Anna Louise Chocolate orange cupcakes are the cupcake for people who find plain chocolate cupcakes slightly predictable. The orange zest in the sponge gives a vivid, slightly floral citrus note that lifts the chocolate and makes the sponge taste more complex and more interesting.
The chocolate orange buttercream — with cocoa, orange zest, and a little fresh orange juice — gives a frosting that is simultaneously rich, dark, and bright.
These are the cupcakes I make for Christmas bake sales, for orange-loving friends’ birthdays, and for any occasion where something more specific and more interesting than a plain chocolate cupcake is wanted.
The combination of chocolate and orange is so consistently popular that these reliably disappear faster than anything else on the table.
The decoration — a swirl of chocolate orange buttercream, a small slice of candied orange, and a little grated orange zest — is simple but genuinely beautiful.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Chocolate Orange Cupcakes
For the Chocolate Orange Cupcakes (Makes 12)
- 100g unsalted butter, softened
- 175g golden caster sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 100g self-raising flour, sifted
- 40g good quality cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Finely grated zest of 1 large unwaxed orange
- 1 tbsp fresh orange juice
For the Chocolate Orange Buttercream
- 175g unsalted butter, softened
- 300g icing sugar, sifted twice
- 40g good quality cocoa powder, sifted
- Finely grated zest of 1 large unwaxed orange
- 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1–2 tbsp whole milk — if needed to reach the right consistency
- Pinch of fine salt
To Decorate
- 12 thin slices of candied orange — one per cupcake
- Extra grated orange zest
- A dusting of cocoa powder (optional)
- Small pieces of dark chocolate (optional)
How to Make Mary Berry Chocolate Orange Cupcakes
Step 1 — Preheat and Prepare
Preheat your oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Line a 12-hole deep muffin tin with paper cupcake cases.
Step 2 — Make the Cupcake Batter
Beat the softened butter and golden caster sugar together for three to four minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add the vanilla extract, orange zest, and orange juice.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder into the bowl. Add the milk. Fold gently until just combined — the batter will be rich and dark.
Step 3 — Fill and Bake
Divide the batter evenly between the twelve cupcake cases — fill each approximately two-thirds full. An ice cream scoop gives consistent, even portions.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until risen, set, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The tops should be set but not cracked.
Leave to cool in the tin for five minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely — at least 45 minutes — before frosting.
Step 4 — Make the Chocolate Orange Buttercream
Beat the softened butter alone on medium-high speed for four full minutes until very pale and genuinely fluffy.
Add the double-sifted icing sugar and cocoa powder in two batches, beating well after each. Add the orange zest, orange juice, and salt. Beat for two more minutes until smooth, glossy, and light. Add milk one tablespoon at a time if needed to reach a smooth, pipeable consistency.
Taste — the buttercream should be clearly chocolatey, clearly orange-scented, and well-balanced. Add a few more drops of orange juice if the orange seems mild.
Step 5 — Pipe and Decorate
Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle. Pipe a generous, confident swirl onto each completely cooled cupcake — starting at the outer edge and spiralling inward and upward to a peak.
Place a small slice of candied orange on top of each swirled cupcake. Scatter a little extra orange zest. Dust very lightly with cocoa powder if using.
My Top Tips For Perfect Chocolate Orange Cupcakes
Beat butter alone for four minutes. Every buttercream recipe on this site carries this instruction — because it makes the difference every time. Four minutes of beating butter alone creates the aerated base that gives a light, silky chocolate orange buttercream rather than a dense, heavy one.
Use orange zest in both the sponge and the buttercream. Orange zest in the sponge gives fragrance that bakes into every bite of the chocolate cake. Orange zest in the buttercream gives freshness and vivid citrus fragrance in the frosting. Together they give a coherent, vivid orange character throughout every component.
Fresh orange juice in the buttercream — not extract. Orange extract gives a slightly artificial, slightly flat character compared to the vivid, fragrant fresh orange juice. Two tablespoons of fresh juice is the right amount — enough to give a clear orange flavour without making the buttercream too liquid.
Candied orange slices as decoration. Shop-bought candied orange slices give a professional, elegant decoration that suits the flavour completely. If you cannot find candied orange, a thin slice of fresh orange with the peel on, briefly torched with a kitchen torch if you have one, gives a similar effect.
The cocoa in the buttercream needs double-sifting. Cocoa powder lumps are almost invisible in a light-coloured buttercream but very visible in a chocolate one. Double sifting eliminates every lump before it has a chance to appear in the finished frosting.
Serving Suggestions
At a birthday party — on a tiered stand they look genuinely impressive. At a Christmas bake sale — chocolate orange is a specifically Christmas flavour for many people. As an afternoon treat for anyone who loves the chocolate orange combination.
How to Store Chocolate Orange Cupcakes
At room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
In the freezer: Freeze unfrosted cupcakes individually wrapped for up to 3 months. Add the buttercream fresh after defrosting.
Try These Recipes
- Mary Berry Apple Sponge Cake
- Mary Berry Chocolate And Orange Marble Cake
- Mary Berry Carrot Cake Muffins
- Mary Berry Chocolate Orange Cheesecake
Mary Berry Chocolate Orange Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake cases.
- Beat butter and sugar 3–4 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla, orange zest, and juice. Sift in flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Add milk — fold gently.
- Divide between cases — two-thirds full. Bake 18–20 minutes until risen and skewer comes out clean. Cool in tin 5 minutes — transfer to wire rack. Cool completely.
- Beat softened butter alone 4 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add double-sifted icing sugar and cocoa powder in 2 batches. Add orange zest, orange juice, and salt — beat 2 minutes. Add milk if needed. Taste and adjust orange.
- Pipe a generous swirl onto each cooled cupcake using a large star nozzle. Place candied orange slice on top. Scatter extra zest. Dust lightly with cocoa.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add Terry’s Chocolate Orange pieces to the sponge?
Yes — 50g of Terry’s Chocolate Orange (chopped into small pieces) folded through the batter give extra pockets of chocolate orange intensity throughout the sponge.
Can I use Jaffa Cake as decoration instead of candied orange?
Yes — a half Jaffa Cake pressed into the buttercream gives a fun, recognisable decoration that suits the chocolate orange theme perfectly. Particularly popular for children’s birthday parties.
Can I make a larger cake with this recipe?
Yes — double the quantities and bake in two 20cm round sandwich tins at the same temperature for 22 to 26 minutes. Fill and top with the chocolate orange buttercream for a celebration layer cake.
Why is my chocolate orange buttercream grainy?
The cocoa powder was not sifted thoroughly enough and left small lumps, or the butter was too cold when beating began. Sift twice and ensure the butter is genuinely at room temperature.
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