Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup water (330 ml)

3/4 cup sugar (150 gr)

4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (110 gr)

1/3 cup vegetable oil (80 ml)

2 cups flour minus 2 TBSPs (230 gr)

2 tsps baking powder 

1 1/2 tsp orange extract

Pinch of salt

Shaved almonds as needed for tops

Powdered sugar, optional 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 365F.

Line a 12-cupcake pan with liners and set aside.

Place water, oil, sugar and chopped chocolate in a small pot. 

Heat content over medium heat until sugar and chocolate have fully melted, stirring often.

No need to bring to a boil. Only heat until dissolved.

Add orange extract and set aside to cool a bit.

Meanwhile, measure the flour (remember to remove 2 TBSPs from the 2 cups flour), baking powder and pinch of salt.

Sift to avoid lumps.

Slowly pour liquids into flour mixture and whisk well until fully incorporated.

Mix will be loose.

Pour mix evenly into the 12 cupcake liners.

Sprinkle shaved almonds over the tops.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until toothpick/cake tester comes out clean.

Cool and serve sprinkled with powdered sugar, if desired.

TIPS:

It’s not easy to adapt recipes from grams so I try my best to be as precise as possible. As you know, baking has to be precise to achieve success so I included the original weights in case you want to use your food scale instead of measuring. 

Even oven temperatures are different in Italy and metric-using countries. This recipe called for baking at 180c. If I said 350F, it would not be warm enough, and 375F would be too hot. For that reason I’m suggesting baking at 365F, which is closest to original temperature.

I personally love the combination of dark chocolate and orange but, if you don’t, just use vanilla or almond extract instead of the orange. 

In addition, if you want to make these nut-free as well, substitute shaved almonds with white chocolate chips or coarse sugar crystals.