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Mantecadas are a fluffy and sweet pan dulce found in most Mexican bakeries. These Mexican muffins have a signature red cupcake liner and are simple to make at home, using common ingredients and only minimal equipment!
If you love Mexican sweet bread, you’ve got to try my cortadillo, conchas, and Mexican donuts!
Lately, I’ve been making all the traditional Mexican bakery pan dulce recipes, and Mantecadas were next on my list! I was surprised by how easy they were to make and after recipe testing several times, I’ve found the perfect one that gives you a moist, fluffy, and perfectly sweet treat.
Pan dulce can feel intimidating to make at home, but these mantecadas are super simple and easy to make by hand without any fancy equipment. Some pan dulce recipes require precision and technique, but these mantecadas are so user-friendly that I even had my toddler help! These are great to make for dessert or part of your weekend brunch at home.
What Are Mantecadas?
Mantecadas are a staple Mexican sweet bread, similar to muffins, that are known for their light texture and buttery, vanilla flavor. They’re very common in Mexican bakeries and stand out with their golden yellow color and vibrant red cupcake liner.
Some panaderias carry different variations mixed with nuts and dried fruit, but my favorite is the classic mantecada. They’re the perfect pairing with a mug of cafe de olla, champurrado, or a big glass of milk.
Ingredients in Mantecadas
- Eggs: I used 3 large eggs at room temperature.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is good for baking, but you can also use raw cane sugar for a richer taste.
- Orange zest and vanilla extract: These ingredients add more depth of flavor and pair well with the sweetness from the sugar. Orange zest adds a subtle citrusy note that pairs well with the vanilla extract. I don’t recommend using orange extract as it gives the muffins an overpowering fake orange flavor.
- Whole milk: Adds more creaminess, but feel free to use 2% milk.
- All-purpose flour: A baking staple for most pan dulce recipes.
- Baking powder: This is the main leavening agent for this recipe and creates the signature domed muffin tops.
- Salt: A hint of salt helps balance the sweetness.
- Vegetable oil: Using vegetable oil makes the mantecadas moist but still fluffy. You can substitute any neutral tasting oil.
How to Make Mantecadas
Whisk together the eggs and sugar until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture turns a pale yellow color.
Add the orange zest, vanilla extract, and milk and whisk until fully combined.
Sift dry ingredients. Using a fine mesh strainer or sieve, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into the bowl with the wet ingredients and lightly mix together.
Pour the vegetable oil into the bowl and whisk all the ingredients together. The final consistency of the mantecada batter should create ribbons when you lift the whisk above the mixing bowl.
Divide the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups. Lightly tap the cupcake pan on the counter a few times to help even out the batter and get rid of any air bubbles.
Bake the mantecadas for 25-30 minutes on the center rack of your oven until the muffin tops reach a golden brown color and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow the mantecadas to cool on the counter for about 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips
- This is a quick and easy recipe to make by hand using just a mixing bowl and whisk, but feel free to use a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
- Mantecadas have a signature look with their red cupcake liners, but feel free to use any color.
Storing and Reheating
Store mantecadas in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
They can be reheated in a microwave for a few seconds for a warm treat.
Mantecadas
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil (canola or avocado work great)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Whisk in the orange zest, vanilla extract, and milk.
- Sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together to mostly combine.
- Add the vegetable oil and whisk together until the batter is completely smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups. Lightly tap the cupcake pan on the counter 2-3 times to help even out the batter and get rid of any large air bubbles.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow them to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- This is a quick and easy recipe to make by hand using just a mixing bowl and whisk, but feel free to use a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
- Mantecadas have a signature look with their red cupcake liners, but feel free to use any color.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
