Gluten Free Chocolate,
Rum, & Orange Cupcakes

gluten free
These look like a lot of trouble, but they really come together quite nicely.  Gluten-free too!    Makes 12.
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Cupcake Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar 2 large eggs 1 & 1/2 cups
gluten free flour 1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup of cocoa 1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla juice and zest of one orange
3 tbsp rum
12 paper cupcake liners
Filling Ingredients
3.5 oz bar of dark chocolate
2/3 cup cream
1 tablespoon of rum Zest of half an orange, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of butter
Icing Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 & 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
4 tsp rum
zest of 1/2 orange
Steps for Cupcakes
  1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa.   Set aside.  
  2. Place milk, vanilla, orange juice, orange zest, and rum in a separate bowl.  Set aside. 
  3. Cream together butter and sugar with mixer until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well before adding each one.
  4. Add half the flour mixture on low speed to keep it from flying everywhere.
  5. Next add half the milk mixture and mix.  Add rest of flour and milk mixtures; mix well.
  6. Place cupcake liners in a muffin tin and spoon the batter into them.  Bake in preheated 375° F oven for 20 minutes.   Test doneness by sticking a knife or toothpick into the middle of a cupcake.  If it comes out clean, they are done.  
  7. Allow to cool completely.
Steps for Chocolate Filling
  1. Melt the chocolate over very low heat, stirring continuously.  Remove from heat just before it is melted completely, then continue stirring until smooth.
  2. Heat cream in a separate pan, heat cream until barely at a simmer.  Add the rum and orange zest.  
  3. Add the melted chocolate to the cream mixture and stir until smooth.  
  4. Add butter and allow to melt, stirring.
  5. Whisk the mixture until it is a smooth paste.  Cool completely.
  6. Using a small spoon or melon scoop, cut out a small hole in each cupcake's center - just about half-way through to make a tunnel.
  7. Put the chocolate filling into a ziplock bag.  Cut off one corner.  Squeeze chocolate filling into the tunnels.
Steps for Icing
  1. Mix together butter and sugar on low speed until softened.  Then  turn speed to high and beat until fluffy.  
  2. Add orange zest and rum, then beat again.  If it's too runny, just add a bit more confectioner's sugar.  
  3. Put the icing in a different ziplock bag, cut off the corner, and pipe the frosting onto cupcakes.   You can just spread it on with a rubber spatula, if you don't want to be fancy.