Chocolate Blood Orange Cupcakes

By avaspapa

Ingredients

• FOR THE CUPCAKES:
• 3/4 cups Cocoa Powder
• 1-1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1-1/2 cup White Sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 3/4 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 3/4 teaspoons Salt
• 2 Large Eggs
• 3/4 cups Warm Water
• 3/4 cups Buttermilk
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Blood Orange Zest
• FOR THE FROSTING:
• 8 Tablespoons Butter
• 3 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Milk Or Cream, Or More As Needed
• 2 Tablespoons Blood Orange Juice
• 1 teaspoon Blood Orange Zest

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside.

For the cupcakes, sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and blood orange zest zest. Mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed.

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

For the frosting, beat butter and powdered sugar together until well-mixed. Add milk, the juice and the zest and beat on high until light and fluffy (3 or 4 minutes). If the frosting is too thick, add more milk, a little at a time, and beat until incorporated.

Frost cupcakes as desired.