While chocolate and orange might sound like an odd combination, it reminds me of being a kid. My Grandma always used to buy us chocolate oranges for the holidays, and they’re the inspiration behind these chocolate orange cupcakes.

I wanted these cupcakes to taste just a decadent and chocolatey as I remembered.

To do that, I used my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe as a starting point. Then I tested out the best way to incorporate that bright orange flavor into these cupcakes.

Packing These Orange Chocolate Cupcakes with Citrus Flavor

These chocolate orange cupcakes use pretty much every part of an orange.

The cupcake batter is made with orange juice, orange zest, and the top is even decorated with orange peel spirals!

But the real secret to getting that amazing orange flavor into these cupcakes is using an orange emulsion.

While an orange extract would also work, using an orange emulsion really steps up the flavor of these cupcakes. Why, you ask? It has a secret ingredient. Citric acid!!

Now before you get creeped out by the sound of that, citric acid is made naturally by citrus fruits. It’s what gives them their tart, sour taste.

I find that both the cupcake batter and frosting have a wonderfully bright, citrusy flavor when I use an orange emulsion.

Substitutions and Swaps – Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

These orange chocolate cupcakes use quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have them all on hand.

Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered. Below are some swaps and substitutions that you can make:

• All Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a gluten free flour blend if needed.
• Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar, as it will change the texture of these cupcakes.
• Orange Juice – If you don’t have orange juice you can use warm water instead.
• Eggs – If you have an egg allergy you can try using 2 flaxseed eggs or 1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce.
• Vegetable Oil – You can use any flavorless oil in this recipe. Canola or sunflower oil would work great!
• Vinegar – This recipe needs a bit of vinegar because it uses baking soda as a leavening agent. The vinegar activates the baking soda and helps the cupcakes rise. You can use white or apple cider vinegar.
• Orange Emulsion – If you can’t get a hold of orange emulsion, you can use orange extract or vanilla extract in its place. The orange flavor won’t be quite as strong, but it’ll still taste great.

Substitutions and Swaps – Chocolate Orange Buttercream Frosting

• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter and omit the salt this recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
• Heavy Cream – Whole milk or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat) will work fine in this frosting recipe if that’s what you have on hand.
• Orange Emulsion – If you can’t get a hold of orange emulsion, you can use orange extract or vanilla extract in its place. The orange flavor won’t be quite as strong, but it’ll still taste great.
• Cocoa Powder – If you’re out of cocoa powder, you can use additional powdered sugar in its place.
• Dark Chocolate – You can use milk, dark or semi-sweet chocolate to make this chocolate frosting! Just be sure it’s a good quality chocolate, so it will melt down smoothly.

Tips for Making the Best Chocolate Orange Cupcakes:

• Properly measure your flour! Either spoon it into the cup measure, then level with a knife or use a kitchen scale.
• Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature to help them mix together better.
• Use an orange emulsion to really pack these cupcakes with citrus flavor!
• Fill the center of each cupcake with orange marmalade. It makes the cupcakes even more moist.
• Make these orange chocolate cupcakes vegan or dairy free! Use your favorite type of dairy free milk to replace the heavy cream, vegan butter sticks in place of the butter, and flax seed eggs.
• Decorate your cupcakes with an orange peel spiral and a sprinkle of orange zest to make the decoration match the flavor.

Making These Cupcakes in Advance

You can make these cupcakes in advance! Frosted cupcakes can sit at room temperature for a day or be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. However, they taste best when they’re freshly baked!

These cupcakes can also last up to a month in the freezer. If you plan to freeze them, I suggest waiting to fill and frost them until they’re thawed.

You can also make your buttercream ahead of time or save any leftovers. The buttercream frosting will last in the fridge for up to a month.

Be sure to give the frosting a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

You can also store buttercream in piping bags in the fridge. I find they keep their consistency well in piping bags and don’t require any mixing after they’ve thawed.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try making this chocolate orange cupcake recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.

Don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets so that I can see your amazing creations on social media.

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