Hokkaido Cupcakes with whipped cream filling

I have always wanted to try baking this after seeing my friend posted a super beautiful picture of her hokkaido cake in facebook. She (Emm) is my cupcake guru, whatever she bakes is just super beautiful and delicious. My first trial on hokkaido cake, probably my last time baking it also. Why? cause it is not easy!!

Anyway, I adapt some recipe from the internet (forgotten the website) so i'm sharing the recipe here in case you wanna try baking it to kill some time:

Ingredients:

For the cake:

2 cups cake flour 

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk 

1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use extra virgin olive oil)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 egg yolks

8 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

For the whipped cream filing:

2 cups whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

I add another 2 spoon of custard powder because I love custard

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 175C. Make sure everything is at room temperature.

2. Sift cake flour together with baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl.

3. In a medium bowl, blend well milk, oil, vanilla extract and the 5 egg yolks.

4. Then Add the egg yolks mixture to the dry ingredients and beat it for about 2 minutes or less.

5. Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar on high speed until foamy, then slowly add in the sugar and continue to beat until stiff peak form.

6. Fold in the meringue into the yolk mixture in 3 parts using a rubber spatula. Be sure to do it quick and light.

7. Then spoon the batter into cupcake cups evenly (2/3 of the cup). Most people use the square cupcake cups but I only have the round one) 

8. Be sure to give them a couple of big tap on the table to break the large air bubbles of the batter for finer texture of the cakes, then bake at 175C for 20-25 minutes or until cooked. (test with a skewer or toothpick). 

9. Let cool in the oven before removing or you can just cool on the racks. 

10. Mix the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla and custard powder into the mixing bowl and beat on high speed until medium peak form. 

11. Fit the piping bag with narrow tip, and fill it with whipped cream. Pipe the cream into the center of the cupcakes after the cakes are completely cooled. Decorate the cupcakes by dusting it with powdered sugar.

And tadaaaa, 

This is the outcome of my cakes. Feel free to try the above recipe and see if we achieve the same results or otherwise. ;)