Concha Cupcakes

Ingredients & Measurements:
Yeast Mixture:
½ cup warm water (between 105-110 degrees F.)
1 ½ tbsp. Active Dry Yeast
1 tbsp. granulated sugar

Dough:
3 ½ cups (540g) all purpose flour
¾ cup (160g) granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
¾ tsp. (5g) salt
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. vanilla bean paste*
4 tbsp. (58g) or half a stick of unsalted butter, room temperature
You’ll also need an extra tbsp. of butter to grease the proofing bowl as well as about ½ cup of extra flour when kneading the dough.

*Double the vanilla extract if you are not using vanilla bean paste. So you will use 2 tbsp. of vanilla extract if you do not have vanilla bean paste.

Sugar Topping:
1 ½ cup (228g) all purpose flour
1 ½ cup (160g) powdered sugar
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. cinnamon (optional for half of the sugar topping)
12 tbsp. (173g) of unsalted butter, room temperature

Instructions:
Step 1: Bloom Yeast
Heat the water to 105-110 degrees F. water, use a food thermometer to check the temperature. If the water is too cold, the yeast will not activate or bloom. If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast. This step is very important. Once the water is the right temperature, mix in the 1 tbsp. of sugar and yeast, mix and set aside for 10 minutes.

Step 2: Dough
While the yeast blooms, in a large bowl measure out the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a fork or a whisk, mix these ingredients together. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix in for a few seconds using a spatula.

The yeast should be super puffed up (bloomed). Pour the yeast mixture into the flour, sugar, and egg mixture and mix with a spatula until a rough dough forms. Pour mixture out onto a lightly floured work surface, I like to use a large cutting board, bring the mixture together into a ball and knead for about 10 minutes until it forms a nice ball that isn’t too sticky.

Next incorporate the 4 tbsp. of room temperature butter and continue to knead. The dough will be very sticky, add a little sprinkle of flour until it comes together. It will feel like you messed up, but trust me, the butter will eventually blend in and you will have a smooth ball of dough. Try not to add more than ½ a cup of flour in this process to avoid the dough from being too tough or dry out. Continue to knead for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth. 

Take a medium sized bowl, something that is big enough to allow the dough to double in size and rub the 1 tbsp. of butter around the inside of the bowl. Take the ball of dough and roll it around the inside of the greased bowl, rubbing a little more butter on the outside of the dough. This will prevent it from sticking too much to the bowl and from drying out while proofing. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm draft free place in  your kitchen. I like to place it in my oven or microwave. Let it rest and rise for an hour.

Step 3: Sugar Topping
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Mix together. Add the butter and vanilla extract and using your clean hands, mix the dough until it comes together into a smooth ball. At this time you can divide the sugar dough into 2 or 3 (however many colors you want to use) and color each portion. I typically like to use 3 colors, I split the dough into three’s and to one portion I add cinnamon, then add yellow food coloring to the other, and pink to the third portion. Cover each ball of sugar topping with plastic wrap and set aside.

Step 4: Shape the Cupcakes, Top and Bake
Now comes the fun part! After an hour, the dough should have doubled in size. Pour the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 22 (50g) balls of dough. Roll each ball until smooth. Using a rolling pin, roll out a piece of the sugar topping and place on top of the ball of dough. Cut away excess pieces of sugar dough, then press with a concha cutter, or alternately you can cut your own design using a small knife, be sure to cut just the sugar topping. Place the ball of dough tucking it into the paper cupcake liner and place in a cupcake pan. Once all of the cupcakes are made, cover the cupcake pan with plastic wrap and allow to rise for a second time for 45 minutes to an hour. They should have puffed up slightly, allowing the sugar topping to break up a bit, this is normal.

After the cupcakes have risen for 45 minutes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. , once the oven is at the right temp, bake the cupcakes for 13-15 minutes. Once they are baked, remove from the oven and transfer each cupcake to a paper towel lined cooling rack to cool. Some of the butter from the topping will drip down the sides, placing the cupcakes on paper towels will help absorb that butter. Allow the cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes and then enjoy. These are best the day of, but you can store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days. 

If you want to make these ahead, work up until the point of the second proof. Cover the cupcake pans and place in the refrigerator overnight, Then pull out of the refrigerator the next day when you are ready to bake, allow them to come to room temperature on the counter for an hour then bake.

More Information on this Recipe…

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The Concha Cutter I used in this recipe is not an affiliate link, but I am happy to share where I purchased it. Please visit the Etsy shop by clicking this link to order the exact one I used to make these cupcakes.