This recipe for Spanish cupcakes, also known as magdalenas or Spanish muffins, will surprise you with its fluffiness and taste.
I usually write about desserts that have the power to take us back to our childhood, as that was the main reason to create this blog, but there are also breakfasts and afternoon snacks that have the same effect on us as is the case of these cupcakes!
What´s the difference between French madeleines and Spanish magdalenas ? Basically the main difference is that the French madeleines, and American cupcakes, are made with butter, while these Spanish cupcakes are made with olive oil.
The Spanish magdalena stands out for its combination of simplicity and exquisiteness at the same time.
I remember when I was little, I used to eat them at breakfast or snack time, dipping them in milk or spreading butter on one half. How much I enjoyed eating this delicacy!
If you have never tried it before, I recommend you do so, and if you haven’t done it for a long time, now you have the opportunity to make a homemade magdalena. Don’t you feel like having a freshly baked Spanish muffin for a snack?
How to Make Spanish Cupcakes (Magdalenas)
1. In a bowl, sift 250 grams of flour and 8 grams of baking powder with a sieve.
2. In a separate bowl, add 2 large size eggs and 200 grams of sugar. Beat with a hand held mixer on high speed for 2 minutes until the mixture turns a pale color. It is preferable that the eggs are at room temperature.
3. Gradually, with the help of a spoon, add the dry ingredients into the eggs mixture. Keep beating on medium speed.
4. Add in 150 ml of olive oil and keep whisking until combined. Do not worry if the mixture is too oily at the beginning, the olive oil will be fully integrated into the batter as you whisk.
5. Add in a teaspoon of vanilla extract and keep beating until integrated. In this step, instead of adding vanilla, you can use lemon zest to make traditional lemony spanish cupcakes.
6. Pour 130 ml of whole milk into the mixture and beat on high speed for three minutes until combined. The milk should also be at room temperature.
The batter is ready!
7. Preheat the oven to 356°F ( 180°C ).
8. Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Then spoon the batter evenly into each liner, filling each half the way.
9. Bake for 20 minutes without opening the oven door.
10. When the time is up and cupcakes have browned, remove from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes. Et voilà! You’ve just made delicious Spanish cupcakes!
If you would like to have more ideas for afternoon snacks, you can find them here!
Spanish Cupcakes Recipe
This recipe for Spanish cupcakes, also known as magdalenas or Spanish muffins, will surprise you with its fluffiness and taste.
Ever since I tried this cookie for the first time at a Starbucks, I knew we were made for each other.
Its softness and chewiness make this chocolate chip cookie unique. While you bite the cookie, you enjoy every single part of it from start to end.
In short, when you eat this chocolate chip cookie, you live an experience with all your senses.
As soon as I tried this tasty treat, I set out to find out not only how to make them, but also to make the perfect cookie. This has led me to spend hours in the kitchen, making trial and error, to come up with the recipe that I am proud to share with you.
If they are already delicious, the chocolate chips embedded in them make them magical. I put a lot of chocolate chips in them, to make sure that in each bite I combine the flavour of the biscuit with that of the chocolate. Also, you can add chocolate chunks to enhance, even more, the chocolate flavor in the cookie.
Besides chocolate chips, you can add dried fruit, m&ms, candies, raisins, nuts, white chocolate, etc… whatever you like. I personally love this classic American cookie with chocolate chips!
You can eat them with milk or coffee. If your kids are around, save at least one for yourself! 🙂
How Do I Know When Cookies Are Done ?
When you take them out of the oven, you will think they are unbaked, as you will notice they are extremely soft. Don’t worry, these cookies thicken when cooling at room temperature. If you bake them longer they will come out and will not acquire that soft, moist texture that makes them so special. First, allow them to cool for 10 minutes on the cookie tray. Then, transfer them to the tray with racks, where you let them rest for 20 minutes to cool completely. You will be surprised with the final results!
What Are The Characteristics Of These Chocolate Chip Cookies?
Their texture is soft and chewy and … none of them look alike!
They are very easy to make, it is an advantage and a curse at the same time!
You can store them in an airtight container, and they last 4-5 days.
If you take these cookies with you for special occasions, you will have guaranteed success.
I have been improving this recipe to find the perfect cookie, so that everyone, from adults to the little ones, can enjoy eating them.
Why Do Cookies Get Flat In The Oven ?
Cookie dough balls have a fatty element ( butter ) and a leavening ( baking soda) that make cookies expand when they are in the oven.
Why Do My Cookies Come Out Hard ?
When they are in the oven longer than they should be, the moisture in the dough evaporates; therefore, they become harder and do not acquire the soft texture that makes them so special. Another reason may be that they are smaller than they should be, as result, their moisture evaporates earlier since they have less dough. Roll the dough into balls of about 50 grams each.
Tips, Ingredients and Equipment To Make These Cookies
Very important ! Use softened butter, so I recommend taking the butter out of the refrigerator 2 hours before, to cool at room temperature, or softening it in the microwave at low power in 15 second batches. The butter will be softened when you can sink your fingers into it.
I use hand mixer with dough hooks.
In this recipe, white sugar is combined with brown sugar. The white sugar makes the inside of the cookie more moist and fresh, while the brown sugar gives the cookie that soft, chewy texture.
Cornstarch helps to make this cookie soft, and eggs help to give it structure and thickness.
Use as much chocolate as you like. I add extra chocolate chips to make sure there will be delicious chocolate in every bite.
When you roll the dough into balls, press the sides a little to make them taller. This will help the cookies to come out thicker.
What Is The Best Way To Store Chocolate Chip Cookies?
In case you want to save them for another time, a very simple way to store them is in an airtight container or tupperware. Many weekends I make my mom these cookies for her Thursday Tour, in other words, every Thursday she goes to pick up all her grandchildren from school. That is, she stores these cookies with chocolate chips in tupperware for 5 days. My children and nieces and nephews, the biggest critics of my cooking, love them! So, in my experience, these chocolate chip cookies keep well in the tupperware for 5 days.
How to Make Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
1. Preheat the oven to 338ºF ( 170ºC ).
2. In a bowl, add 200 grams of softened salted butter cut in cubes, 1 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 cup of white granulated sugar. With the hand held mixer, cream the butter with the sugar for 2 minutes on low speed.
3. In another bowl, whisk 2½ cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and ½ teaspoon baking soda together.
4. When dry ingredients are well combined, add them into the butter mixture, then beat with the hand mixer on low speed until the mixture gets a sand-like texture.
5. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla, one egg and one egg yolk into the mixture. Beat with the hand held mixer until crumbs.
6. Now start kneading the mixture. Add 200 grams of chocolate chips into the dough and knead again. The amount of chocolate chips can vary according to your taste for chocolate. In my case, I am very very chocolatier!
7. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
8 . Roll the dough into balls, about 50 grams of dough each. I recommend you to, first, roll the balls and then squeeze each side, making the ball taller or into a more cylindrical shape.
9 . Place each ball on the parchment paper. Leave enough space between each cookie so that they have room to expand and don´t stick together.
10. Bake for 15 minutes.
11. When removing from oven, cookies will look like they are unbaked. Don´t worry! Let cookies cool for 10 minutes on parchment paper, then transfer them to a wire rack and let cool completely for 10 minutes. You will see that they will harden a little more, without losing their soft texture. Et voilà, you have just made delicious chocolate chip cookies!
In a bowl, cream butter with sugar, with a hand held mixer, for 2 minutes on low speed.
In another bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch and baking soda together.
When dry ingredients are well combined, add them into the butter mixture, then beat with the hand mixer on low speed until the mixture gets a sand-like texture.
Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla, one egg and one egg yolk into the mixture. Beat with the hand held mixer until crumbs.
Knead the mixture, then add 200 grams of chocolate chips into the dough and knead again.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll the dough into balls, about 50 grams of dough each.
Coloca cada bolita encima del papel de horno.
Place each ball on the parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cookies cool for 10 minutes on the parchment paper. Then, transfer them to a wire rack and let cool completely for 10 minutes. Et voilà, you have just made delicious chocolate chip cookies!
Making these butter cookies is an activity we love to do on rainy Sundays.
My kids have real fun making shapes with the dough as if it was plasticine. They may be entertained the whole afternoon!
Stars. Triangles. Cats. Circles. Etc...
First I make the dough, and then they flatten it and make the figures with the help of cookie cutters. Once the dough is ready, we repeat the same process with the fondant that we will then stick on the cookie that has the same shape.
Oh, and the best part of all! We eat them and give them as gifts to family and friends.
How to Make Decorated Butter Cookies
1. Heat 250 grams of butter in the microwave for 45 seconds. Be careful not to burn it, we just want to soften it.
2. In a separate bowl, add 400 grams of baking flour and 125 grams of icing sugar. Mix until combined.
3. Now make a hole in the middle of the flour and pour in the softened butter and one egg.
4. Start stirring with a fork to mix the ingredients and when you see that it is more difficult to stir, use your hands, it is a lot of fun. Knead the dough until well integrated.
5. Roll a ball with the dough, wrap it in cling film and put it to chill in the freezer for 10 minutes. We do this to harden the dough a little so we can work it better.
6. Once chilled, take it out of the freezer and place it on a parchment paper. With the help of a rolling pin, roll the dough out to 1/5 inch thick.
Now it’s time to use your favorite cookie cutters!
7. Preheat the oven to 360º F (180º C).
8. Line up a baking sheet with parchment paper and place on top the figures you have made with the cookie cutters. Tip: With the leftover dough, roll it back into a ball and knead again to cut more dough until there is no more left.
9. Bake for 10 minutes or until they are golden brown. Allow cookies to cool for 10 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
10. Roll out the fondant with the help of a rolling pin to 1/8 inch thick. Use the same cookie cutters you have used before and, with the help of a brush and a small glass of water, moisten a little the fondant before sticking it to the cookie. Repeat this process with all your cookies. Et voilà! You have just made amazing decorated butter cookies!
Decorated Butter Cookies Recipe
These butter cookies are not only delicious, but they are also a creative and collaborative activity for my kids. They have fun making them while helping me in the kitchen.
In a separate bowl, add baking flour and icing sugar. Mix until combined.
Make a hole in the middle of the flour and pour in the softened butter and one egg.
Stir and then knead the dough until well integrated.
Roll a ball with the dough, wrap it in cling film and put it to chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Once chilled, roll the dough out to 1/5 inch thick.
Preheat the oven to 360º F (180º C).
Line up a baking sheet with parchment paper and place on top the figures you have made with the cookie cutters.
Bake for 10 minutes or until they are golden brown. Allow cookies to cool for 10 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
Roll out the fondant with the help of a rolling pin to 1/8 inch thick. Use the same cookie cutters you have used before and, with the help of a brush and a small glass of water, moisten a little the fondant before sticking it to the cookie. Repeat this process with all your cookies. Et voilà! You have just made amazing decorated butter cookies!
This is a basic crepe recipe that I learned in my school years, therefore, not long ago 😉
These crepes can be served as either breakfast, dessert or snack. In my case, I make them to sweeten the afternoons I spend at home with my children 🙂
To make these treats perfectly, you will need a bit of practice. I remember the first crepes I made in my life didn’t come out well; as result, I promised myself, by then, that I would end up making incredibly good crepes. Therefore, according to my children, I have succeeded! With patience and practice you will get them just right.
That’s why I want to share with you this basic step-by-step recipe for crepes so that these delicacies turn out just as well.
Eating Crepes with Nutella in Nature
This summer 2021 I had the good fortune to visit my friend Pati in Cantabria.
North of Spain is known for its incredible landscapes and wonderful beaches; nonetheless, not always days are sunny there. This time I was very lucky to get sunny days, something unsual in this region.
One of the beaches I visited was the Langre beach. The sights there are beautiful since you see a huge cliff surrounding the beach; however, to get to the beach you need to go down stairs. Before going down, I saw a small roullote on a esplanade, inside which there was a couple selling… guess what? Yes, that’s right, they were selling crepes. What kind of utopia was that? Eating crepes with Nutella in nature? Not even in the best of my dreams.
A wooden table and seats made from tree trunks. Coffee. Nutella crepes. The sea. The mountain. That’s all I needed.
Easy Crepes Recipe
You’ll love this easy crepe recipe. Also, learning how to make crepes is not difficult, although it does take a bit of practice at first. Although the couple from the roullote used an electric crepe maker, the result using a frying pan will be almost the same.
Once you know how to make this easy crepes recipe, you will be able to make sweet and savory crepe dishes.
How to Make Crepes
In a hand blender bowl/jar, add 1 egg, 1 cup of full-cream milk, 1 cup of flour, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sunflower oil. Beat with an electric hand blender until there are no lumps.
In a 9.5 inch frying pan, add a small knob of unsalted butter over medium-high heat (level 7 on glass-ceramic ). When butter is melted, spread the butter well over the pan with paper towel.
Pour batter with the help of a ladle into the pan and slightly tilt and turn the pan so that the mixture is evenly distributed.
Without touching the batter, let it cook for about 1 minute. When you see that the crepe is golden brown, lift the edge a little with a skimmer spoon and turn it over. Wait a few seconds until the other side is also done. When it is ready, remove it from the heat and start again with another crepe.
Once you have the crepe out of the pan, it’s time to put whatever you like on it: Nutella, dulce de leche or sugar and lemon. The way I add Nutella is to spread it on half of the crepe and fold it twice. Optionally, you can decorate the crepe with chocolate syrup.
Add all the ingredients in a hand blender bowl. Beat with an electric hand blender until there are no lumps.
In a 9.5 inch frying pan, add a small knob of unsalted butter over medium-high heat. When butter is melted, spread the butter well over the pan with paper towel.
Pour a little of the batter into the pan and slightly tilt and turn the pan so that the batter is evenly distributed.
Let it cook for about 1 minute. When you see your crepe is golden brown, turn it over with the help of a skimmer spoon or spatula. Wait until the other side is also done and then remove it out of the pan. Start again the process.
I am spending a weekend in the mountains of Madrid to be in touch with nature. And … On monday is my birthday! So I think I will celebrate a little snack party with puff pastry apple tartlets.
The landscape I am surrounded by invites me to make a dessert with puff pastry. However, instead of making a puff pastry apple pie, I would like to make these puff pastry tartlets filled with pastry cream. As I did with the pavlova, individual servings not only are fun to prepare but also you will offer each diner their own delicacy to savour.
I don’t think I’m going to stay in the kitchen all weekend making desserts, so this dessert is going to be quick and easy. The rest of the time I’m going to spend resting, reading, walking, enjoying the good weather and eating well.
How To Make Puff Pastry Apple Tartlets with Pastry Cream
The first step is to preheat the oven to 356°F ( 180°C ).
Circular Puff Pastry Base
Unlike the apple pie, the these tartlets base is circular. The way to give this shape is by using tartlet molds.
This time I used two types of glasses to cut the puff pastry dough. I used a glass with a larger diameter, a cider glass or a mug, to cut two circular layers. Then I used a glass with a smaller diameter (e.g. a champagne glass) to make a hole in the center of one of the layers, giving this layer a ring shape.
Therefore, the base of each tartlet is made of a smooth layer and a ring-shaped layer. With the two layers, one on top of the other, the base acquires a certain thickness, and the hole is where you will pour the pastry cream. Your mission is to make 4 tartlets with their respective puff pastry bases.
Now paint with a brush soaked in beaten egg the edge of the 4 smooth bases and place the respective ring on top of each one.
Pastry Cream
In a saucepan pour 250 ml of milk, a cinnamon stick and the lemon peel and put it over medium heat. Remove it just before it starts to boil. Set aside
In a separate bowl put two egg yolks and three tablespoons of sugar, and beat everything with a whisk. When everything is well integrated, add a spoonful of cornstarch and continue beating until well blended.
Now add the infused milk. Remember to remove the lemon peel and the cinnamon stick, and put the mixture over medium heat and stir. Once you notice the mixture is thick and creamy, it means that you have the custard. Set aside in a bowl.
Apple slices
Peel a golden apple with a knife or a vegetable peeler. You remove the core, cut it into quarters and then start making thin slices. With these thin slices you will cover the pastry cream.
Assembly
With the puff pastry bases already assembled, fill them with pastry cream and then put apple slices on top. Repeat this step with the 4 tartlets.
Brush the whole tartlet with slightly melted butter. And sprinkle sugar on top. Put the puff pastry tartlets in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
After you take them out of the oven, brush them with apricot jam. Et voilà! Puff pastry apple tartlets with pastry cream.
Puff Pastry Apple Tartlets with Pastry Cream
Delicious individual portions of puff pastry filled with pastry cream and dressed with apple slices
In a saucepan put the milk, the cinnamon and the lemon peel. It is important that the peel does not have too much white because it is bitter.
Put it over medium heat and remove it before it starts to boil. Set aside.
In a separate bowl put the egg yolks and sugar, and beat with a wire whisk.
When everything is well blended, add the cornstarch and continue beating until combined.
While beating with the wire whisk, gradually add the infused milk (without the cinnamon and lemon).
Put the mixture in the saucepan over medium heat and stir all the time until it thickens.
The pastry cream is ready. Set aside.
Puff Pastry Base
Sprinkle a spoonful of sugar on the baking paper and then spread the puff pastry on top.
The circular base of each tartlet is made of two layers of puff pastry dough. Use two types of glasses, one with larger diameter and other with smaller diameter. With the first glass you cut two circular layers. With the second glass you make a hole in one of the layers. You place the ring-shaped layer on top of the other so the base acquires certain thickness; and the hole is the place where you pour the pastry cream. Your mission is to make 4 tartlets with their respective puff pastry bases.
Now paint with a brush soaked in beaten egg the edge of the 4 smooth bases and place the respective ring on top of each one.
Assembly
Once the puff pastry bases are already assembled, fill them with pastry cream and then put apple slices on top. Repeat this step with the 4 tartlets
Brush the whole tartlet with slightly melted butter. And sprinkle sugar on top.
Put the puff pastry tartlets in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
After you take them out of the oven, brush them with apricot jam. Et voilà! Puff pastry apple tartlets with pastry cream.
We have a new cake section on the blog! And we launch it with this lemon yogurt cake recipe.
This recipe for lemon yogurt cake has a very special place in my recipe book, as it was the first dessert I ever made in my life!
If you are getting started in baking, I recommend you to try making this super easy lemon yogurt.
In the summers of my childhood, my parents had to work most of the time and used to take my siblings and me to my grandmother’s house in the countryside, in Arcos de la Frontera. And one way to liven up the afternoons was to have sponge cake competitions among the cousins.
The only recipe I knew by then recipe was this lemon yogurt cake recipe. Making this lemon yogurt cake could not be easier. All I needed was to use a container of lemon yogurt as a measure and to remember the 1, 2, 3. One container of sunflower oil, two containers of sugar and three containers of flour. And it always came out moist an flavourful.
The utensils we used back then were a clay bowl and a fork. And the ingredients were 100% natural: free range eggs and lemons straight from the tree. It was without a doubt my favourite summer plan!
Whenever I make this cake I always go back in time and become that little girl cook who was making her first steps in the kitchen.
The competition prize consisted of eating the winning cake with my siblings and cousins. All I had to do was follow the recipe scrupulously and success was guaranteed!
I can still remember when I used to be engrossed in watching the sponge cake grow in the oven. It was magic for me. How could such a fluffy lemon sponge cake come out of a mixture of simple ingredients.
Lemon Yogurt Cake Recipe
1. Preheat the oven to 356°F ( 180°C ).
2. In a bowl, add 120 grams of lemon yogurt and use the yogurt container as a measure. In the same bowl, add 1 yogurt container of sunflower oil ( 100 ml ), 2 yogurt containers of sugar ( 180 grams ), 3 yogurt containers of flour ( 165 grams), three eggs, half a lemon peel and 16 grams of baking powder.
3. Whisk the mixture with a hand mixer until combined.
4. Grease a 10-inch loaf pan with butter and then sprinkle flour on top of the butter. This will help you unmold the cake later.
5. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 45 minutes (without opening the oven door). When the time is up insert a cake tester (or a knife) into the center of the yogurt cake to check whether it is done. If the tester comes out clean … Et voilà! And just like that you have made a delicious lemon yogurt cake!
If you liked this homemade cake recipe, try making also this marble cake.
Lemon Yogurt Cake 1.2.3 Recipe
Making this lemon yogurt cake could not be easier. All you need is to use a container of lemon yogurt as a measure and to remember the 1, 2, 3.
1lemon yogurt( 120 grams – use the same container as a measure )
1containersunflower oil( 100 ml )
2containerssugar( 180 gr )
3containersflour( 165 gr )
3eggs
1lemon
16gramsbaking powder
Instructions
Precalienta el horno a 180º arriba y abajo.
In a bowl, add one lemon yogurt and keep the container to use a as a measure. In the same bowl, add 1 container of sunflower oil, 2 containers of sugar, 3 containers of flour, three eggs, half a lemon peel and 16 grams of baking powder.
Whisk the mixture with a hand mixer until combined.
Grease a 10-inch loaf pan with butter and then sprinkle flour on top of the butter.
our the batter into the pan and bake for 45 minutes. When the time is up insert a cake tester into the center of the cake to check whether it is done. If the tester comes out clean … Et voilà! And just like that you have made a delicious lemon yogurt cake!
