Orange Zest and Cardamom Glazed Chocolate Muffin

Enjoy your fragrant, chocolatey muffins with a hint of warm cardamom and refreshing orange!
Makes: 12 muffins
Ingredients:
muffins:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 large eggs
¾ cup whole milk
½ cup vegetable oil (or melted butter)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange zest (from about 1 large orange)
½ cup dark chocolate chips (optional, for extra chocolate goodness)
chocolate glaze:
½ cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon orange zest (for garnish)
Instructions:
muffins:
1. Preheat the oven:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Mix dry ingredients:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom.
3. Mix wet ingredients:
In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in the orange zest.
4. Combine:
Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring gently until just combined (don't overmix). If you're using chocolate chips, fold them into the batter at this stage.
5. Bake:
Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
chocolate glaze:
1. Melt the chocolate:
In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate chips and heavy cream over low heat, stirring until smooth. Alternatively, you can microwave the mixture in 20-second intervals, stirring in between.
2. Drizzle:
Once the muffins have cooled, drizzle the chocolate glaze over the tops of the muffins. For extra flavor and a pop of color, garnish with a bit of orange zest on top of each muffin.
Tips:
For an extra burst of orange, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice to the glaze.
Store these muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
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