Today鈥檚 recipe has a long multicultural history and is a favorite in the panoply of Mexican pan dulce, or sweet breads.
Unlike traditional American-style muffins, which are true quick breads leavened only with baking powder (and sometimes baking soda), these lovely little loaves rely on both baking powder and yeast for their rise. The addition of yeast changes their texture from cake-like to bread-ish, which makes them surprising to our palates.
You鈥檒l often find commercial versions of mantecadas in Latino markets 鈥 but the Mexican variety is usually offered in jolly red paper muffin cups. Like all commercial baked goods, the packaged kind are made with various preservatives to keep them from going moldy while they sit on the shelf.
When I set out to make them at home, I did a little bit of research into their history, however. I learned that in Spain, they鈥檙e usually baked in a square or rectangular paper pan. The deeply religious Spanish especially love that, when unfolded, the paper pans reveal a cross where the cupcake batter came in contact with the paper.
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It appears that mantecadas originated in northwestern Spain, where butter is abundant and often used in baking. Traditionally, the little cakes are sprinkled with sugar before baking, to contribute a beautifully browned crackling crust.
There are references to mantecadas in Spanish medieval writings about food. When the little cupcakes arrived in Mexico, though, butter wasn鈥檛 always available, and clever Mexican cooks substituted oil for the pricey butter that Spanish tradition required. It was a bonus that the oil also provided that crackly crust without the sprinkling of sugar atop the loaves.
The Spanish bakers who brought the traditional mantecadas with them to Mexico also picked up the tradition of adding a bit of citrusy flavor to the batter. Perhaps they arrived in the New World through the port city of Veracruz, where citrus imports were an important part of the city鈥檚 economy.
My version of mantecadas isn鈥檛 true to Mexican tradition, nor is it perfectly in accord with its Spanish origins.
I鈥檝e made these using melted butter or melted lard, which both seem in sync with mantecadas鈥 history.
And, in a nod to the religious imagery that was so important to its early Spanish fans, I baked the mantecadas in little rectangular paper pans 鈥 the ones I used were 4inches long by 2 inches wide, and about 2 inches deep. They were a fine size for a small treat to accompany an afternoon cup of tea.
You could emphasize the religious part if you wished by using a stiff glaze of orange juice and confectioners鈥 sugar to make a cross on the baked and cooled mantecadas, as with traditional British hot cross buns.
Then they鈥檇 be truly cross-cultural.
Mantecadas
Makes 6 large or 12 small muffins
Lightly sweet and fragrant with orange, these muffins get their rise from both baking powder and yeast. Bake them in disposable paper mini-loaf pans for an interesting and traditional change of shape 鈥 find the inexpensive pans at baking supply stores or on Amazon.
Ingredients
1 cup minus 1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon instant yeast
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup milk, warmed to body temperature
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 cup melted lard or butter, cooled
Pinch of salt
Sugar, to sprinkle atop loaves before baking.
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place muffin paper liners in muffin pan, or arrange them on a large, rimmed baking sheet. If using a pan, place it on a large, rimmed baking sheet.
Sift flour, baking powder and yeast into a medium bowl, and set aside. Place egg and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until sugar has dissolved.
Add milk, orange extract and zest to eggs and whisk again.
Add the melted lard or butter and gently whisk again to make a creamy mixture.
Slowly fold in the dry ingredients and salt, mixing gently until you have a uniform batter. Do not overmix. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
With the help of a pitcher or a ladle, pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling each to just below the top edge. Sprinkle the top of each loaf with a little sugar.
Carefully place in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until nicely risen and golden brown and the tops spring back when gently pressed with a finger. Remove from oven and cool for about 5 minutes on a cooling rack. Remove the muffins from the tin and cool to room temperature on the cooling rack.
The muffins keep well for two to three days when stored in an airtight container.
