Chiffon Cupcakes

I defy anyone not to like these fluffy little bits of heaven. 'nuff said.

This recipe is adapted from Alton Brown's and makes 24.

Ingredients:
149 grams Cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
5 large eggs ; separated
160 grams sugar ; divided
1/4 cup water ; room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F/163°C.

Place paper liners into 2 (12-cup) muffin tins or 12 ovenproof coffee mugs and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift and whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Place the egg yolks and 5 ounces of the sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on high for 2 minutes or until the mixture becomes pale yellow and "ribbons" when lifted. Add the water, vegetable oil and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients slowly and whisk just to combine. Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl while you whisk the egg whites.

Place the egg whites and cream of tartar into a clean bowl and whisk on high using the whisk attachment, until it becomes foamy. Decrease the speed to low and gradually add the remaining ounce of sugar. Increase speed to high and continue whisking until stiff peaks form, approximately 2 minutes.

Transfer 1/3 of the egg whites to the batter and whisk until well combined. Add the remaining egg whites (in 2 parts) and fold in gently. Transfer batter into prepared muffin tins or coffee mugs (3/4 way up) (using ice cream scoop), evenly dividing the batter between the cups. Place both muffin tins on the middle rack of the oven or, if using mugs, place all of them on a half sheet pan and set on the bottom rack of the oven. While baking, do not open oven door or rotate pan or the chiffon will fall. Bake for 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean or the cupcakes reach an internal temperature of 205 to 210 degrees F. Remove from the oven to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before frosting.