Jaffa Cake cupcakes

These Jaffa Cake cupcakes are a celebration of the humble Jaffa Cake: chocolate sponge, a layer of orange jelly and a dark chocolate topping.

This jaffa cake cupcakes recipe is one I've adapted slightly over the years from one sent in by the wonderful Jenny of Mummy Mishaps - my main tweak is the addition of ganache rather than melted chocolate because when I go decadent, I go big!

Here's how to make 12 jaffa cake cupcakes.

Instructions

Put the marmalade and jelly in a small, heatproof bowl with 200ml (6.8 fl oz) boiling water.

Place in the microwave for 60 seconds until completely dissolved.

Lightly grease a baking tray about the same size as your muffin tin (you’re going to be cutting out 12 jelly rounds from it).

Pour the jelly into the tray, allow to cool, then place in the fridge to set – it may take up to an hour.

Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan, 350F). Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy.

Add the eggs and a spoonful of the flour and beat again.

Add the flour and cocoa powder and mix well to combine all of the ingredients.

Stir in the cola.

Line a 12 hole muffin tray with muffin cases and divide the cake batter between them.

Cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes (you can test that they’re cooked using a skewer - it should come out clean). Place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Remove the jelly from the fridge and using a very small pastry cutter or bottle lid, cut out rounds of jelly and put one on each cupcake. Cut out 12 rounds of jelly just slightly smaller that the tops of your cakes. Place a round of jelly on top of each cake.

Heat the cream, and pour it into the chocolate. Stir until you have a ganache.

Leave it to cool until thick enough to pile on top of each of the cakes. Leave to set completely.

Enjoy!

These gorgeous jaffa cake cupcakes are such a hit with everyone who tries them. The orange jelly is cool and fresh, the ganache is rich and creamy, and the chocolate sponge is light and flavoursome.

Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect jaffa cake cupcakes

Are jaffa cake cupcakes easy to make?

These jaffa cake cupcakes are really simple to make! The only thing to watch out for is when cutting out the jelly circles which are a little delicate, as they can tear if you are too rough with them.

However, even if this happens it's easy enough to piece them back together on top of the muffin, and it will be unnoticeable once frosted.

Will I need any special equipment for jaffa cake cupcakes?

No special equipment is needed to make these jaffa cake cupcakes that you won't find in any standard kitchen, but it's best to check the equipment list found near the top of the page just to make sure.

Where can I buy orange jelly?

All sorts of flavours of jelly are available in major supermarkets and most local shops in the UK.

If you are outside of the UK orange jelly will often still be available in larger food shops or online, but if not you can have a go at making your own using the recipe below.

How can I make orange jelly?

If you’re having trouble finding orange jelly you can also make your own. Use unflavoured gelatine and halve the amount of water you need to make traditional jelly, as it is much softer than the centre of a jaffa cake. Then use a 1:1 ratio of orange juice and water for that amount - so if the recipe calls for 400ml use 100ml water/100ml orange juice.

After that add sugar and orange marmalade to taste and wait for it to set. Around 15g of sugar and tsp of marmalade for every 100ml of water is about right.

You can also add a drop or two of orange essence and a splash of orange food colouring if you have them to hand.

How can I tell if my jelly has gone off?

Orange jelly will either come in a powder or concentrated cubes, so the advice is different depending on he type you have.

If it is in powder form and has been stored in a cool dry place it will generally last many months past its 'best before' date. If the package has been opened but well sealed and stored in a cool dry place it will last around 3 months, but do check that no moisture has crept in which will be most apparent as the dry powder will have started to stick together or plump up. If there are any signs of spoilage, either looking peculiar or tasting off then discard it.

If your jelly came in cubes any that you don’t want to use once opened should be stored in an airtight container and in the fridge. Use within a week of opening.

If you have already prepared the jelly powder/cubes into the wobbly stuff we all know and love it will last up to 2 days in the fridge.

Are jaffa cake cupcakes suitable for vegetarians?

These cupcakes are not suitable for vegetarians as the jelly that is being used uses gelatine from animal products. However, vegetarian jelly is available that uses gelling agents such as agar, carrageenan, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, gellan gum and maltodextrin.

Are jaffa cake cupcakes gluten-free?

These cupcakes are not gluten-free due to the self-raising flour used, however if you were to use a gluten-free self-raising flour they would be safe to eat.

This is of course assuming you check all the other ingredients too. The ones listed here are usually all gluten-free, but different brands will have different manufacturing methods, some of which will have ingredients that contain gluten, or produced in factories that can't guarantee cross contamination will not occur, so do check.

Are jaffa cake cupcakes healthy?

These jaffa cake cupcakes relatively high in sugar and carbohydrates, as practically all cupcakes are, so they are best left as an occasional treat.

Are jaffa cake cupcakes safe to eat while pregnant?

There is nothing in this recipe that would usually pose a risk to pregnant people as long as all the ingredients are in good condition and the cupcakes are prepared and cooked hygienically. 

Egg safety and advice for pregnant and breastfeeding people can vary in different countries so please check information local to you. 

If you have any questions or concerns please speak to a health professional, A Mummy Too does not give medical advice. 

What goes well with jaffa cake cupcakes?

I think a nice cup of tea or coffee, or a nice glass of milk, goes well with this cupcake. But if you wanted to push the orange theme even further you could have half a cupcake with a scoop of orange ice cream (there are a few brands in the UK that sell it), and maybe even topped with a sprinkling of diced candied orange peel for good measure.

Can I make jaffa cake cupcakes without cola?

Short answer: yes, you can use milk instead. The cola adds a little acidity to the cupcakes which is refreshing, as well as a hint of sweetness, but it's not absolutely necessary and could be substituted for skimmed milk.

You could also so simply use a different chocolate sponge recipe that doesn't contain cola. I think this one is particularly tasty.

I haven’t got orange jelly. Can I use a different flavour?

While orange and chocolate pair particularly well together that’s also true of other fruits and berries, so if you have any strawberry jelly, cherry jelly or other flavour to hand I think it could work rather well with these cupcakes. Let me know in the comments if you give it a try!

How should I store jaffa cake cupcakes? How long do jaffa cake cupcakes keep?

As these cupcakes contain a dairy frosting and a jelly centre they are best stored in an airtight container and in the fridge, were they will last for up to three days. 

I would take them out of the refrigerator 15 minutes before eating to give them a chance to come back up to room temperature. 

Can I leave jaffa cake cupcakes out on the counter?

As these cupcakes contain a cream-based frosting I would advise not leaving them on the counter for more than a couple of hours in total before eating.

Can I make jaffa cake cupcakes ahead?

You can happily make these cupcakes in advance, although I wouldn't recommend making them more than a day ahead as the sponge will begin to lose some of its moistness.

Can I keep jaffa cake cupcakes in the refrigerator?

Yes you can and yes you should. Do remember to take them out 15 minutes before you wan to each them and that if the temperature in your fridge is very cold you may find that condensation forms on the outside of the cupcake.

To prevent this bring them up to room temperature in an airtight container where the moisture in the air can't get to them

Can I freeze jaffa cake cupcakes? Will the ganache freeze OK? Will jelly freeze?

While sponge cake generally freezes very well, and the ganache on top of the cupcake should be fine too, unfortunately the jelly in the middle will not freeze well. It will become mushy upon defrosting as the ice crystals that form will break down the links in the gelatine, which is what gives jelly it's distinctive structure.

While this won't be quite such a problem as freezing a whole bowl of jelly, the the distinctive texture of a jaffa cake is a big part of the enjoyment, and so for this reason I wouldn't recommend freezing them. 

Can I make jaffa cake cupcakes in a different quantity?

You can make these cupcakes in any quantity you wish, just use the handy slider found in the recipe card below to adjust how many cupcakes you want to make. This will automatically adjust the ingredient quantities needed.

If you are reusing your muffin pan make sure that it is thoroughly cleaned in between bakes as dried or wet cake batter from a previous bake will make the muffin tops more likely to stick if they come in contact with the tin.

Can I make jaffa cake cupcakes in a tray?

I have a recipe for chocolate orange jelly squares that use a tin, but it may be possible to use a tray for this recipe too.

You would need to alter the steps a little for this to work though. For instance, the sponge would likely puff a little in the centre so it would need to be turned out and levelled off with a knife, before being placed back in the tray. After this, the jelly would need to be poured directly on top of the sponge and then set before the frosting is (delicately) added.

Can I make jaffa cake cupcakes in a stand mixer such as a KitchenAid or Kenwood Mixer?

Yes, you can happily use a stand mixer to mix up the batter if you prefer to not do it by hand.

How can I make sure my jaffa cake cupcakes are perfectly cooked?

For this particular recipe a perfectly cooked cupcake will start to have a little cracking and pitting on top and the edges will have started to darken just a little.

Why did my jaffa cake cupcakes turn out wet or undercooked?

The most common reason for this is that they simply weren't in the oven for long enough, although it can also be the case that an incorrect ratio of ingredients was added, so checked both of these things.

If the outside of your cupcakes are crisps and cooked through but the inside is still undercooked then it's probably because your oven temperature was too high so check this too.

Why didn’t my jaffa cake cupcakes rise?

Cupcakes in general do rise, but ideally they should have a flat or almost flat top which is perfect for frosting. So, as long as the crumb is nice and fluffy then don't worry about if your cupcake has risen.

However, if you have no rise in your cupcakes and the sponge is still quite dense the most likely culprit is is that the self-raising flour used is past its best and has lost some of its effectiveness, so check it is still in date.

Lastly, an overworked batter that has had the air produced from the self-raising flour knocked out of it can make your muffins denser than they should be.

Can I add extra orange to this jaffa cake cupcake? How can I add/change the flavours in these jaffa cake cupcakes?

There are many ways you could add some extra orange flavour to this cupcake! Here's some ideas:

• You could sprinkle some orange zest on top of your cupcakes for an extra-organy hit and slightly bitter taste that works really well with the sweetness of the cupcake.
• You could add more jelly to the centre of your cupcakes by using twice as much jelly in the tray or using two trays and double stacking your circles.
• You could fill the muffin trays with half the batter, dollop a little orange marmalade into the centre of each muffin (you shouldn't need more than a couple of teaspoons), cover with the remaining batter and then bake for tasty treat in the middle of the cupcake.

If you want to try something other than orange then the tips above would also work well if you replaced the orange flavour with lemon (jelly, ice cream, zest etc).

What is the origin of jaffa cake cupcakes? Where does jaffa cake cupcakes’s name come from?

Jaffa cake cupcakes are a creation of my own, which are a spin on the classic jaffa cake, which were originally invented in the UK in 1927 by McVitie and Price. They traditionally have a bottom later of Genoise sponge cake followed by a layer of orange flavoured jam/jelly and a coating of chocolate over the top.

The name jaffa comes from the location that jaffa oranges were first produced for export, which is in Jaffa, Israel.

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