Terry's Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

For me, as soon as I see Terry's chocolate oranges on sale in the supermarket, I feel that we are officially on the run up to Christmas. 

Yes, I said the 'C' word and we're only in September, but quite frankly anyone who knows me knows that I would have my tree up tomorrow if Mr W would let me. 

Anyway, I noticed that they were on offer in Tesco (buy 1 get 2 free I kid you not!) so I grabbed them with the view to put them away for Christmas stockings, because well who doesn't love a Terry's chocolate orange for breakfast at Christmas?

So I had one of my best friends visiting us on Saturday, we only really see each other once every couple of month's as she lives in London and well life and all that. So she, naturally, text me and requested 'some form of cake' for the weekend. Me being the fabulous friend that I am (I kid) remembered that id stocked up on some chocolate orange's and decided to make them into a delicious little cupcake (I say little but actually my cupcakes all turn out to be muffin sized). 

Anywho, these really are gorgeous. I love chocolate buttercream only if real chocolate has been used and the flavour using chocolate orange is just perfect. The sponge is beautifully moist and Shauna (who I can always trust for an honest opinion on anything I make) really loved them.

I hope you love them, and if anything they will make you feel wonderfully festive, which can only ever be a good thing! 

Love 

Ells x



For the Cake
- 7oz Caster Sugar
- 7oz Stork, softened
- 2 Eggs
- 7oz Self Raising Flour
- 1 Dessert Spoon Cocoa Powder
- 1 Dessert Spoon Milk

For the Buttercream
- 12oz Icing Sugar
- 6oz Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1 Terrys Chocolate orange (12 Segments kept aside for decoration)
- Splash of milk (optional)

You will also need a Muffin tin lined with 12 muffin papers and a piping bag with a nozzle of your choice (I used a PME medium star nozzle). If you dont have a piping bag and nozzles you can always just spread the icing on, it wont hinder the flavour in the slightest.

Pre heat your oven to 160c

To start, cream the caster sugar and the stork together until they're light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the eggs (add a little bit of flour if it starts to curdle) and mix until well combined. Take the self raising flour and replace one dessert spoon of flour with an equal sized dessert spoon of cocoa powder. Add this to the mixture and beat until combined, add the splash of milk until you have a smooth batter (it should be quite thick).

Using an ice cream scoop, divide the mixture equally between the muffin cases. 

Bake them in the centre of the oven for 20-25 minutes. They should spring back nicely when you touch the tops. 

Allow the cupcakes to cool.

Whilst they cool, in a Bain Marie melt the chocolate orange segments and leave to one side until slightly cooled. 

In a bowl beat together the icing sugar and unsalted butter until smooth. Pour in the melted chocolate and mix until completely combined. The mixture should have the consistency of smooth peanut butter, if it is too stiff add a splash of milk and beat until it has loosened up. 

Once the cupcakes have cooled, pipe or spread your buttercream onto the cupcakes as desired and decorate with the remaining chocolate orange pieces.