Magdalenas are traditional tiny cakes from Spain that are exactly driven by the quote, ‘The greatest ideas are the simplest’. The delicate treat is widely loved by kids and adults alike for nothing compared to its zesty aroma and not-so-sweet, sweetened flavour. The texture is soft, fluffy and mouth-meting. Butter adds a nice creamy mouthfeel to the cake while the lemon zest further enriches the mini dessert with a zingy side-kick and a nuance of flavour. The scallop-shaped buttery cakes have a nice textural edge and soft, melt-in-your-mouth crumb throughout. At last for more lemony flavour, the cupcakes are inverted and drenched into some lemon juice for good glaze, acidity and moisture. The decadent dessert is a quick and easy breakfast option.
Magdalenas are airy and fluffy cupcakes with a rich, sweet, lemony flavour. They are simply known as ‘lemon cupcakes’ in Spanish and are frequently eaten for breakfast with the morning tea. Typically, these cupcakes are baked on a shell-shaped special Magdalena oven tray, which is akin to a madeleine pan in France. Though the exact source is uncertain, however some claim that Madeleine Palmier, a young girl from the French city, baked them there for a Polish king Stanislas Leszcynski in 1751, who absolutely loved the delish so much that he decided to name them after her. Whereas the Spanish have a different story stating that Magdalena, a young woman, sold them on Camino de Santiago in the form of a scallop shell, which is often discovered on Galician shorelines.
Prep time – 15 minutes
Cooking time – 20 minutes
Servings – 10
Ingredients:
• 4 Eggs
• 135 gm Sugar
• 115 gm Butter
• 125 gm Flour (All-purpose)
• 2 gm Salt
• 8 ml Vanilla Essence
• 10 gm Lemon Zest
• 1 tbsp Baking Powder
• 1 tbsp Milk
• Lemon juice
Method:
• In a mixing bowl, break the eggs and add sugar. Whisk thoroughly until it becomes light, fluffy and bubbly.
• Now, add the melted butter and whisk further. The melted butter should be at room temperature. Be careful with the temperature of the melted butter as too hot the butter is likely to cook the eggs.
• In the same bowl, combine vanilla essence, lemon zest, flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk it all properly until everything is well mixed. The batter should be thick.
• Add cupcake papers to the muffin tin and pour the mixture in by using an ice cream scoop.
• Bake the cupcakes in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 20 minutes. Once turned golden, insert a toothpick to check whether it is cooked completely on the inside.
• Let them rest at room temperature.
• Once the cupcakes are cool, invert them and dip them in lemon juice.
• Refrigerate and serve cool.
Get your hands on this delicious, delectable, delights, Magdalena or Spanish Lemon Cakes during tea time, breakfasts or even enjoy them as starters or desserts.
