Chocolate Cupcake w/white chocolate & orange frosting

I was in the mood for something orange and had the idea to dip some cupcakes in chocolate that I had left over from when? I have no idea!

So, the other day (I’m horrible at updating when I bake) I did some chocolate cupcakes which I dipped the top in white chocolate and made orange Swiss meringue buttercream and viola! Delicious cupcakes.

I would have loved just the chocolate cupcake with white chocolate. No lie, they tasted like the oreo cookies ‘n cream candy bars.

So delicious! The recipe for the cupcake was simple. Just taken off the back of the Hershey’s Cocoa container. It’s called Hershey’s “perfectly chocolate” chocolate cake.

Let’s see if I can get all the ingredients in the recipes this time! Just copying from their website:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water *I only used 1/2 cup of water. I didn’t want a thin batter. It turned out fantastic!
• “PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE” CHOCOLATE FROSTING(recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.*Mine made about 19 cupcakes.

Frosting recipe:

Ingredients:

• 4 large egg whites
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups room temperature unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions:

1. In the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, whisk together the egg whites and brown sugar together. Continue whisking until the mixture becomes too hot to touch comfortably which is about 7 to 10 minutes. Or until you can no longer feel sugar granules.
2. Transfer the mixture to the electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until the egg whites hold a stiff peak or about 8 minutes.
3. Add the butter about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until incorporated.
4. Add flavoring. Depending how strong you want it. For orange extract I put in 2 teaspoons.

The white chocolate was just creamy white discs that were melted in the microwave. I heated it for 30 second intervals and then stirred until it was all melted. Then dipped the cupcakes on their tops. Some got more than others!