The Art Of Mexican Wedding Cakes: A Cultural Delight

Mexican wedding cakes are ball-shaped cookies or cakes that are buttery, nutty, and fruity. They are made with a variety of ingredients, including flour, sugar, butter, cream cheese, and pineapple. The cakes are often soaked in a milky sauce, making them moist and delicious. The cookies are coated in confectioner's sugar, giving them a crunchy texture. They are perfect for weddings, Mother's Day brunch, or as a dessert.

Mexican wedding cake recipes

Mexican wedding cakes are a type of cookie or cake that is often served during special occasions like weddings and Christmas. The cookies are typically ball-shaped and coated with confectioner's sugar, while the cake is a fruity dessert with a cream cheese buttercream frosting. Here are some recipes for both the Mexican wedding cake and the cookies.

Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup finely chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Salt

Instructions:

• Preheat your oven to 325°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla. Avoid over-beating to prevent adding too much air to the cookies, which can cause them to spread.
• Stir in the flour, nuts, and salt until the dough holds together.
• Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place them about an inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes until set but not brown.
• Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool slightly, then roll them in powdered sugar.
• Allow the cookies to cool completely and roll them in powdered sugar once more.

Mexican Wedding Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup crushed pecans
• 1 (16-ounce) can crushed pineapple
• 2 (8-ounce) packages softened cream cheese
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup softened butter or margarine
• Eggs
• Salt

Instructions:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
• Add the eggs and crushed pineapple, mixing until just combined. Then, fold in the chopped pecans.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and bake for 40-45 minutes.
• While the cake is baking, mix together the frosting ingredients (cream cheese, powdered sugar, and butter) until smooth.
• Once the cake is done baking, use a fork to poke holes in the top of the cake.
• Pour the frosting over the warm cake and spread it into an even layer.
• Allow the cake to cool before serving.

Ingredients and preparation

Mexican wedding cakes are known for their fruity and nutty flavour, with pineapple and pecans folded into a sweet batter. The cake is then pierced with holes to allow the cream cheese buttercream frosting to seep in.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup crushed pecans
• 1 (16 or 20-ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
• 2 (8-ounce) packages softened cream cheese
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup softened butter or margarine
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, and a pinch of salt. You can sift them together or use an electric mixer.

Next, add the eggs and crushed pineapple with its juice. Mix until just combined, and then fold in the chopped pecans or other nuts of your choice.

Transfer the batter to your prepared baking dish and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting by mixing together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and softened butter until smooth.

Once the cake is out of the oven, pierce the top all over with a fork. Pour the frosting over the warm cake and spread it into an even layer.

Allow the cake to cool completely before serving. This cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for about a week.

For a more decorative touch, you can add sprinkles on top of the frosting or serve the cake in mini cupcake liners.

Variations and toppings

Mexican wedding cakes can be made in several ways, with different shapes, ingredients, and toppings.

One variation is to make the cake in the form of cookies. These are light, crunchy, buttery, ball-shaped cookies with chopped nuts in them, coated with confectioner's sugar. These cookies can be placed in mini cupcake liners on a tray. The recipe for these cookies includes unsalted butter, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, confectioners' sugar, and finely chopped walnuts. The dough is rolled into small balls and baked in the oven for 10-12 minutes. After cooling, the cookies are rolled in additional confectioners' sugar.

Another variation is to make a fruity tropical cake with a milky sauce soaked into it, creating a moist and delicious dessert. This cake includes ingredients such as all-purpose flour, baking soda, crushed pineapple with juice, evaporated milk, flaked coconut, vanilla extract, and chopped pecans. The cake is baked and then topped with a frosting made by boiling sugar, butter, and evaporated milk, and then stirring in vanilla, coconut, and pecans.

The most common toppings for Mexican wedding cakes are cream cheese frosting and confectioners' sugar. The cream cheese frosting is made by mixing cream cheese, powdered sugar, and butter, creating a decadent and rich topping. The cake is often pierced with holes to allow the frosting to seep into the cake, keeping it moist. Confectioners' sugar is used to coat the cookie variation of the Mexican wedding cake, providing a sweet and delicate finish.

Some people also like to add nuts, such as pecans or walnuts, or coconut flakes to their cakes. These additions provide a crunchy and nutty flavour to the cake. The cake can also be decorated with sprinkles to add a colourful and festive touch.

History and origins

Mexican wedding cakes are ball-shaped, light, crunchy, buttery cookies with chopped nuts in them, coated with confectioner's sugar. They are also known as Mexican wedding cookies.

The history of the traditional Mexican wedding cake (and the cookie) is largely unknown. There are variations in stories and ingredients that make it unclear where it originated, whether in Mexico, Europe, or the Middle East. Over time, different cultures have adapted the cake recipe using similar ingredients, and it has become a universal dessert served at weddings, during the winter, and at Christmas.

The recipe typically includes flour, sugar, baking soda, eggs, vanilla extract, and pecans. The cake is baked and then pierced with holes to allow the cream cheese buttercream frosting to seep in. The results are a delicious, fruity, and nutty flavor.

The Mexican wedding cookie is a ball-shaped cookie with a similar recipe, including flour, sugar, butter, vanilla, and nuts. The cookies are rolled in additional confectioners' sugar after baking, resulting in a crunchy, buttery treat.

Storage and serving suggestions

Mexican wedding cakes are a type of cookie that can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature, in the fridge, or in the freezer. They can be kept for up to one week at room temperature, two weeks in the fridge, and three months in the freezer.

To store Mexican wedding cakes at room temperature, place them in an airtight container with layers of parchment paper in between to keep their shape. They will stay fresh for about one week.

For longer storage, you can refrigerate the cookies in an airtight container for up to two weeks. If you prefer to eat chilled cookies, this is a good option.

Freezing Mexican wedding cakes is also an option and can be done for up to three months. To freeze the cookies, place them in an airtight container with layers of parchment paper or waxed paper in between.

When serving Mexican wedding cakes, you can roll them in additional confectioners' sugar or powdered sugar for an extra-white coating. This can be done once when the cookies are still warm, and then again once they have cooled completely.

The cookies can be served as part of a dessert table with other cookie varieties, or alongside Mexican desserts like buñuelos and chocolate-dipped churros. They also pair well with a cup of tea, hot chocolate, or coffee.

Frequently asked questions