Recipe for chocolate orange buttercream icing?

leahyl

Anyone got a recipe for this that doesn't use melted dark chocolate? (I don't have any and want to make them tonight) would like one that uses cocoa that makes enough icing to ice 12-16 cupcakes - I don't want a load of icing left over.

Thanks :-)

I should probably also say that I will be piping the icing onto the cupcakes a la hummingbird bakery :-P so I guess I'd need a good bit of icing but not so much that there is loads left over!

I also don't have that much icing sugar left - around 350g left in the bag I'd say!

Faith

Have you got the hummingbird bakery book? I'd use their chocolate buttercream icing recipe (it uses cocoa), and add orange zest. You could substitute some milk for orange juice or orange liquor too, maybe? Or else add a few drops of orange extract, if you have it. I'm reluctant to say use all orange juice instead of milk, because I think the fat in the milk plays a role... But I'd say you could play around with it!

leahyl

Faith wrote: »

Have you got the hummingbird bakery book? I'd use their chocolate buttercream icing recipe (it uses cocoa), and add orange zest. You could substitute some milk for orange juice or orange liquor too, maybe? Or else add a few drops of orange extract, if you have it. I'm reluctant to say use all orange juice instead of milk, because I think the fat in the milk plays a role... But I'd say you could play around with it!

Hi Faith, I have the cake days one - and just looked at it again....and there's a recipe for buttercream icing ....:o I totally missed it sorry! It asks for 400g of icing sugar though - hope I have enough left! It asks for 50ml of milk so maybe I could do half orange juice and half milk?

threepennys

Most buttercream recipes will ask for 2 parts icing sugar to 1 part butter, but equal quantities of icing sugar and butter will give you a much less sickly buttercream. It's also much easier to pipe! No need to add milk, but if you're adding orange juice for your flavour, then you may need to use a little more icing sugar.

leahyl

threepennys wrote: »

Most buttercream recipes will ask for 2 parts icing sugar to 1 part butter, but equal quantities of icing sugar and butter will give you a much less sickly buttercream. It's also much easier to pipe! No need to add milk, but if you're adding orange juice for your flavour, then you may need to use a little more icing sugar.

Thanks threepennys - I'm very bad with measurements though so could you give me a basic recipe so for icing 12 cupcakes keeping in mind what you said above?

If I used say 200g icing sugar and 200g butter and 50g cocoa - would that work?

threepennys

I think those measurements should work quite well, and give you a decent quantity. What are you using for the orange flavour? I'd say a couple of tablespoons of juice and some grated rind would be about right, or a few drops of essence.
Buttercream is very forgiving - as Faith said, you can play about with it until you've got the right consistency/flavour.

I made mint choc chip cupcakes the other day - delicious!

leahyl

threepennys wrote: »

I think those measurements should work quite well, and give you a decent quantity. What are you using for the orange flavour? I'd say a couple of tablespoons of juice and some grated rind would be about right, or a few drops of essence.
Buttercream is very forgiving - as Faith said, you can play about with it until you've got the right consistency/flavour.

I made mint choc chip cupcakes the other day - delicious!

Thanks a mil for your advice!! I'm trying to make a really good cupcake like the ones you'd get in a really good bakery! I'll use a bit of orange juice and rind for the icing? How much orange juice - maybe half an orange?

threepennys

leahyl wrote: »

I'll use a bit of orange juice and rind for the icing? How much orange juice - maybe half an orange?

I reckon about a couple of tablespoons, which is probably the same as about half an orange!

Here's a recipe that I used for my chocolate cupcakes the other day - they're lovely and moist with a really nice chocolatey flavour:

4 large eggs
180g self-raising flour
40g cocoa
20g drinking chocolate
240g caster sugar
240g margarine
1/2 tsp baking powder

Mix all ingredients together at a low speed (or by hand) for about 2 minutes.
Fill cases two-thirds full.
Bake at 150 C for 25mins approx.

Happy baking!

leahyl

threepennys wrote: »

leahyl wrote: »

I'll use a bit of orange juice and rind for the icing? How much orange juice - maybe half an orange?

I reckon about a couple of tablespoons, which is probably the same as about half an orange!

Here's a recipe that I used for my chocolate cupcakes the other day - they're lovely and moist with a really nice chocolatey flavour:

4 large eggs
180g self-raising flour
40g cocoa
20g drinking chocolate
240g caster sugar
240g margarine
1/2 tsp baking powder

Mix all ingredients together at a low speed (or by hand) for about 2 minutes.
Fill cases two-thirds full.
Bake at 150 C for 25mins approx.

Happy baking!

Thanks so much!

leahyl

I didn't do your recipe threepenneys but I will in future!

I did the hummingbird cake days recipe for chocolate orange cupcakes and then did a buttercream icing with 200g icing sugar, 200g unsalted butter and 50g cocoa and then juice of half an orange, which to be honest didn't give much of an orange flavour but the buttercream was still yum! The sponge had a slight taste of orange from the orange rind so all in all they turned out really well with my swirly icing on top:D

Thanks to you and Faith for your advice:)

threepennys

leahyl wrote: »

Thanks to you and Faith for your advice:)

You're welcome leahyl! Glad they turned out ok - they sound delicious

Faith

It's pretty hard to get orange flavour from orange juice, I think. Something more concentrated like orange extract or an orange liquor works better in small quantities, but they're harder to get hold of . Glad they worked out!

Stench Blossoms

Yeh I was just gonna say what Faith said. I made orange buttercream a few weeks ago. Orange extract gives it a more 'orangey' flavour.

leahyl

threepennys wrote: »

You're welcome leahyl! Glad they turned out ok - they sound delicious

Took them into work today and there's only 2 left - should be gone by days end:D