chef’s kitchen

Cake Studio's pan de muerto recipe

Words by Alorie Gilbert
Photos by Jefté Sanchez

Pan de muerto, a traditional Mexican treat in honor of Dia de los Muertos

A big highlight of the Day of the Dead celebration at Bainbridge Island Museum of Art are the hot chocolate and sweet pan de muerto (bread of the dead) provided by Cake Studio, a Mexican panadería in Poulsbo.

Luis and Lily Montes, who own the business, grew up in Mexico and celebrated the holiday with elaborate ofrendas and visits to their families’ headstones. The couple met while working in a bakery in Puerto Vallarta and moved to Laramie, Wyoming, 12 years ago with their daughter Angela. Missing the flavors of Mexico, Luis started baking conchas, a sweet breakfast roll, for friends and family. When the family relocated to Poulsbo in 2020 with three more children, the idea of opening their own bakery came to fruition at a storefront on Viking Avenue.

Cake Studio has built an ardent, cross-cultural following, offering traditional favorites like flan and tres leches cake. The bakery gets a lot of business from Latino families in Bremerton, Port Orchard, Shelton and Belfair, including a large Guatemalan community. What keeps them coming? Luis credits traditional recipes prepared from scratch with fresh, simple ingredients and not a lot of sugar.

For their pan de muerto, the Montes add orange essence and zest to the dough. According to tradition, the aroma is thought to attract the spirits of ancestors. Luis explains the round shape of the loaf is symbolic, representing the earth, while the crisscross pieces represent the knobby bones of a skeleton. Try making it at home with this recipe or grab a sample at BIMA's Dia de los Muertos Community Celebrations on Saturday, November 2, 11 a.m - 3 p.m. Reservations required.

---

INGREDIENTS

Makes 3 loaves

4 c. all purpose flour
3⁄4 c. sugar
1⁄2 c. lukewarm whole milk
11 g. of yeast
3 large eggs
3 egg yolks
150 g. of unsalted butter (cut into pieces)
1 tsp. orange essence
Zest of two oranges
1 tsp. salt
Ground cinnamon (optional)

STEPS

1. In a bowl, combine yeast, three spoonfuls of flour and a spoonful of sugar to make the starter. Gradually mix in lukewarm milk until the yeast is dissolved and cover with food wrap. Let rest at room temperature for about 30 mins. or until it doubles in size.
   
2. Measure out flour on a flat, clean surface, and make a hole in the middle (it will look like a volcano). Add salt and sugar around the edges. Add the starter in the center along with egg yolks and eggs, one at a time, mixing them with the flour and the starter. Once well integrated, add butter into the dough. Add orange essence and orange zest and knead until incorporated. Continue to knead until you can pick up dough, and it doesn’t stick to your hands (about 30 mins.). Add more flour if dough is sticky after 30 mins.
3. Grease a bowl with vegetable oil, place dough in the bowl and cover with food wrap. Let rest at room temperature for one hour or until the dough has doubled its size.
4. Lightly dust a flat, clean surface with flour and place the dough on top. Gently press on dough to release air and form a cylinder shape. Divide cylinder into four equal parts, reserving one part for the “bones” and “head.” Form balls with the three remaining parts and place them on a tray lined with parchment paper. Press the tops of each ball gently.
5. Dust work surface with more flour and make a cylinder with reserved dough, then divide into seven even pieces. Take one piece and place an index finger in the middle, rolling back and forth without completely detaching the two sides. Then place index fingers in the middle of the two sides and roll back and forth. Repeat this step with five other pieces of reserve dough, forming “bones.” Cut the remaining piece into three more pieces and roll into balls, forming “heads.”
6. Add “bones” to the loaves by adding water to loaves in a crisscross pattern, placing the bones on top. Add more water to the center of the cross and place the “head” on top. Repeat with the remaining loaves. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size.
7. Bake at 340 F for 25-30 mins. Let cool. When cool, finish loaves with melted butter and a mixture of sugar and cinnamon (optional). Gently shake off excess sugar.

Luis, Lily and Valeria Montes at Cake Studio