Recipe of the week - Cheats Super Quick 20min. Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

After being invited to a rather impromptu picnic last weekend I decided to whip up a super quick batch of cupcakes, with mega cheat Dr Oetker cupcake chocolate icing. The whole lot took me under 30 mins, whilst getting Honey's lunch packed, my makeup on and all of us out the door. This never happens, and what's even better is that they went down a storm. I was dubious using ready made icing, but it was actually very good, more of a gooey ganache than a normal buttercream icing, but I prefer that anyway. I love cupcakes and my all time never fail recipe book for such is The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook by Tarek Malouf. I adapted this from their vanilla cupcake recipe, and if you have time a real chocolate ganache or buttercream is obviously better but Dr Oetker is definitely my no. 1 favourite cheat at the moment! The mix always seems a little too liquidy but go with it, it works. I do find though I never have enough mix for 12 cupcakes, just 11, hence the 12 hole tray lined with 11 paper cases. 

Ingredients
120g plain flour

140g caster sugar

1 ½ tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

40g unsalted butter, at room temperature

120ml whole milk

1 egg

Grated zest of one large orange

Dr. Oetker chocolate cupcake icing

edible sprinkles, to decorate

a 12-hole cupcake tray, lined with 11 paper cases

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) Gas 3.

Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Gradually pour in half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated.

Whisk the egg, grated orange zest and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until smooth. Do not overmix.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until light golden and the sponge bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean.

Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. When the cupcakes have cooled, pipe with your chosen nozzle from the top of the Dr Oetker nib and sprinkle with edible decorations.

ready made icing.... ssssh!