Chocolate and Orange Cupcakes

Preparation

• 1
  <strong>Method for the cupcakes:</strong>
• 2
  Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line the cupcake cases in your baking tray.
• 3
  In a bowl, beat together the unsalted butter and caster sugar until well-dissolved.
• 4
  Add the eggs one by one followed by orange zest and orange essence. Continue to beat the mixture until well-combined.
• 5
  In a separate bowl sift together the all purpose and baking powder. Take 2 tbsp of the all purpose flour from this mixture and add the chocolate chips. (Doing so would prevent the chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom of the cupcake while baking).
• 6
  Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips to the batter and fold with the help of a spatula.
• 7
  Add equal amounts of the batter to the cupcake cases.
• 8
  Bake your cupcakes at 180 degrees Celsius until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cupcake comes out clean.
• 9
  Once your cupcakes have baked, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
• 10
  <strong>Method for the Frosting:</strong>
• 11
  In a bowl beat the unsalted butter until it forms a creamy mixture. Add the orange essence.
• 12
  Add the icing sugar a little at a time and continue to beat until all ingredients are well-combined.
• 13
  Add approximately 2 tbsp of milk and beat the mixture once again until it reaches the desired frosting consistency.