Orange Filled Chocolate Cupcakes With Fondant Food

ORANGE-FILLED CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH FONDANT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Bake cupcakes as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in large microwavable bowl, place marshmallows and 1 tablespoon of the water. Microwave uncovered on High 30 seconds; stir. Microwave 30 seconds longer; stir until smooth. Fold in 3/4 cup of the powdered sugar. Stir in vanilla.
• Generously grease hands and counter with some of the shortening. Turn marshmallow mixture onto counter. Sprinkle 1 cup of the powdered sugar over marshmallow mixture and knead as you would dough. Continue to add the remaining 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, greasing hands and counter often to prevent sticking. If fondant begins to tear, it is too dry; add remaining water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, and knead until fondant forms a firm, smooth, elastic ball that will stretch without tearing, about 8 minutes. Wrap fondant in a double thickness of plastic wrap, squeezing out any air; set aside.
• In small microwavable bowl, place 2/3 cup of the frosting; set aside. To the remaining frosting, add 4 drops of the yellow food color, 2 drops of the red food color and the orange extract; stir until uniformly tinted. Fit round tip in decorating bag (opening about 1/8 to 1/4 inch in diameter). Spoon frosting into decorating bag. Insert tip in center of 1 cupcake, about halfway down. Gently squeeze decorating bag, pulling upwards until cupcake swells slightly and frosting comes to the top (filling cupcake with about 1 tablespoon frosting). Repeat with remaining cupcakes.
• Microwave reserved 2/3 cup frosting uncovered on High 10 seconds or just until melted. Spoon 1 scant teaspoon frosting on top of each cupcake; spread evenly, using back of spoon.
• Cut fondant in half; rewrap other half. (When not working with fondant, keep it covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.) On surface dusted with powdered sugar, roll fondant until 1/8 inch thick. Using 3-inch round biscuit or scalloped cookie cutter, cut 12 rounds, rerolling if necessary. Wrap remaining scraps of fondant in plastic wrap; set aside for decorating. Drape 1 fondant round over each of 12 cupcakes, gently shaping over top. Repeat with remaining fondant and cupcakes.
• Tint a walnut-size piece of reserved fondant with green food color; wrap in plastic wrap. Tint remaining fondant scraps orange with remaining 6 drops of the yellow food color and remaining 3 drops of the red food color; roll until 1/8 inch thick. Using 1-inch pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter, cut out pumpkin shapes. Moisten fondant on each cupcake and arrange cutouts on top.
• Pinch small pieces of green-tinted fondant and shape into small oblong stems; moisten tops of orange fondant pumpkins and arrange green stems on top.

CREME-FILLED CHOCOLATE ORANGE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners.
• In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together orange juice, canola oil, vanilla, and orange zest.
• Pour wet ingredients into dry mixture and whisk until thoroughly combined.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners until each cup is 2/3 full.
• Bake for about 17 to 20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
• For the filling, combine first 3 ingredients in the bowl of a standard mixer.
• Beat on medium-high speed until combined.
• With the mixer running, add 1 tablespoon orange juice at a time, until the desired buttercream consistency is reached.
• For the ganache, use a double boiler or microwave to melt chocolate chips in a medium bowl.
• Whisk in coconut oil until smooth.
• If making Candied Orange Peel, peel thin slices of orange peel from the orange using a vegetable peeler.
• In a small saucepot, place the orange peels and add ½ cup water.
• Bring to a boil and let cook for 5 minutes.
• Drain the water, place the peels back in the pot, and refill with ½ cup water.
• Bring the water to a boil again, let cook for 5 minutes, and drain.
• Repeat this process one more time to release the bitterness from the orange peels.
• Bring ¼ sugar, ¼ cup of water, and the orange peels to a boil and let cook on medium/high heat until liquid bubbles away.
• Remove from heat, spread peels out to cool on parchment paper.
• Once the candied peels have semi-dried (about 10 minutes), roll them in the remaining sugar until thoroughly coated.
• Store in refrigerator or freezer.
• When cupcakes are cool, fill each with Orange Buttercream Filling using a pastry bag with a narrow tip.
• Spread Chocolate Ganache evenly over each cupcake.
• Top with two slices of Candied Orange Peel, if using.