Chocolate Orange Cupcakes with Orange Fond Royal Mousse

A harmonious combination of two great flavors, these Chocolate Orange Cupcakes with Orange Fond Royal Mousse will certainly satisfy any cravings! Rich cocoa and coffee infused cupcakes are piped with swirls of smooth, naturally flavored Orange Fond Royal Mousse and finished with a dark chocolate ganache drizzle.

Recipe by: Joan Repato

Level of Difficulty: Intermediate

Yield: 22 Cupcakes

Bake Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

Chocolate Orange Cupcake Batter

214g                            Unsalted butter, room temperature 

338g                            Granulated sugar

4                                  Whole eggs, room temperature

30g                              Orange Flavor Paste

160g                            All purpose flour

54g                              Cocoa Powder

5g                                Salt

2g                                Baking powder

1g                                Baking soda

125g                            Buttermilk

25g                              Strong coffee or espresso, hot

Orange Fond Royal Mousse

75g                               Cold water 

 300g                            Whipping cream

20g                               Orange Flavor Paste

1g                                 Orange Dry Colorant

65g                               Neutral Fond Royal

Dark Chocolate Ganache Drizzle & Garnish

 3 oz                              Belgian Chocolate 65%

2 oz                               Heavy cream, boiled

As desired                    Candied Orange Slices, cut into wedges

22                                 Carrara Punta chocolate decorations, if desired

Special Equipment and Assembly

Sifter for dry ingredients

Fine sieve

Pastry bags

Star tip

Scale for measuring ingredients

Instructions:

Chocolate Orange Cupcake Batter

1.) Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine all dry ingredients (all purpose flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder) and sift three times to ensure that they are blended well and free from clumps. Set aside.

2.) In a bowl, mix wet ingredients (buttermilk, hot coffee or espresso) until well blended. Set aside.

3.) In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar.

4.) Add 1 egg at a time to cream butter mixture; scrape bowl after each egg to prevent lumps in butter.

5.) Add Orange Flavor Paste and mix until everything is well combined.

6.) Alternating between your dry and wet ingredients, add each to your creamed butter mixture. Start with a third of the sifted dry ingredients (all purpose flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder), then add half of the wet ingredients (buttermilk and coffee). Continue alternating between dry and wet  until all remaining ingredients have been added, scraping the bowl after each addition. Do not overmix; batter will look lumpy, but no flour pockets or butter lumps should be present.

7.) Scoop batter into a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed on the top or a toothpick inserted into the center of each cupcake comes out clean. Cool on a rack completely before applying your Orange Fond Royal Mousse. *See recipe notes 

Orange Fond Royal Mousse

1.) Whip 300 grams of whipping cream to medium peaks and set aside.

2.) In a separate bowl, mix cold water, Orange Flavor Paste and Orange Dry Colorant with a hand whisk until well blended. Add Neutral Fond Royal and whisk everything until well combined.

3.) Whisk 100g of your medium peak whipped cream into the orange fond royal mixture. Then, add the remaining 200 grams of whipped cream and fold together until fully combined.

4.) Place Orange Fond Royal Mousse inside a piping bag with a star tip. Pipe the prepared mousse on top of cooled cupcakes. Chill frosted cupcakes for about 1 hour to set before serving.

Dark Chocolate Ganache Drizzle & Garnish

1.) Pour boiled cream over dark chocolate and allow to sit for one minute.

2.) Whisk heavy cream and dark chocolate until all chocolate has melted and mixture is fully combined.

3.) Strain chocolate ganache through a fine sieve to ensure a smooth consistency.

4.) Place Dark Chocolate Ganache in a pastry bag; snip off a small piece in the corner to create a small opening and drizzle chocolate ganache over your mousse frosted cupcakes.

5.) If desired, decorate your frosted cupcakes with wedges of candied orange slices and Carrara Punta chocolate decorations.

6.) Store your cupcakes in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Pictured above: Soft, chocolatey cupcakes are baked to perfection and covered in light, fluffy Orange Fond Royal Mousse, drizzled with dark chocolate ganache and finished with candied orange slices and Carrara Punta chocolate décor.

Recipe Notes:

*If making your cupcakes ahead of time, wrap cupcakes tightly with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to frost with your Fond Royal Mousse.

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