Mantecadas

Mantecadas are a sweet muffin you’d typically find in a panadería, or Mexican-style bakery. The pan dulce recipe is fluffy and just sweet enough, perfect for pairing with coffee or tea.

By
Esteban Castillo
Esteban Castillo
Esteban Castillo
Esteban Castillo is a PR/Digital Marketing professional and cookbook author. Esteban specializes in traditional Mexican cuisine and popular adaptations in Chicano (Mexican-American) cuisine. He is the creator of Chicano Eats, his food blog where he shares stories and recipes surrounding his Chicano identity.
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Published March 26, 2023
Esteban Castillo
Mantecadas in Red Shiny Cupcake Liner, Surrounded by a Sparkly Red Background

Esteban Castillo / Chicano Bakes: Recipes for Mexican Pan Dulce, Tamales, and My Favorite Desserts

This recipe is reprinted from the Chicano Bakes: Recipes for Mexican Pan Dulce, Tamales, and My Favorite Desserts cookbook by Esteban Castillo with permission from the author.

Mantecadas are sweet muffins typically wrapped in a red liner that you are likely to stumble on at your local panadería, as mantecadas are a staple when it comes to pan dulce. I tested these more times than I can count, and although the name implies that they're made with manteca (lard), I found that using a neutral oil produced a lighter crumb. 

The fluffy dome is another indicator of a perfect mantecada, and the trick to achieving it? That's a secret I'll never tell. xoxo. Just kidding: It's a slight rest and an extra-hot oven. Follow the instructions closely and you'll get a perfect mantecada every time.

What are Mantecadas?

Mantecadas originated in Spain, with a flavor and texture similar to pound cake. The Spanish version is often prepared in a square or rectangular shape, either in individual muffin-sized portions or as a loaf.

This muffin version is a treat commonly found in panaderías, or Mexican bakeries. It's one of the many pan dulce (sweet breads) pananderías frequently offer in their display case.

How to Serve Mantecadas

Like most pan dulce, these lightly sweet muffins are especially good with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Try serving with café con leche or Mexican hot chocolate.

More Muffin-y Goodness

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Mantecadas

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 14 mins
Rest Time 30 mins
Total Time 54 mins
Servings 18 servings
Yield 18 muffins

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (250g) unbleached all-purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt)

  • 1 1/4 cups (250g) sugar

  • 1 cup (236g) whole milk

  • 1/2 cup (112g) neutral oil, such as canola or avocado

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Method

  1. Prepare a muffin tin:

    Line 12 cups of a standard muffin tin with paper liners. Line 6 cups of a second tin with paper liners. Set aside.

  2. Make the muffin batter:

    In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

    In another bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk together just until combined and no traces of flour remain.

  3. Divide up the batter and preheat the oven:

    Fill each lined muffin cup with about 3 tablespoons of batter and set aside uncovered for 30 minutes.

    While the batter rests, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). The combo of the resting and high heat will help give the muffins that nice perfect top.

  4. Bake:

    Slide the muffins into the oven to bake for 7 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) and bake until they have puffed up, are slightly golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean, 7 to 8 minutes longer.

    Let the muffins cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then carefully remove them and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.

    Store the muffins at room temperature sealed or lightly wrapped with plastic wrap. They will keep up to 3 days. 

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
178 Calories
7g Fat
25g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 18
Amount per serving
Calories 178
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 1g 4%
Cholesterol 22mg 7%
Sodium 173mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 9%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 50mg 4%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 41mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.