Hokkaido Chiffon Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Filling

When I saw these cupcakes on Rima's blog, I wished I could taste one right away. Her pictures & description of the taste of the Hokkaido Cupcakes just made me drool......

This is my first time baking the cakes & I'm very happy with the outcome. They are light, moist & so delicious that you can't stop at one, two or three...... Besides, they are pretty easy to bake. The only thing is I totally forgot to sprinkle the cupcakes with powdered sugar. Sign..... Anyway, thanks Mindi & Rima for sharing this recipe. And to all bakers, do try baking these!

Hokkaido Chiffon Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Filling
Recipe by Mindi.
Inspired by Rima.

Ingredients:
2 cups cake flour before sifting
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 egg yolks
8 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (or 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar)

Whipped Cream Filling:
2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Make sure everything is at room temperature, especially eggs and milk. Preheat the oven at 450F.
2. Shift the 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. Add the egg yolk mixture to the dry ingredients, and beat it for about two minutes.
5. Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar on high speed until foamy, then slowly add in sugar and continue to beat until stiff peak form. (Most recipes tell you to add most of the sugar to egg yolks, and only add a small amount to the egg whites, but some bloggers say that professional bakers do just the opposite. Huh! Trade secrete! I tried it today, and it worked really well!)
6. Fold the meringue into the yolk mixture in 3 parts.
7. Spoon into 24 cupcake cups evenly, give them a couple of big taps on the table to break the large air bubbles in the batter for finer texture of the cakes, and bake at 350 F for about 20 minutes. Tooth pick test for doneness. Remove from the oven, and cool on racks straight up.
8. Measure the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla into the mixing bowl, mix on high speed until medium peak form.
9. Fit the piping bag with a narrow tip, and fill it with whipped cream. Pipe the cream into center of the cupcakes after they are completely cooled or refrigerated. Dust with powdered sugar.