Chocolate-Orange Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• rind of 1 orange
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

• 6 oz bittersweet chocolate
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350º F. Line 12 muffin tin cups. Dissolve the cocoa in the water and set aside. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl, then add the orange zest. In another bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar. Whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla, then mix in the cocoa mixture. Finally whisk in the melted butter and then the dry ingredient mix. Pour into the muffin cups, filling halfway, and bake 15-20 minutes. While baking, you can make the frosting: Melt the chocolate and cool to room temperature, then beat the butter and sugar together for about 3 minutes and then beat in the chocolate. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes, and refrigerate to set frosting if necessary.