Fruity Orange Cupcakes With Orange Choco Ganache

I feel that this refreshing spongy cupcakes can be a great treat with a cup of tea on a Christmas afternoon with friends and family :)

Chocolates and oranges work really well together, Abby loves it, we all do :)
Especially when it's an oh so rich orange with dark chocolate ganache on soft pillowy orange cupcake, not to mention the mouthwatering fresh fruits on top

What you need:

140g cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 eggs, separate the yolks from the whites
180g caster sugar (divide 140g and 40g)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp orange zest
40ml orange juice
40ml fresh milk

Orange choco ganache:
450ml orange juice
160g dark chocolate

For deco:
canned oranges
fresh cranberries
fresh kiwis

Preheat oven to 180deg, line cupcake pans with muffin liners, set aside
Sieve flour, baking powder and salt, set aside
Beat egg yolks and 140g sugar on high speed til thick and pale
Add in fresh milk, orange juice and vanilla essence, beat on low speed til evenly mixed
Fold in the mixture into the sifted flour mixture with spatula til well mixed
On separate bowl, beat on high speed egg whites til frothy
Gradually add in 40g sugar and continue beating til soft peak
Put in 1/3 of the flour mixture into the egg whites mixture and stir with spatula til well mixed and then pour back into the remaining flour mixture
Fold in til evenly mixed
Pour the batter onto the muffin liners til 3/4 full, bake 12 minutes approximately or til cooked

How to make ganache:
Chop dark chocolate and put in mixing bowl
Boil orange juice til left only 170ml pass through sieve, pour on the chopped dark chocolate
Stir til smooth and leave overnight in the fridge to firm

Make a dent at the centre top of cupcakes, brush with syrup from canned oranges and fill in with ganache
Top up with fresh fruits (I used fresh cranberries, fresh kiwis and canned oranges)

See, even Santa also can't wait to eat them hohoho....

I'm submitting this cuppies to Aspiring Bakers #14: Creative Christmas Bakes (December 2011) hosted by Hankerie