I’ve been craving Hokkaido styled cupcakes ever since I saw them in the display of a bakery in Nagoya last summer. These cute little cupcakes with a tiny dollop of cream. Simple and cute is the easiest way to describe them.

These kinds of cupcakes are often described as cloud-like, which is why I opted for chiffon cake; this batter uses whipped egg whites in a much higher ratio to the egg yolks, giving it a light, airer texture compared to a genoise.

Because the cupcake inspiration came from Japan, it needed to have Japanese influence, which is why I flavored the cupcakes with matcha, and then filled them with a very straightforward chantilly cream. For the cupcake wrappers, I literally just took parchment paper, cut it into 12 even holes, and used those.

Since we are using matcha for the cake, you need to use baking powder, not soda. Baking soda will oxidize the matcha and turn it brown, which is just gross. I have done this before and I had to lie to people and say that the cake was a toasted wheat cake, so I’m explaining this to you so that you don’t fuck up like how I did. Whoops. To maintain that green color, baking powder, which is more diluted, is necessary if any recipe calls for a leavener.

For 12 cupcakes:
2/3 cups all-purpose flour
4 egg whites
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons matcha powder
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
a pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift flour. Whip egg whites with 3/4 of the sugar, and then the egg yolks with the remaining sugar, baking powder, matcha, and canola oil. Once the whites are stiff and fluffy, fold the ingredients together. Fill a 12-tin cake mold and bake for about 15 minutes.

Turn off the oven, and crack the door open. Leave in the oven for another 5 minutes before removing. This will keep the cakes from collapsing. Cool entirely, and then using either a melon baller or a small knife, core each cupcake out. Pipe in the chantilly, top with the cored piece of cake, and serve.

For chantilly:
3/4 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
a pinch of salt

Whip until stiff peaks form.