Orange Hokkaido Chiffon Cupcake with Orange Vanilla Custard Cream Filling

This is my 3rd attempt of baking Hokkaido Chiffon Cupcakes (HCC). The last 2 times, I baked the normal butter and vanilla HCC with whipped cream filling.

Quay Po Cooks told me that her family love her Orange HCC with orange vanilla custard cream filling. Inspired by her, I baked them on Sunday morning, knowing my nephews would come over to our house as I’ve promised to take them to Kidzania in the afternoon.

Orange Hokkaido Chiffon Cake with Orange Vanilla Custard Cream Filling

Cup Cakes Ingredients:

  • 4 large egg yolks 
  • 70g Castor sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1tbsp orange juice
  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) full cream milk
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil/corn oil/canola oil
  • 135g all-purpose flour / cake flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 6 large egg whites
  • 50g Castor sugar
  • 2 tbsp powdered sugar (icing sugar) or snow powder for dusting

 Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C
  2. Place egg yolks and 70g of sugar in a bowl and whisk them together until yolks turn a pale yellow.
  3. Add vanilla extract and orange juice, followed by milk and oil. Whisk well to combine.
  4. Sieve in flour and baking powder and mix till all incorporated.
  5. In another bowl, beat egg whites on high speed for about 30 seconds until foamy.
  6. Add 50g of Castor sugar to egg whites.
  7. Beat the egg whites until firm peaks not stiff peaks.
  8. Take a third of the egg whites and fold it into the egg yolk mixture to lighten it. Continue folding in the remaining egg whites gently till you get a pale yellow batter.
  9. Fill the cupcake liners until about 3/4 full.
  10. Bake the cupcakes for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops turn a golden brown and a cake skewer comes out clean.
  11. While the cupcakes are baking, prepare the following custard cream.
  12. Once cupcakes are baked, let them cool completely on the wire rack.
  13. Fill the piping bag with custard cream and pipe into the cup cakes and put them in the fridge.
  14. Dust the cupcakes with snow powder before serving. 

Quay Po Cooks also suggested to me to try snow powder for dusting. I had not heard of snow powder, googled on Internet and read this:

“Snow powder” or “No melt icing sugar” is a type of icing sugar that does not melt when it’s dusted on items that require refrigeration. It is used mostly for decoration so that even with refrigeration, the dusted icing can still be seen.

Custard cream filling ingredients (sufficient for the above cupcakes):

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg, well beaten
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 whole vanilla pod
  • 1 grated orange rind

 Method:

  1. Scrape vanilla seeds from the pod and set aside.
  2. Throw the pods into the milk and cook in a bain-marie (water bath) till you see a light froth around the edges of the pan, where tiny bubbles will form. Stir the milk constantly as it heats to prevent scorching.
  3. In another bowl, mix together sugar, egg, flour and salt and beat well.
  4. Add slowly to milk, stirring constantly until thickened.
  5. Remove from heat and add in the vanilla seeds and orange rind. Mix well.
  6. Let cool and cover with cling wrap and put in the fridge for later use. Make sure the cling wrap just touching the custard so it doesn’t form a skin.

These HCCs are light and fluffy. I like the fresh and tangy taste of the cupcake from the orange juice and zest added into the recipe.