Chocolate Cupcakes with a Chocolate, Orange and Clove Infused Ganache Filling and a Chinese Spiced Tea Buttercream
Ingredients:
- 1 pound granulated sugar
- 10 ounces all-purpose flour
- 8 fluid ounces buttermilk
- 4 fluid ounces canola oil
- 3 1/2 ounces cocoa powder, such as Valrhona
- 1/2 fluid ounce Madagascar bourbon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 eggs
- Chocolate, Orange and Clove Infused Ganache Filling, recipe follows
- Chinese Spiced Tea Buttercream, recipe follows
- Chocolate curls, for garnish
- Orange sugar crystals, for garnish
- 1 pound granulated sugar
- 4 ounces cocoa powder, such as Valrhona
- 2 ounces cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 6 ounces dark chocolate, such as Valrhona
- 4 ounces unsalted butter
- 2 fluid ounces orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier
- 1 tablespoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon orange oil
- 8 ounces granulated sugar
- 4 ounces egg whites
- 2 pounds unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 pound confectioners' sugar
- 3 tablespoons loose Chinese mandarin orange tea
- 1 tablespoon loose Chinese mandarin orange tea, ground in a food processor and sifted to remove larger pieces
- 1 tablespoon Madagascar bourbon vanilla extract