For me, the taste of chocolate and orange brings back a lot of childhood memories.  One of my favourite treats when I was young was Jacob’s Club Orange Chocolate Bar.  It’s a orange-flavoured wafer biscuit coated with chocolate.  It’s absolutely delicious !  So when I was thinking about a cupcake recipe, this combination came to my mind.

For the cupcakes

• 1+1/2 cups cake and pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (120g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• zest of one large orange
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 +1/2 teaspoon pure orange extract
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside
3. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy
4. Add eggs, orange juice, orange zest, milk and the 2 extracts, mix until blended
5. Mix in flour mixture in 2-3 portions
6. Pour into baking tins lined with baking cups, about 2/3 full
7. Bake for about 20 minutes
   
8. Cool completely before frosting

For the chocolate frosting

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (150 g), at room temperature
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

1. Sift together icing sugar and cocoa powder
2. Melt chocolate in a bowl over a pot of simmering water, cool slightly
3. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter until creamy
4. Add milk and vanilla
5. Add sugar and cocoa powder in 2-3 portions, mix well after each addition, scraping sides of bowl
6. Add melted chocolate, mix until smooth