It's not Terry's, it's mine.

The humble chocolate orange starts to get a lot of attention around this time of year.  Dawn French will start to pop up on our screens, violently defending and hiding her Christmas treat, and who can blame her?  The combination of chocolate and orange is a classic, so why shouldn't it work in a cupcake?

These cupcakes had (past tense, all scoffed!) a chocolate orange sponge and buttercream, with fresh orange juice and rind, and were topped with a segment of chocolate orange.  

Carrot & cardamom cupcakes

I often sit and reminisce about my childhood with my big sister, and during one particular conversation I was reminded about the Indian sweets we used to have as children.  It was always a rare, but delightful surprise, when my father would come home with a box of the most sweet and exotic smelling treats I have ever come across in my life.

With one sniff of a cardamom pod I am immediately taken back to my childhood, so I felt it absolutely necessary to create a carrot & cardamom cupcake.

This fragrant cupcake was also scented with a hint of ginger, with toasted pecans for a slight crunch and topped with an orange buttercream frosting.

I have to say, these may be my favourites so far...