Orange & almond cupcakes with chocolate ganache

I have been intending to write about these cupcakes for a long time. But, I did not have the nice photos till recently and so finally here they are! I made these for a friend's party and everybody loved them. So, I think they are good for public consumption!

Cupcakes, in general, I think, are an easy and fun dessert. They are individually portioned, so everyone feels special! And they indeed look much better on a tray than a cake sliced!

For this one, I just used store bought yellow cake mix and incorporated more flavors for just the right touch of special. And, to make them extra moist and fluffy, I added vanilla pudding to the batter. So what's the secret, you ask? Fresh orange jest, orange juice and ground roasted almonds! They add layers of flavor that hit you in quick succession with each bite.

While the cake in itself makes a wonderful dessert, topping off each one with chocolate ganache just makes its pure decadence! I made the ganache with a combination of bitter (70% cocoa) and milk chocolates. The bitter chocolate gives its a rich, deep chocolaty flavor while the milk chocolate cuts into the bitterness and adds extra creaminess.

Oh! Another little secret I learnt from Ina. When making the ganache add in a pinch of instant coffee or espresso. You don't taste the coffee at all but it subtly enhances the chocolate-y flavor. I don't know how or why, but it does! :)

So go on! You have the recipe now. Enjoy these sweet little treats filled with nutty zing and finessed with rich chocolate...

And, special Thanks to my friend, AK, for taking these great photos! :)


Orange & Almond Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache
(serves 12)

For the cake:
1/2 box of yellow cake mix
3/4 cup roasted almonds ground fine + 12 for garnish
1/2 cup vanilla pudding (optional)
1/4 cup orange juice
zest of 1 orange
1/4 cup water
2 T vegetable oil
2 eggs

For the ganache:
3 oz bitter sweet chocolate chopped
3 oz semi sweet chocolate chopped
1/2 tsp instant coffee
1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix in all the cake ingredients to a smooth consistency. Do not over whisk the batter else you will end up with denser muffins than cup cakes! Spoon batter into a muffin pan filling each cup until three-fourths full. Bake for 30 minutes until the tops are golden and the cup cakes are springy to touch. When done cool on a rack.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips in the cream over a double boiler. The double boiler ensures that the chocolate melts gradually and doesn't burn. Stir in the coffee. Slowly stir the mixture until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Remove the ganache off the heat and let cool for a few minutes. It will thicken just a bit in this time. Dip each cooled cupcake into the ganache and place on a rack. Dip a second time if the coat is thin. Let cool for a few minutes and top each cupcake with a whole roasted almond.

Serve and relish!