I am ever so tempted to whip up something new every day and decorate my blog with a new recipe every other day. But the reality works differently that I find myself far too pressed for time; so much that I have to curb my temptations and settle with around one post a week!

For the past week or so, my little had been coaxing me to do cupcakes with some nice frosting, and as usual she won (I am quite impressed with her negotiating skills) and I made these lovely Orange cupcakes with chocolate-cream frosting – so ideal for self-indulgence 🙂

You need-

• Butter – 180 grams, @room temperature
• Caster sugar – 180 grams
• All purpose flour- 180 grams
• Baking powder -1 teaspoon
• Eggs – 2
• Fresh orange juice-3 tablespoons
• Zest if 1 Orange
• Vanilla essence – 1/2 teaspoon

For the chocolate ganache frosting

• Dark chocolate-80 grams
• Whipping cream- 200 mls
• Butter – 1 teaspoon

How to –

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake liners. Sift/whisk the flour, baking powder and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and pale. Beat in the eggs one at a time and beat till light n fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract, zest and orange juice.

Fold in the flour and mix gently till everything is well combined. Make sure not to over mix the batter else they will not be light and fluffy when you bake.

Fill the liners equally and bake for 20-23 minutes or when toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.

Make the ganache, place the chocolate pieces in a large heat proof bowl. Heat the cream in saucepan and bring to boil and start to bubble up. Turn the heat off and pour the cream over the chocolate. Stir in the butter n gently stir until the chocolate has melted and evenly blended.

Refrigerate the mixture for an hour. Remove and whisk till stiff peaks form. Pipe the frosting onto the cakes. Top with a small slice of fresh orange and serve.