Sunken Chocolate-Orange Cupcakes

Decadent chocolate cupcakes with a rich blend of ground almonds, dark chocolate, and bright orange zest. These deliberately sunken cupcakes have a brownie-like texture and are perfect served warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

12 servings

37 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 cup blanched almonds
•8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
•½ cup unsalted butter
•4 large eggs, separated
•1 cup sugar
•2 teaspoons orange peel
•1 serving whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Cooking Instructions

1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place almonds in processor. Using on/off turns, blend until nuts are coarsely ground.
5 min
2.
Line 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Microwave chocolate and butter in small bowl on high 30 seconds; stir. Microwave until almost melted, about 30 seconds longer. Stir to combine. Cool chocolate mixture until barely lukewarm but still liquid, about 5 minutes. Whisk egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl until blended. Mix in orange peel, ground almonds, and chocolate mixture.
10 min
3.
Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in another large bowl until mixture is thick and glossy and peaks form. Fold egg-white mixture into chocolate mixture in 3 additions. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups (about 1/3 cup batter in each). Bake until edges are firm and tops are cracked all over, about 16 minutes for very soft cake or about 22 minutes for firmer cake. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm in microwave in 10-second intervals before serving.
22 min

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place almonds in processor. Using on/off turns, blend until nuts are coarsely ground.

5 min

Line 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Microwave chocolate and butter in small bowl on high 30 seconds; stir. Microwave until almost melted, about 30 seconds longer. Stir to combine. Cool chocolate mixture until barely lukewarm but still liquid, about 5 minutes. Whisk egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl until blended. Mix in orange peel, ground almonds, and chocolate mixture.

10 min

Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in another large bowl until mixture is thick and glossy and peaks form. Fold egg-white mixture into chocolate mixture in 3 additions. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups (about 1/3 cup batter in each). Bake until edges are firm and tops are cracked all over, about 16 minutes for very soft cake or about 22 minutes for firmer cake. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm in microwave in 10-second intervals before serving.

22 min