Taken from
We Are La Cocina:
Recipes in Pursuit of
the American Dream
by Caleb Zigas and
Leticia Landa,
published by
Chronicle Books
(£21.99).
Photography by
Eric Wolfinger.
CUPCAKE HEAVEN
WWW.FOODHEAVENMAG.COM SEPTEMBER baking heaven 39
Pastelitos tres leches
Three-milk cupcakes
MAKES 12
For the cupcakes
140g (5oz) plain flour
¾ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
110g (3¾oz) butter, at room
temperature
200g (7oz) sugar
2 free-range eggs, at room
temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract
240ml (8fl oz) buttermilk
60ml (2fl oz) neutral oil
For the filling
120ml (4fl oz) evaporated milk
120ml (4fl oz) sweetened
condensed milk
60ml (2fl oz) heavy cream
For the whipped cream frosting
240ml (8fl oz) heavy cream
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark
- Line a standard 12-hole muffin tin
with paper cases. Set aside.
To make the cupcakes
2 In a large bowl, combine the flour,
baking powder, bicarbonate of soda
and salt and whisk to incorporate.
3 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted
with the paddle attachment, cream the
butter and sugar on a medium speed
until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
4 Add the eggs and vanilla and paddle
on low until just incorporated. Whisk
together the buttermilk and oil. Add a
third of the dry ingredients to the butter
mixture, then pour in a third of the
buttermilk mixture. Alternate adding
the dry and wet ingredients, ending
with the wet.
5 Evenly portion the batter into the
prepared muf fin cases. Fill each hole
about three-quarters full. Bake for
18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted
into a cupcake comes out clean.
Meanwhile, make the filling
6 Whisk the milks and cream together
to incorporate. Refrigerate until ready
to use.
To make the frosting
7 Clean out the bowl of the stand mixer
and fit it with the whisk. Beat the cream
on high speed until firm peaks form.
8 To assemble the cupcakes, use a clean
meat injector to inject the centre of each
cupcake with the tres leches filling, or
use a skewer to create small holes in the
centre of each cupcake and slowly pour
in the filling, waiting as it absorbs. Top
each cupcake with a dollop of whipped
cream. The cupcakes can be stored
covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Top^ each
cupcake
with^ a^ s
wirl^
of^ whipp
ed^ cream