Cortadillo Mexicano or as I like to call it La Panaderia Mexican Pink Cake! Who doesn’t enjoy homemade cake? Serve with a hot cup of cafe con leche or a big glass of cold milk. That is a meal in itself! I would never pass up a chance to ride to la panaderia with my parents. As soon as you walked in, the aroma put you in a trance, lol! Grab that red plastic tray and a pair of metal tongs and then came the hard part. Which pan dulce to take home. Cortadillo Mexicano or pan cortadillo(sliced bread), was my first choice always. it had to be pink, along with a few pink conchas and besos de coco! Did I mention that my first paying job at 18 was at a Mexican bakery? Hence the addiction!
Must always have pink cake!
Since I was a young girl, I have always loved pink cake! Mom always prepared homemade cake for our birthday’s and mine always had to be pink. To see the original post for Mexican Pink Cake, click Here!
We are not a professional baker, but we try!
Going into this recipe, you must understand that this is a home cook’s version of pan dulce. The commercial bakeries use special ingredients unique to them to achieve the best baked goods. But this won’t stop me from trying to recreate the pan dulce that I love!
There’s just something about pink frosting!
When I see that slice of cake with pink frosting, it makes me forget about everything! Lol! Enjoy one slice, get it out of your system and move on.
What kind of pan makes a difference!
What kind of pan makes a difference!The bake times will vary for many reasons. Using a metal pan, the cake bakes faster. A glass baking dish requires a few extra minutes. And it’s true when you see the quote “all ovens may vary.”
In my experience with preparing this cake recipe…
In all honesty, I can’t remember a slice of cortadillo that I have ever eaten that was not on the dry side. One thing I discovered is that I cover the cake and let it sit overnight, it becomes more moist.
Cortadillos Mexicanos- La Panaderia Pink Cake
Ingredients
Ingredients
For Cake
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tbsps cornstarch
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup oil canola, or avocado oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 large lemon(lime) or orange optional
- 1/2 cup milk at room temperature
For Light Pink Frosting (Thicker)
- 3 cups confectioners sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter softened
- 3-5 tablespoons milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- pink food coloring gel
- Zest of 1 lemon or 1 orange
- Candy sprinkles
Instructions
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray or oil a 11 1/2X8 (for thicker cake) or a 9X13 (for thin cake), set aside.
- In one bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine, set aside.
- In another bowl, cream together the sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla until creamy. Add in the lemon(or lime) zest, if using. While the mixer is running, alternate adding some flour, then some milk until batter is smooth.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until knife comes out clean from center of cake. Start checking the cake after 20 minutes. If you over bake, it will be dry. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Once cake has cooled, prepare frosting. In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, milk and vanilla. Add the food coloring and stir until well combined. If the frosting is too thick, mix in a little more milk until smooth. If using zest, mix that in . Frost the cake in the pan and add sprinkles. The frosting will firm up as it sets.
Notes
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Not good. Followed recipe exactly and the cake was soooo dry. Sorry but I didn’t like it.
Carolyn, first of all you have to understand that all ovens bake at a different rate. The batter may have been over mixed or the cake may have been overbaked. It happens. I have prepared this recipe many times, and I have overbaked it once or twice. I am sorry it didn’t work out for you.
My family LOVED this Panaderia Cake!!!! I made it for Fathers Day. Since then I’ve been asked three times to make it again. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Next time I will try making the Chocolate one next 😋
NOTE: When I did make it the first time I almost forgot about the milk. I reread instructions a few times and overlooked it. It does say to add slowly but maybe that step was missed for it to come out dry.
I really like the results as well. I will sometimes bake the cake and let it cool. Once cooled I cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit overnight before frosting it the next day. The cake is never dry. Thank you for the feedback!
Could this cake be made with buttermilk? I just happen to have some from another recipe & would like to use it up.
I have never used buttermilk in my cake recipes, to be honest, I don’t know.
I am going to try your recipe because It seems to be like the cake I buy at a bakery. Unfortunately I tried another recipe last night and was disappointed. It called for 1 cup of oil and it was too much. Your frosting is also thick like what I wanted and the other was see thru and not frosting like coverage..
There are two versions of the frosting that I have tried as well. I prefer the thicker version as well.
What is cake flour? So, I can’t use all purpose flour?
Cake flour is used for softer cake. That’s what my mom used to bake all of our homemade cakes. It’s all purpose flour with cornstarch mixed in. You could use all purpose flour and reduce it by 1/4 cup. Replace the 1/4 cup with cornstarch. I have only ever prepared it this way. I am sure all flour may work as well. It just may be slightly different in texture, but still good.
Hi. Can you tell me the history behind the pink cake. I moved from PA to TX in 1981, and to this day, I still don’t know why the cake with pink frosting is so popular with Hispanics. I’m dying to know, and I can find anything after doing an internet search a short while ago. Thank you so much. I’d love to try this recipe soon.
I honestly don’t know a lot of the history of the pink cake, except that it is called pastel de niños. They served colorful cakes, such as the pink cake for dia de los niños. I believe that is where the panaderia version was adapted from.
I have made the pink cake a few times and for some reason it keeps coming out dry. what am I doing wrong . I’m using cake flour and going by the list that you have there.
Hi Janie! The cake does have a tendency to be on the dry side, as I have experienced with the pan dulce from the Mexican bakery. You could try adding another 1/4 c of oil to the batter. In my experience, if I let the cake sit overnight covered tightly, it will become more moist as well.
ok , cake it be that I have also been using cake flour and not all-purpose flour .
and also do you have ever made mexicano huesitos from the bakery they are really crispy
Your recipe States all purpose flour not cake flour?
In the past, I have used cake flour. When I use cake flour, I do not add the cornstarch to the recipe. If I use all purpose flour, I add the cornstarch. The cornstarch is supposed to yield a softer cake. Mom always used cake flour to bake cakes. So either or will work, whatever way you choose with cake four or flour with cornstarch