Spanish Muffins (Magdalenas)
These Spanish muffins, known as magdalenas, have tall golden domes, a soft lemon-scented crumb, and a crisp sugar top. Chilling the batter for one hour before baking helps create their distinctive rise.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 100 g unsalted butter melted
- 80 ml sunflower oil
- 60 ml milk
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- 10 g baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Granulated sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Add 4 eggs and 150 g granulated sugar to a mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer for about 3 minutes, until pale, airy, and increased in volume.
- Add 1 tbsp lemon zest, 100 g unsalted butter, melted, 80 ml sunflower oil, and 60 ml milk. Mix for about 1 minute, until smooth.
- Sift in 200 g all-purpose flour, 10 g baking powder, and ⅛ tsp salt. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, stopping as soon as no dry flour remains. Cover and refrigerate the batter for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 410°F / 210°C and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Divide the chilled batter evenly between the liners, filling each about three-quarters full, then sprinkle a little granulated sugar over each one.
- Bake the Spanish muffins for 14–16 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the magdalenas cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Build Enough Volume: I beat the eggs and sugar until the mixture looks pale, airy, and approximately triples in volume. This creates the light base that supports the muffins as they rise.
Mix the Flour Briefly: Once I add the flour, I keep the mixer on low and stop as soon as the batter is combined. Prolonged mixing can reduce the airy texture created during the first step.
Keep the Batter Cold: Leave the batter refrigerated until the oven has reached the full temperature. The contrast between the chilled batter and hot oven helps the magdalenas develop their characteristic tall domes.
Leave Room to Rise: Fill the liners only three-quarters full. This gives the batter space to rise, while the sugar sprinkle creates the lightly crisp top.
Nutrition
Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 137mg | Potassium: 49mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 296IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1mg
