I baked: Hokkaido chiffon cupcake

After trying the Hokkaido cake from RT Pastry House and writing about it, some blogger friends mentioned that it is a very easy cake to make at home. Since I've recently caught the "baking bug", I decided to try my hand at making this and they were right - it is very simple to bake this!

My take on the Hokkaido chiffon cupcakes

Hokkaido cake is basically a light chiffon cake with a whipped cream filling and dusted with icing sugar. A Japanese friend tells me that he has never come across this in Hokkaido, Japan. Perhaps the icing sugar represents the pretty snow in Hokkaido during winter time, hence the name.

I looked around for some recipes and found Sonia's (Nasi Lemak Lover) Hokkaido chiffon cupcake recipe. I adapted it slightly to suit my tastebuds. First time baking these Hokkaido cakes was a success (yay!). I did not use the square cupcake liners, instead I just used regular round ones. The cupcakes do not look very pretty when they come out from the oven (they will look a little "cracked"), but do not despair. There's nothing a little "make-up" can't fix.... in this instance a light dusting of icing sugar completely transforms it into a gorgeous lil' cupcake.

A good way to make your children eat fresh fruits - top it on your Hokkaido cake! ;)

Or you could always just serve it with cream and icing sugar

Tastewise, the cake was very light and not too sweet hence I could easily eat a few in one seating. I especially love the cream filling in the centre, the more the better - hence, I have increased the amount of whipping cream in my recipe. Sonia's recipe includes addition of custard powder to the whipping cream and sugar, but I omitted that as I preferred the taste of pure whipped cream. If I remember correctly, the RT Pastry ones do not have custard powder added to the filling as well.

I have made this several times now, as it is really easy, doesn't taste too sweet and the kids love it! I usually make it in the afternoon, just in time for their evening treat. Make it at least 2-3 hours in advance as you need to allow the cakes to cool or else the cream will "melt" when you pipe it into the cake.

Baby D is happy to see 'em cakes!

Hokkaido chiffon cupcake
Makes 8

Ingredients
3 egg yolks, at room temperature
20g caster sugar
35g corn oil
60g full cream milk
70g cake flour, sifted

3 egg whites, at room temperature
25g caster sugar
1 tsp cream of tartar

100g whipping cream
10g sugar
1 tsp instant custard powder (I omitted this)

Icing sugar, for dusting


1.Pre-heat oven to 170°C.

2. Remove eggs from fridge 30 minutes before you start, and separate the egg yolks and whites and place in separate bowls covering them in cling film until ready. Arrange paper liners on a muffin tray.

3. Using an electric whisk, beat the egg yolk and sugar until pale yellow in colour. Add in oil and milk, and mix well. Add the cake flour and combine.

4. In a separate bowl (make sure bowl and whisk are very clean and free of oil or else the eggs whites will not rise), use an electric whisk to beat the egg white until foamy and then add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks are formed. Gradually add the sugar, and continue to beat til stiff peaks.

5. With a spatula, gently fold 1/3 of egg white into the egg yolk batter.

6. Fold in the balance egg white until well-combined.

7. Fill the pre-arranged paper liners to about 3/4 full.

8. Bake for 18- 20 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Do not overbake or else texture of the cake won't be as light. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

9. Using an electric whisk, beat whipping cream with sugar until firm. If you are using custard powder, add in now and mix well. I omitted it - after experimenting a couple of times with the different fillings, I prefer the pure whipping cream & sugar combo.

10. Pipe cream into the cooled cupcake and dust with icing sugar. Serve immediately or refridgerate until ready for consumption.

*My Hokkaido cake photo is featured on  UKTV's Good Food Channel "Summer of Cake" Gallery in June 2012. This recipe was also featured on Asian Food Channel's Facebook page on 19 July 2012.
This post was also featured on DailyBuzz Moms Top 9: Berrylicious! on 22 August 2012.  

Full set of photos can be viewed on my Facebook page here.