Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

Instead of stingy, grumpy misers, our modern day Scrooges are economic analysts and opposition politicians. This week I was under the cloud of economic doom and gloom, a smothering depression after a particularly vicious forecast I heard. So naturally I went straight home and enveloped myself in sugar and butter. These cupcakes were just the ticket. The cupcake is sweet but with an orange tang. I don't know who originally put these two flavours together but congratulations to Terry's for maximising on the chocolate orange combo!

From Primrose Bakery Book

110g butter softened
225 caster sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
150g self raising flour
125g plain flour, sifted
90ml milk
2 tbsp orange juice
grated rind of 1 orange.

1. Cream the butter and sugar for about 3-5 minutes until smooth. Add a tbsp of the egg at a time with a tbsp of the flour to prevent curdling until all the egg is gone. Beat well after each addition.
2. Pour in half the milk and beat well. Add a third of the remaining flours. Beat in the remainder of the milk and orange juice.
3. Finish with folding in the rest of the flour and orange rind.
4. Fill the cupcake tins two thirds full and bake for about 25 minutes until slightly golden brown.
5. Allow to cool.

Chocolate buttercream
175g chocolate melted
225g butter softened
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g icing sugar

Beat the butter, milk, vanilla and icing sugar together for about 3 minutes until smooth. Beat in the melted chocolate.