For the orange cupcakes
215g gluten-free plain flour • 133g caster sugar • 1.5tsp gluten-free baking powder • 1 pinch salt • 62.5g butter • 190ml orange juice • 62.5ml vegetable oil • 1/2tsp orange essence • 1 egg • 3 drops yellow food gel • 2 drops red food gel
For the orange frosting
150g butter • 300g icing sugar • 2tbsp orange juice • 2 drops orange essence • 2 drops yellow food gel • 1 drop red food gel •
To decorate
11tsp chocolate fudge ganache • 55 chocolate chips • 11 modelling chocolate hearts (plus gold edible dust)
To make the orange cupcakes…
- Pre-heat the oven to 160ºC and line a baking tray with cupcake cases
- Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl
- Add the wet ingredients and mix well with a hand mixer
- Use an ice cream scoop to transfer 2 scoops of the batter into each cupcake case
- Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes, then leave to cool whilst you prepare the frosting
To make the frosting…
- Whisk the butter with a hand mixer for 5 minutes
- Add the icing sugar in quarters and whisk until smooth
- Add the orange essence, orange juice and food gels
To decorate…
- Take use the tip of a wide round piping nozzle to take the core out of each cupcake
- Fill the centre of each cupcake with ready-made chocolate fudge ganache
- Pipe a double swirl of orange frosting on each cupcake with a star tipped nozzle
- Put 5 chocolate chips in the space inside the frosting swirl
- Roll out the modelling chocolate, cut out 11 hearts and brush gold edible dust on the hearts using a stencil
- Place the hearts on the cupcakes, forming a roof over the frosting and chocolate chips