Let me tell you the story behind these Martino’s Bakery Tea Cakes. Martino’s Bakery in Burbank, California is famous for these sweet, rich, brown sugar glazed, square-shaped tea cakes. My dad grew up there and went on a field trip to Martino’s bakery in elementary school. He’s been loving them ever since!
My cousin recently got married and served these beloved tea cakes at her wedding reception, which inspired me to see if there was a recipe out there to recreate them.
After doing a little research, I came across a blog called The PKP Way. The sweet face behind this beautiful blog is a girl who goes by PKP, and she has a recipe for the famous Martino’s Bakery Tea Cakes. I was so excited to give it a try!
They turned out to be pretty close to the real deal! I wouldn’t change a thing in the recipe for the cakes (except to double it), though I did go rogue and make my own glaze (you know me!).
The Martino’s Bakery Tea Cakes recipe might have a few ingredients you are not used to cooking with. This recipe was originally developed when items like powdered milk, margarine, and buttermilk were more commonly found in the kitchen. And since I was trying to hit the nail on the head, I stayed true to the ingredients of the time.
And here’s a really neat article proclaiming the versatility of dry powdered milk in case you are worried about buying a whole bag for one recipe. It really is a wonder ingredient, adding a creamy umami type flavor. I’m excited to use it more! Just not to make milk 🙂
The flavor of these Martino’s Bakery Tea Cakes is almost indescribable. The toasted powdered milk, brown sugar, and vanilla give them a hint of caramel. They are absolutely delicious and completely unforgettable. I’m so glad I came across this Martino’s Bakery Copycat Tea Cake recipe. It was fun to bring them over to my dad so he could taste test them and take a little trip down memory lane.
Have any of you all been to Martino’s Bakery in Burbank? Be sure to let me know in the comments if you have!
Print
Martino’s Bakery Tea Cakes
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 2 dozen cakes 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
I’m so glad I found a recipe to recreate the famous Martino’s Bakery Tea Cakes. They are so delicious, and that brown sugar glaze is everything!
Ingredients
For the Cakes
- 1/2 cup instant dry milk, toasted
- 1 1/2 cups whole buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (6 oz.) margarine, room temperature
- 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Glaze
- 6 tablespoons margarine
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- dash of salt
- 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
For the Cakes
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread instant dry milk evenly over the paper.
- Toast the dry milk for 3-5 minutes, watching closely, until it is golden brown in color.
- Cool the toasted dry milk, and then stir into the buttermilk.
- Turn the oven up to 350 degrees, and line a muffin tin with square shaped wells with paper liners*. Lightly spray with nonstick baking spray.
- In a medium bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together margarine, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add eggs one at a time, mixing in between additions.
- Add vanilla extract and mix.
- Reduce the speed to low, and alternate adding the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture into the electric mixing bowl. Do not overmix. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides.
- Fill each well 2/3 full of the batter. Bake for 18-23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing, and another 15 minutes before glazing.
For the Glaze
In a small saucepan, melt margarine and brown sugar over medium heat. Turn off the heat, and whisk in vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Add 2-3 teaspoons of heavy cream and whisk until smooth and glossy. The consistency of the glaze is right when it slowly runs off the back of a spoon. Dip each tea cake in the glaze, allowing excess to drip back into the saucepan. The glaze will harden as it cools.
Notes
This recipe is slightly adapted from The PKP Way’s Martino’s Bakery Original Tea Cakes Copycat Recipe. *Standard size round muffin liners will work well in the square pan. Once the batter is spooned into the liner, they will take on the shape of the square well.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Tea Cake
- Calories: 252
- Sugar: 27g
- Sodium: 144mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2.4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7.4g
- Trans Fat: 1.6g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 2.9g
- Cholesterol: 19mg
Gene Nash says
I grew up eating these (at Billy’s Delicatessen in Glendale) and LONG to have them again. Unfortunately I am no longer in California. Can’t wait to try this recipe.