Can you tell where I got my inspiration for these orange and dark chocolate cupcakes from..?
International Tiger Day is 29th July. Immediately I was inspired by the iconic orange and black stripes and wanted to bring them to life in cupcake form.
This recipe is different from any other cupcake recipe because it's essentially two cupcakes merged into one to make one glorious cupcake.
I love the punchy orange flavour contrasted with the rich dark chocolate. It's divine, and they look as good as they are to eat. I dyed the batter with food colouring because it really makes it pop, but you will still get the starkly different contrast from just the natural flavours.
They're filled with gorgeous orange marmalade and the flavour profile is fantastic! Perfect eating for those bright summery days.
I also used two different buttercream flavours and dyed them to create a tiger striped effect. It's the same method I use in my Pride Rainbow Cupcakes, but these are simpler in that it's two colours and not 5!
It's a lot simpler than you would think. Just separate your ingredients and use two bowls instead of one. Easy!
So, are you up to the challenge? Two cupcakes in one?! Yes please!
Let's get Caking It.
Recipe
180C (170C fan)
Yield: 12 cupcakes
Prep: 20 mins
Bake: 18 mins
Assembly: 10 mins
Ingredients: Orange
Sponge
75g unsalted butter
75g caster sugar
2 medium eggs
75g gluten free self-raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 large orange; zest and juice
1 tbsp sour cream
Orange food gel colour
Frosting
80g unsalted butter
150g icing sugar
1 tbsp orange juice
Orange gel food colour
Ingredients: Chocolate
Sponge
100g gluten free self raising flour
30g cocoa powder
1/4 tsp gluten free baking powder
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of xanthan gum
50g caster sugar
25g light brown sugar
50ml oil
2 medium eggs
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
25ml boiling water with 1 tbsp instant coffee powder
1 tbsp sour cream
Black food gel colour
Frosting
50g unsalted butter
150g icing sugar
50g dark chocolate
Filling
Orange marmalade
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Method: sponge
Don't forget to wait until all the ingredients are room temperature before starting.
Preheat oven to 180C. Fill 12 muffin holes with cases.
Start with the orange sponge. With a fork, cream the butter until pale, then add the sugar and cream together until fully incorporated.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing with an electric whisk between each addition, and then add the orange juice.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and xanthan gum with a fork, and then add this to the mixture, mixing until fully incorporated. Add the sour cream, orange zest and 1/2 a tube of orange gel food colouring and mix one final time.
Place to one side and move onto your chocolate sponge.
Start with the dry ingredients. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and xanthan gum to a bowl and whisk to fully incorporate.
In a separate bowl, mix the oil, sugars, and vanilla extract. Then, add the eggs one at a time, whisking with an electric whisk between each addition until slightly frothy.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix with a fork to incorporate.
Boil the water and add the instant coffee to it. Slowly pour it into the batter while mixing until it is glossy.
Add the sour cream and 1/2 tube of black gel food colouring to the cake batter and give it a final quick mix to incorporate.
With a teaspoon, dollop alternating spoonful's of the orange batter and chocolate batter into the cupcake cases. With a toothpick gently swirl the batter together.
Let the mixture sit in the cases for 20 minutes before placing in an oven for 18 minutes. A skewer or toothpick inserted into the cupcakes should come out clean.
Method: Buttercream
This buttercream looks as bright and beautiful as it tastes.
While the sponges are cooling, move onto the buttercream.
For the orange buttercream, cream the butter until pale, and gradually add in the icing sugar until it is all incorporated. You can do this either with a standing mixer, an electric hand whisk, or a fork. At this point the mixture should be a little stiff.
Add a teaspoon of orange juice and mix and continue adding the rest of the orange juice until a glossy, smooth and pipeable buttercream is formed.
Add the other half of the orange gel food colouring and mix.
For the chocolate buttercream, cream the butter until pale, and gradually add in the icing sugar until it is all incorporated. You can do this either with a standing mixer, an electric hand whisk, or a fork. At this point the mixture should be a little stiff.
Chop the dark chocolate into small chunks and melt in 20 second increments in the microwave. Wait a minute to let cool slightly and then pour into the buttercream and beat until nicely incorporated.
Add the other half of the black gel food colouring and mix.
Assembly
Making sure the sponges are completely cool, scoop out the middle of the cupcake with an apple corer, taking care not to go right down to the bottom.
Spoon a little orange marmalade into each cupcake hole.
For the striped buttercream, spread a 1 inch line of orange buttercream onto clingfilm from the bottom to 1/3 of the way up. Do the same with the black, making sure they touch. Roll up the buttercream, using the clingfilm to help you. Squeeze the top of the clingfilm and leave the bottom open, the put this into a piping bag, open side facing towards the piping nozzle.
Now simply pipe onto your cupcakes and it should produce a beautiful striped tiger effect!
I finished mine with roughly chopped dark chocolate chunks and orange rind.
Enjoy!
