Crème-filled Chocolate Orange Cupcakes (vegan!)

Oh, yes, here it is. Someone asked for the vegan cupcakes. See, we at Dessert Club are highly tolerant confectioners and welcome any number of creative and alternative treats as long as they meet the theme and taste amazing. Chocolate also helps.

In these particular cupcakes, the POW of orange buttercream filling was a delightful surprise, and the cupcake's texture was so perfect I was frankly amazed they had no eggs. But I didn't miss them, not one bit. (By the way, how do you like my cupcake pedestal?)

Crème-filled Chocolate Orange Cupcakes (print recipe)
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 T orange zest
Orange Buttercream Filling (recipe follows)
Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners.

2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together orange juice, canola oil, vanilla, and orange zest. Pour wet ingredients into dry mixture and whisk until thoroughly combined.

4. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners until each cup is 2/3 full. Bake for about 17 to 20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

5. Once cupcakes are completely cool, fill each cupcake with Orange Buttercream using a pastry bag with a narrow tip (from the top.) Spread Chocolate Ganache evenly over each cupcake and top with 2 slices of candied or fresh orange peel. Makes 12 cupcakes

Orange "Buttercream" Filling
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup refined coconut oil at room temperature*
1 T orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice

In the bowl of a standard mixer, combined powdered sugar, coconut oil, and zest. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. With the mixer running, add 1 T of orange juice at a time, until the desired buttercream consistency is reached. (*If you don't have refined coconut oil, you can make it without - it will just be more glazey than buttercreamy. Increase the sugar a bit to make it thicker.)
Chocolate Ganache
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 T almond milk
1 T refined coconut oil at room temperature

Using a double boiler or microwave, melt chocolate chips and almond milk in a medium bowl. Whisk in coconut oil until smooth.
Recipe from Chloe Coscarelli via VegNews.com and Dessert Club member A.J.