family i’ve used it time and time again and have recently tried it as a cake; lets just say the ids enjoy it.
Mariam Adam says
Thank you for wonderful recipe everyone really enjoyed them i will making them again very soon
Gemma Telfer says
Love this recipe always a favourite with my family. Big compliments from my Dad who hates chocolate cake normally but loves this. My mum wishes she knew about it when she was married as she would have used this as the cake. Tried this so many times and never a problem with. Thank you so much for making this!
Charlotte Oates says
I’m so glad you all enjoy it. Your mum should make it for every anniversary to make up for not having it at her wedding 🙂
Bethanie Joy Coleman says
Can these be made using food grade orange essential oil? If so what proportion would you suggest?
Charlotte Oates says
I’ve not tried it but it should work. A bit of googling suggests substituting a few drops of oil for each tsp of extract as it’s much more concentrated.
M-E says
Can I use regular granulated sugar? And all purpose flour?
Charlotte Oates says
Granulated sugar is a bit too coarse, If that all you have then give it a blitz in the blender (if you have one) to make it finer. Otherwise I would buy some caster instead.
You can use all purpose flour, but as it doesn’t include any raising agents you’ll also need to add 2 tsp of baking powder.
Lj says
These are the tastiest cupcakes I’ve ever made!!
Easy recipe to follow & timings were accurate. I need to work on my presentation but will definitely be making the again.
Charlotte Oates says
It doesn’t really matter what they look like as long as they taste good! 🙂
Julie says
Hello Charlotte
I won’t to make a large cake, do I just split the mixture between 2 tins like you do for the birthday cake,
Charlotte Oates says
Yes. This mixture will make enough for a 18cm round cake. You’ll need to increase the cooking time to 30-35 minutes.
angela says
Fab recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Faye says
Wow these cupcakes are the best cupcakes I’ve ever made and tasted. The sponge was so light and the buttercream was delicious. I’m doing a bake off for stand up to cancer so these will definitely go down well. I’ll definitely be making these again . Thank you so much for an amazing recipe x
THE UNKNOWN says
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEE THIS RECIPE!!! BORED IN THE COOKING ROOM
Renee says
I don’t know what I did wrong but i followed the recipe to a T and they completely failed and sunk once I took them out of the oven 🙁 also the cupcake cases are really oily.
Charlotte Oates says
It sounds like the margarine hasn’t been mixed in completely as this will cause the oiliness you said you experienced.
Sue says
We made these for my daughters work colleagues and we definitely weren’t disappointed. So easy to make and tasted delicious. So moist and felt very professional. These will be a regular bake, as now our favourites! 10/10!
Roz Pollard says
I have made these a couple of times now and they are absolutely amazing. Than you for sharing your recipe with us.
If you have any other amazing cake recipes you have discovered please share again!
TOBIAS says
Looks great…
The chocolate oranges you mentioned, did you not really use them? You mentioned to use orange oil extract instead?
Are the cupcakes not meant to look a bit orangey? or really chocolatey…..
I only ever use gluten free flour but not tried on cupcakes, do you think it will work?
Charlotte Oates says
I use orange oil/extract instead of using actual chocolate orange in the cupcakes as I find it works better and tastes just the same (as chocolate orange is simply milk chocolate with added orange oil). The slices of chocolate orange are used as a garnish. They’re supposed to look chocolatey. If you wanted the icing to be orange coloured then you could use my white chocolate buttercream recipe instead and add 1/2 tsp of orange extract and some orange gel colouring.
I’ve not tried them with GF flour but they should work just fine with a GF self-raising flour.
sarah says
If i wanted to use fresh oranges, how much juice or zest would i replace the extract with. thanks
Charlotte Oates says
I wouldn’t recommend using fresh oranges to make these. I tried it when I was developing the recipe and found that the flavour wasn’t as good as using extract.
Sharon says
Made these today for the first time and they were amazing ! The sponge is so moist ! The icing turned out really well too….I am not the best when it comes to icing but this turned out perfectly