This Pan de Muerto Cupcakes recipe is inspired by a traditional Mexican treat. One of the most important ones, I must say.
Día de Muertos -the Day of the Dead- holds a special meaning for Mexicans. The colorful and beautiful traditions around this day have made their way into other cultures and countries.
As a Honduran living in Mexico, I respect and admire local traditions. That’s why I chose this recipe, adapting the traditional Pan de Muerto recipe to make cupcakes.
Unlike traditional Pan de Muerto that don’t carry any fillings, we fill these cupcakes with Nutella or cajeta, which pair beautifully with the airy and lightly sweet dough. I tell you, this “Mantemuerto”, as some call it, is a must-try for this particular season.
What does “Pan de Muerto“ mean?
Translation can’t explain the true meaning of Pan de Muerto. In English, we could simply say that it means ‘Bread of the Dead,’ but that doesn’t cut it.
Honoring loved ones who passed away is essential for everyone. And Pan de Muerto is an essential part of Mexican tradition for the Day of the Dead.
People who observe this tradition make offerings to their ancestors, meticulously preparing an altar. Arranging pictures of the relatives respectfully, they place their ancestors’ favorite meals they used to eat when they lived, along with different types of Pan de Muerto.
More than a simple bun of bread, Pan de Muerto is a way of paying respect and showing our love to our deceased family or friends. I believe that’s what makes it so special and ubiquitous in any Day of the Dead celebration.
The traditional recipe includes orange blossom and zest, adding a rich and exciting taste to the bread. We keep these ingredients in the Mantemuerto, and they go along cajeta and Nutella perfectly.
For decoration, people say that the lacings on top of the Pan de Muerto represent little bones and that the tiny ball in the middle of them is a skull.
Interesting and complex, for sure. So how about we start making these Pan de Muerto cupcakes?
Find below the recipe with all the ingredients and a detailed step-by-step guide.
Pan de Muerto Cupcakes | Mantemuerto | Día de Muertos Cupcake
Ingredients
- 1 cup of whole milk
- 11 gr dry active yeast
- 4½ cups of wheat flour
- 1½ cup of sugar ½ cup for the topping
- ½ tsp of salt
- 3 eggs 1 for the egg wash
- 1½ cup of unsalted butter ½ cup for varnishing the cupcakes
- 1 cup of orange blossom water
- 1 tbsp of orange zest
Filling and decoration
- 1 cup of Nutella
- 1 cup of pastry cajeta (VERY IMPORTANT that it is for pastries)
Instructions
- We will activate the yeast first. To do so:1. Heat your milk until it's warm, not hot.2. Add the active dry yeast and a tablespoon of sugar.3. Mix and let it rest to activate the yeast.
- In the meantime, add the wheat flour, sugar, salt, and 2 eggs into a mixing bowl. Now, add two crucial ingredients for Pan de Muerto's taste: orange blossom water and orange zest.
- I have a stand mixer, which is very helpful in kneading and mixing the dough. If you have one, use your kneading hook for this.
- By now, your yeast should be active. Pour it over the mixing bowl with the rest of the ingredients and keep mixing for 6 minutes.
- Once the ingredients look like dough, add 1 cup of butter. Help the mixer with a spat so that the butter incorporates well into the dough. Remember to save some butter to varnish after cooking.
- Flour the surface to finish the kneading with your hands. Transfer the dough from the bowl to the floured surface. Then, sprinkle a bit of flour over the dough. This will help to avoid sticking your fingers.
- After the dough grows, transfer to a floured surface and roll it until you get a cylindric piece. Then, cut the roll into small pieces using a knife -a sharp one, not a saw knife.
- Grab each small piece of dough and flatten it, making a round and flat disc (don't worry, it doesn't have to be perfect).
- Put a tablespoon of your favorite filling in the center of the dough, fold it by the corners, and wrap it to make a ball. Then, transfer it to the mold, already lined with a cupcake layer. Repeat this process until you fill all the cavities in your cupcake mold.
- To decorate the cupcakes, we'll knead the tiny bones. Roll a small piece of dough and stretch it to a thin strip. Now, use your fingers to shape it a bit irregularly. Then, cut the strips so that they get a similar length. And remember to make small balls for the tiny skulls.
- Wet your fingertip in milk and draw an 'X' on the top of each cupcake. Then put each 'bone' over, following the guide you made with the milk. To finish, place the tiny skull in the center. Repeat the process to decorate all the Pan de Muerto cupcakes.
- Mix an egg and milk to make the egg wash and brush the cupcakes with it.
- Bake the cupcakes in a preheated oven at 356 °F (180 °C) for 15 minutes -or until they are golden brown. Then, take the cupcakes out and let them rest for a few minutes.
- Brush the Pan de Muerto cupcakes with melted butter and top with sugar. And they're done! Enjoy!Heat your milk until it's warm, not hot.Add the active dry yeast and a tablespoon of sugar.Mix and let it rest to activate the yeast.
Video
Notes
If you liked this Pan de Muerto Cupcakes recipe, you might like some of my other recipes too.
And remember, if you try this recipe and want to share your pictures, tag me @lacooquette on Instagram. I’d love to share your pictures on my IG stories.
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