Blood Orange Chocolate Cupcakes
Happy Monday friends! It’s been a while since we had cupcakes, let alone cupcake Mondays. So popping in today with a fresh, delicious cupcake in the form of these Blood Orange Chocolate Cupcakes. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, these cupcakes are coming to you just in time to make them for that special someone which includes yourself.
But before we get to the cupcakes, two words: Winter Citrus!! Blood oranges, grapefruits and oh my, meyer lemons. These are some of the reasons we survive cold winter nights. Sadly, I’ve yet to indulge in any besides blood oranges. But there’s grapefruit and Meyer lemons in the cue and I can’t wait to share those recipes with you.
Just to recap our blood orange escapades the past few weeks; there was this blood orange moscow mule (refreshing and brightens your day!), this wonderful blood orange mimosa cake (with a giveaway still going on BTW) and now these blood orange chocolate cupcakes. There’s something just wonderful about the bold, sweet flavors of blood oranges. Make sure you grab some before they are out of season and make some baked goods!
These cupcakes use my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe as a base and it’s boasting with sweet orange zest and dark chocolate made richer with a hint of coffee. Topped with a blood orange frosting (isn’t the color gorgeous??), they are finished with decorative edible candied blood oranges dipped in chocolate. The little extra touch to make these e perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Blood Orange Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- zest of one blood orange
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and warm
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup hot coffee
- 2 tablespoons blood orange juice
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee (I used Starbucks Via medium roast)
Blood Orange Frosting
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- 2-3 tablespoons blood orange juice
Instructions
For Frosting:
- Whip butter for 8 minutes on medium speed using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer. The butter will become pale and creamy.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix on low speed for 1 minute. Then increase speed to medium and mix for 6 minutes until the frosting is light, creamy and fluffy.
- Frost cooled cupcakes using your favorite decorating tip. I used Wilton Tip 1M for these cupcakes. Top with candied blood orange slices.
(You can find an easy tutorial for the candied blood orange slices HERE.)
I add a dab of orange curd under the frosting for an extra surprise.
Always a popular choice for valentine’s day
Oh, that is such a great idea!
Last year I kept finding these blood oranges from Italy. They were amazing, but isn’t everything from Italy. These cupcakesites are beautiful! Happy Valentine’s day, Zainab!
Wouldn’t the world be SO much of a better place if all Mondays were cupcake Mondays?! I vote yes. I wish I were kicking off my tomorrow with these!
I agree! Would be so much better 🙂 Hope you are doing great dear.
Those look scrumptious! Love the use of the blood orange juice in the frosting, it lends it such a pretty color 🙂
Thanks June!
Blood oranges are my Mum’s favourite! And I know she loves chocolate (like any reasonably human does!) so these cupcakes are sure to be a winner next time I bake her up a treat 🙂 I love the gorgeous candied citrus dipped in chocolate too. So pretty!
I have some blood oranges left over from a recent recipe I tested. I know just how to put them to good use! These cupcakes are lovely!
Those cupcakes are so cute! Blood orange and chocolate sound yummy together 🙂
These cupcakes are just too pretty! And chocolate + blood orange sounds amazing….have to try it!
Thanks Denise!