Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

image of a chocolate orange cupcake on a little cupcake stand decorated with fresh orange zest and an orange peel spiral

4.91 from 10 ratings

Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

These moist chocolate orange cupcakes are made with a decadent chocolate orange frosting, and are garnished with a candied orange slice.

Prep Time10

Cook Time19

Additional Time45

Total Time1 14

Course: Cupcakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12

Calories: 285kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

3/4 cup all purpose flour 98g
3/4 cup granulated sugar 150g
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 30g
1/2 tsp baking soda 3g
1/2 tsp fine salt 2g
3/4 cup orange juice 180g
2 large eggs, room temperature 112g
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil 75g
1 Tbsp fresh orange zest 3g
1 tsp white vinegar 4g
1 tsp orange emulsion or extract 4g

Chocolate Orange Buttercream Frosting

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 56g
1 Tbsp fresh orange zest 3g
1 tsp orange emulsion or extract 4g
1/4 tsp fine salt 1g
1/2 cup powdered sugar 62g
1/4 cup dark or Dutch-processed cocoa powder 22g
3 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature 45g
1/4 cup dark chocolate, melted and cooled 45g

Optional Filling & Garnish

3/4 cup orange marmalade
3 Tbsp fresh orange zest 9g
12 orange peel spirals

Instructions

Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

Begin by preheating oven to 350°F / 175°C. Place 12 cupcake liners in cupcake pan.
Sift 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt into a large bowl and set aside.
In a separate, large bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup orange juice, 2 large eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 Tbsp fresh orange zest, 1 tsp vinegar, and 1 tsp orange emulsion or extract. Mix until combined.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix together with a whisk or rubber spatula just until the batter in smooth.
Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for about 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan before moving them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Chocolate Orange Buttercream

While the cupcakes cool, make the orange chocolate buttercream. Beat 1/4 cup of unsalted butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a hand mixer until smooth.
Mix in 1 Tbsp fresh orange zest, 1 tsp orange emulsion or extract, and 1/4 tsp salt on a low speed.
Slowly mix in 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder, and 3 Tbsp of heavy cream on a low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as need with a rubber spatula.
Mix in 1/4 cup of cooled, melted dark chocolate.
Beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached.
If the frosting seems too thick, add an extra Tbsp of heavy cream. If it's too thin, add in another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.
Stir by hand with a rubber spatula to get the frosting SUPER smooth. Place into a large piping bag fit with a Wilton 1M frosting tip.

Decorating These Orange Chocolate Cupcakes

If desired, remove the center of each cupcake with a small knife and fill with 1 Tbsp of orange marmalade.
Pipe a rosette on top of the marmalade with the orange chocolate buttercream using a Wilton 1M piping tip.
Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh orange zest and an orange peel spiral.

Video

Notes

Making Mini Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

If you want to make mini chocolate orange cupcakes, this recipe can be baked in mini muffin tins! It makes about 40 mini cupcakes, and they only need to bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 F / 175 C.

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 flaxseed eggs.
Decorate your cupcakes with an orange peel spiral and a sprinkle of orange zest to make the decoration match the flavor.

Chocolate Orange Cupcake Variations

To make gluten-free chocolate orange cupcakes, swap in your favorite gluten-free flour blend for the AP flour this recipe calls for, and be sure to over-mix your batter and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before baking for best results.

Making These Chocolate Orange Cupcakes in Advance & Storage Tips

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.

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