Cointreau and dark chocolate cupcakes to bring in the new year!

After a brief hiatus in my blogging career (largely due to the unrelenting study demands of my med degree followed by a whirlwind two-week trip to India), I am back in the blogosphere and more ready than ever to share my passion for cupcakes with you all! Whilst my blog posts of late have been few and far between, rest assured that my baking and cupcake decorating has continued in full force, and in between study, travels and much needed relaxation time, I have been devising many new recipes and decoration ideas. Now, feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and on the verge of a new and exciting year ahead, I am thrilled to share my latest cupcake project, crafted to evoke the celebratory mood and festive charm of New Year's Eve.

Sparkle cupcakes for a festive NYE!

My cointreau and dark chocolate celebration cupcakes embody the classically indulgent combination of rich, dark chocolate and fragrant, zesty orange. Being New Year, I decided to add a naughty alcoholic kick to the recipe with a (very) generous dash of cointreau liquor, once again pilfered from the family liquor cabinet! To further the decadent taste of these cakes, I used the best quality Lindt Orange Intense chocolate, and added creme fraiche to the basic recipe for an even moister, denser crumb. Here is the recipe I used for these cakes...
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line 12-hole muffin pan with silver foil liners
2. Melt 75g of orange flavoured dark chocolate and set aside to cool slightly
3. Cream together 85g of butter with 115g of caster sugar and add two eggs seperately to the mixture
4. Add 3 tablespoons of creme fraiche and mix in the melted chocolate
5. Sift 115g of self-raising flour into the mixture
6. Add 2 tablespoons of Cointreau liquor (or similar orange liquor) to the mixture and fold in
7. Bake for approximately 18 minutes or until risen, then remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack

For decoration, I sought to recreate the sparkle and glamour of NYE in all its glory, using edible glitter and gold and silver cachous to embelish each little cake. The cakes were frosted in a decadent dark chocolate and orange ganache, made using the same Lindt Orange Intense chocolate as was incorporated into the cake batter (simply pour warm cream over the chocolate to melt and create a luxurious, flowing ganache, adding a little butter for extra glossiness).

As a girl known well for my love of bling (no doubt a reflection of my Eastern European heritage, the same lineage which has given me a passion for all things leopard print!!) these cakes are the perfect reflection of the essence of NYE. A final decorative touch when serving the cakes will be provided by lit sparklers, ensuring that these cakes are as much an attraction as the fireworks themselves!

Happy NYE! Hope your new year is filled with sparkle, excitement and most importantly, cupcakes!!

Wishing everyone an amazing NYE and a wonderful year ahead and looking forward to sharing lots of cupcake projects with you all in the near future!!

xoxox
Anne