Orange, Chocolate Cup Cakes..

Today I felt like making some pretty cupcakes with lovely looking frosting. I've never experimented with vegan butter cream either, but finally decided to take the plunge! I'm happy I did, so here you go, vegan orange chocolate cup cakes!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 2/3 cup water

1/3 cup oil

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup whittakers dark chocolate chips/chunks

orange zest from one orange

juice from two oranges

Ok so first you need to mix all the dry ingredients together, then in a separate bowl mix all the wet ingredients and then combine slowly and add the chocolate chunks last. Put mixutre into cup cake papers or tins and bake for appoximately 15 mins.

Butter Cream Frosting:

1 Tbsp vegetable shortening

3 Tbsp vegan margarine

2 cps icing sugar

2 freshly squeezed oranges (the juice)

1/4 block melted dark chocolate

orange zest to decorate

Mix shortening and margarine until well combined, light and fluffy. If you don't have an electric mixer just use a whisk and or fork - that's what I did. Sure your arm get's sore but it works the same! Then mix in icing sugar a little at a time and lastly melted dark chocolate. I sprinkled vegan cocoa on top and used orange zest to decorate.