Chocolate orange cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:

For the cupcakes
¾ cup (115gms) plain flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
⅔ cup (150gms) tightly packed brown sugar
⅔ of a stick (⅓ cup/75gms) unsalted butter
⅓ cup (35gms) natural cocoa powder
¼ cup (65mls) vegetable oil
2 large eggs
3 small oranges, zested
½ cup orange juice
For the chocolate orange frosting
(200gms) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 & ½ cups (400gms) icing sugar
½ cup (50gms) natural cocoa powder
2 oranges zested
¼ cup (65mls) orange juice
½ teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

To make the cupcakes
Pre-heat your oven to 340°F (170°C/150°C fan-forced). Line your muffin tins with patty pan or grease well with butter.
Sift the plain flour, baking powder and baking soda into a mixing bowl. Zest and juice the oranges.
Put the butter into a heat proof bowl and melt in the microwave. Sift in the cocoa powder and mix well.
Add the vegetable oil, orange zest and juice, eggs and vanilla and mix well.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until Just combined i.e. you can’t see any unmixed flour, Do not over mix or your will end up with flat rubbery cupcakes!
Divide the mix between the cupcakes. Bake for twenty minutes, or untill the top springs back when lightly pressed and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Allow to cool complety befor frosting if desired.
To make the chocolate orange frosting.
Zest and juice the oranges.
Add the butter to a large bowl or stand mixer. Sift in the icing sugar. Mix with electric hand beaters or stand mixer on low until just combined.
Sift in the cocoa powder and mix on low until just combined. Add the orange juice, zest and vanilla. Mix on medium until pale coloured.
Use a knife or spatula to spread on the cupcakes or transfer to a piping bag and pipe on. Decorate with some extra orange zest or orange sprinkles.