Traditional Mexican Wedding Cakes
Traditional Mexican wedding cakes are not typical cakes like those found at nuptials, to be shared by bride, groom and guests. Instead, they are small, round shortbread cookies, covered with a mixture of cinnamon and powdered sugar. Sweet and delicate, they are often served at holidays, fiestas and weddings, but, for many, Mexican wedding cakes are a favorite cookie jar treat year round.
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History of This Cookie
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Mexican wedding cakes look like much smaller versions of powder sugar donuts. Mexican wedding cakes have been a tradition south of the border for generations and their popularity has grown in the U.S. over the years. The word “cookie” is derived from the Dutch “koeptje," coming with immigrants from Holland; while the English favored similar small tea cakes. With the early American movement to the West, Hispanic cooking influenced the more bland fare of the early settlers. The people of Mexico assimilated Aztec and Mayan uses of cacao beans, achiote, cinnamon, chile and spices into their cooking with delicious results. With these tasty influences, traditional tea cakes were transformed into the more glamorous cinnamon and powdered sugar treats, Mexican wedding cakes.
A Cookie of Many Names
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The recipe calls for finely chopped or ground walnuts or pecans. Mexican wedding cakes have many names, but you will detect a similarity in their delicate, rich taste as well as their appearance with other cookies. Always small and dainty, they have been called Russian tea cakes, Italian butter nuts, Southern pecan butterballs, snowdrops, snowball cookies, Viennese sugar balls and Swedish tea cakes. Review the recipes and you will find they are all quite similar
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When to Serve
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These cookies are often served at traditional Mexican weddings. These rich, sweet cookies can be served alone as a dessert or snack or nibbled with a cool drink--they are delicious with lemonade. They add a classic touch after a fine dinner, accompanied by a glass of sherry or sweet muscatel. These cookies are traditionally served at festive Mexican occasions like weddings, christenings, parties and fiestas.
Ingredients
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Use good quality butter in Mexican wedding cakes. Different varieties of nuts may be used in the recipe for the Mexican wedding cakes, but pecans, walnuts or almonds are the most popular. Nuts should be ground or chopped fine. The secret to the special flavor is good quality butter, not margarine or shortening. Check the butter package and try to use an “AA” butter, which is the highest grade. If it’s not available, a “B” grade may work as well. The other important ingredient is vanilla extract. Do not use an “imitation” vanilla extract as the taste will be affected. Pure vanilla extract, while more expensive, makes a significant flavor difference in these cookies. The cookies are made into small, round balls and baked. After removal from the oven, apply that final sweet touch by rolling or dipping each cookie in a mixture of cinnamon and powdered sugar.
Storage
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Pure vanilla extract improves cookie flavor. These cookies keep well when stored in a tightly closed tin. They will keep several months in the freezer if stored in a sealed, air-tight freezer bag. Package them with wax paper between the layers. Thaw the frozen cookies several hours at room temperature. Unbaked dough can be frozen in a tightly sealed bag. This dough will keep for weeks and, when you’re ready to bake, thaw it slowly in the refrigerator.
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References
- Photo Credit plate of crisp italian amaretti cookies with a checkered napkin image by David Smith from Fotolia.com doughnut with sugar image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com nuts image by Henryk Olszewski from Fotolia.com wedding image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com Butter image by Cornelia Pithart from Fotolia.com vanilla beans image by joanna wnuk from Fotolia.com
