Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

My father in law is a big fan of Terry's Chocolate orange so I thought these would make a great Father's Day gift. I used a Primrose Bakery recipe and then finished them off with a selection of different flavoured Terry's Chocolate Orange segments.

Recipe

Makes 12

Ingredients

115g dark chocolate (70%)

90g unsalted butter, at room temperature

175g golden caster sugar

Grated zest and juice of 1 orange (75ml juice)

2 large eggs

185g plain flour, sifted

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp semi skimmed milk, at room temperature

Vanilla Buttercream

250g icing sugar

125g unsalted butter, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

12 Chocolate Orange segments

1. Preheat the oven to 180C or gas mark 4 and line a 12 hole muffin tray with paper cases.
2. Break the chocolate into pieces and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt on a medium setting in 30 second bursts until completely melted. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large mixing bowl cream the butter, sugar and orange zest until the mixture is pale and smooth, which should take 3-5 minutes using an electric hand mixer. Add the eggs and beat again briefly.
4. Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Mix the milk and orange juice in a jug.
5. Add the chocolate to the creamed mixture and beat on a low speed until the mixture is just combined. The batter will still be streaky. Add one third of the flour mix and beat until it all just comes together. Add half of the juice/milk mix and beat again until the mixture just comes together. Repeat these steps until all the ingredients have been incorporated.
6. Carefully spoon the mixture in to the cupcake cases, filling them to about two thirds full. Bake in the oven for about 28-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in their tins for about 10 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
7. Beat the butter in an electric mixer and then gradually mix in the icing sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until light and fluffy. Pipe a swirl on top of each cake and top with chocolate orange segment.