Orange Poppy Seed Cupcakes With Chocolate Whipped Cream

recipe from Vanilla Garlic

makes 24 cupcakes

Cupcakes
3 cups of flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 pinch of salt
2 tablespoons of grated orange zest
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 cup of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup of orange juice (no pulp)
3/4 cup of poppy seeds

To make the cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, zest, salt and baking powder together in a bowl and set aside.

Place eggs and sugar in a mixer and beat on high for 30 seconds until light and fluffy.

Add the vanilla and oil and mix until just combined.

Add some of the dry ingredients and then the orange juice. Alternate the dry and wet ingredients, ending with the dry.

Stir in the poppy seeds. Scoop into cupcake papers about 3/4 full. Bake for 18-22 minutes, rotating the pan after the first 15 minutes. Check with a cake tester or toothpick for doneness.

 

Chocolate Whipped Cream

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup semisweet or dark chocolate

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

powdered sugar to taste

To make the frosting

Whip the cream until stiff peaks form.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 1 minute on high (screw a double boiler, this is just quicker for such a small amount). Stir it, then heat in small increments of time, stirring and watching. Be sure to not let it burn. Stir then let sit for 3-5 minutes. It should still be a liquid and should be warm.

Fold in 1/3 of the cream to the chocolate. Add the remaining cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar if desired.