And now for the recipe. You may read about the saga of making these things here. These got pretty rave reviews all around, and are extra delicious if you put them in the microwave for about fifteen seconds before you eat them. Yum…one of my favorites.
Orange-Chocolate Cupcakes with Nutella Ganache Filling and Hazelnut Buttercream Frosting
The cupcake recipe was modified from Ina Garten’s Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake (the recipe for which I actually found on Smitten Kitchen).
1⁄2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1⁄4 cup grated orange zest (from 4 large oranges)
3 cups all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons
1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
3⁄4 cup buttermilk at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups good semisweet chocolate chunks
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the orange zest.
3. Sift together 3 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine the orange juice, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately in thirds to the creamed butter, beginning and ending with the flour.
4. Melt the chocolate and add into the orange batter.
5. Pour 2/3 full into the cupcake wrappers, smooth the top, and
bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
Hazelnut Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
5 cups confectioner’s sugar
6 tablespoons Frangelico
Directions
1. Cream butter and shortening with mixer for 3 minutes on high speed.
2. Add Frangelico.
3. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. Mix on high speed for 5 minutes.
Nutella Ganache
8 ounces of Nutella
1⁄2 cup heavy cream
Directions
Melt the Nutella and heavy cream in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.
Assembly
1. After the cupcakes have had a chance to cool, scoop out the tops of the cupcakes with a mellon baller and cut off the “cone” part of the middle.
2. Drizzle in the Nutella ganache and replace the top of the cupcake.
3. Spread with the hazelnut frosting.
4. I decorated a few of them with leftover orange rind, but that’s optional.
ummm…wow! i’m impressed and drooling a little bit. i stick with recipes found on the back of key ingredients.
V, I’m goin’ choco-nuts here. I can’t even walk into a garden-variety supermarket and snag up all the chocolate varietals they’ve got thar on them thar’ shelves (do they only rerfer to this term for wine?).
When it comes to all things chocolate-y, I aim for a birdshot approach. I like to mix cheaper brands of the stuff with the more exotic types. I eschew the filled varieties, unless it’s with something creamy, or it’s either Austrian or German or Belgian — the Milka corporation (made by Kraft), in the purple wrapper, is actually some of the best. They have this one called Shoko und Keks, which is like a graham cracker, covered in white cream, smothered in milk chocolate. Jaggers, I’m having an mouthful orgasm now…
I’m hopelessly addicted to the stuff…and I’ve given up trying to resist. We must all have our vice, alas…
Nice going. I suppose if you were to fire some of these samples here off in the mail, they wouldn’t really last the journey to these fair Bohemian Shores, nah?
Oh well…guess it’s back to the supermarket for me.
Nice ! will definately give it a try.
Well! The title of these cupcakes says it all! And then the pictures seal the deal! Yumm!
how many cupcakes does this make?
Oooh, I can’t remember exactly. We filled two pans totally, so at least 24, then half of another one, so about 30. Cheers!
When I saw the recipe I said to myself that this would be great cupcake to make but I have quick question regarding the assembly regarding Step 1.
1. After the cupcakes have had a chance to cool, scoop out the tops of the cupcakes with a mellon baller and cut off the “cone” part of the middle.
By the time you are able to Drizle the Nutella ganache. When putting back the top then the top will be flimsy?
I want to make sure that the outcome of the cupcake is correct. By the way, I live in the Bay Area too.
Thanks.
Rowena
Sandra&Ernae, Thanks for posting this. I would luv to make these for my neice’s wedding only in supersize. Do you think I can use the frosting to make swirly kind of top and use some small fondant (ugh) floweres to decorate. I am a home baker and could use some suggestions. Again, Thanks for Sharing. Roseanna
I made these for a birthday party where it was requested I make “MORE CUPCAKES.” This was my first time making cupcakes with a filling and I will definitely be doing it again. They were so amazingly delicious and flew off the platter.
I’ve been challenging myself to make 50 new recipes a year and this was one of them. I loved making this, and thanks for posting the recipe.
Julia, I’m so glad they turned out well for you! Are you blogging about your 50 new recipes? I’d love to read about your experiences.
Hey,
These look amazing and I’m planning on making them for my boyfriend’s birthday, because they are pretty much everything he loves. However, I don’t really want to use/have to buy a whole bottle of Frangelico (especially since I don’t have my own kitchen). Is there any non-alcoholic substitute you would recommend?
Thanks,
S
I agree with Rowena, will it be flimsy, any suggestions? What does it mean “Cone” part? thanks ! !
First, apologies to Rowena—I just now realized I never replied to your question…
Secondly, the cone: to be metaphorical here, the “cone” part of the cupcake would be the dirt that you dig out of the hole. You need that space in the cupcake to put in the ganache filling.
Another way to put it would be to visualize the piece of the cupcake that is scooped out by the melon baller. There’s the flat part, that’s the top, and the bottom that (when I made these anyway) was a little cone-shaped.
That’s what I mean by cone. It’s Cupcake Bakeshop nomenclature, by the way. I’ve read Cheryl use it on her site.
Anyhow, no when I made these, the top was not particularly flimsy. What I would suggest if you are finding them flimsy is that perhaps you are cutting out too large a hole on top and that you should reduce the size of the hole. You should really only be scooping out the very middle of the cupcake. Another thing I would suggest is to not leave just the very top layer of cake on the cone. Leave enough so there is still a substantial piece of cake to lay on top—that way, no ganache will escape and leak out into the hazelnut frosting.
Good luck!!
Thanks, Sandra. I really want to try this. Now, I understand about the cone. Now, do I cut the top of the cupcake or just scoop? Which would be better to do?
I kept reading your response, Sandra. I think I got it now. Not this weekend, but I plan next weekend to give it a try ! ! They look delicious !
thanks, sheila
Thanks!,