Creme-filled Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, at room temperature (refined)
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons almond milk
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, at room temperature (refined)
• 1 orange
• 1 3/4 cups water, divided
• 3/4 cup sugar, divided

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners.
• 2 in a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• 3 in a separate bowl, whisk together orange juice, canola oil, vanilla, and orange zest.
• 4 pour wet ingredients into dry mixture and whisk until thoroughly combined.
• 5 divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners until each cup is 2/3 full.
• 6 bake for about 17 to 20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
• 7 remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
• 8 for the filling, combine first 3 ingredients in the bowl of a standard mixer.
• 9 beat on medium-high speed until combined.
• 10 with the mixer running, add 1 tablespoon orange juice at a time, until the desired buttercream consistency is reached.
• 11 for the ganache, use a double boiler or microwave to melt chocolate chips in a medium bowl.
• 12 whisk in coconut oil until smooth.
• 13 if making candied orange peel, peel thin slices of orange peel from the orange using a vegetable peeler.
• 14 in a small saucepot, place the orange peels and add ½ cup water.
• 15 bring to a boil and let cook for 5 minutes.
• 16 drain the water, place the peels back in the pot, and refill with ½ cup water.
• 17 bring the water to a boil again, let cook for 5 minutes, and drain.
• 18 repeat this process one more time to release the bitterness from the orange peels.
• 19 bring ¼ sugar, ¼ cup of water, and the orange peels to a boil and let cook on medium/high heat until liquid bubbles away.
• 20 remove from heat, spread peels out to cool on parchment paper.
• 21 once the candied peels have semi-dried (about 10 minutes), roll them in the remaining sugar until thoroughly coated.
• 22 store in refrigerator or freezer.
• 23 when cupcakes are cool, fill each with orange buttercream filling using a pastry bag with a narrow tip.
• 24 spread chocolate ganache evenly over each cupcake.
• 25 top with two slices of candied orange peel, if using.