Active Time

　　15 min

　　Total Time

　　1 1/4 hr

　　In Mexico, a quesadilla is more like what we think of as a grilled cheese sandwich, but with tortillas instead of bread. In Guatemala, these sweet little cheese things are like buttery cupcakes, and they are baked as special-occasion treats for children who've had a good report card or lost a tooth.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 9 (snack or dessert) muffins

　　3/4 cup rice flour (not Asian)

　　1 teaspoon baking powder

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

　　2/3 cup sugar

　　3 large eggs

　　1/2 cup farmer cheese at room temperature

　　Equipment: a muffin pan with 12 (1/2-cup) cups; paper liners

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line muffin cups.

　　

Step 2

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

　　

Step 3

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in cheese. Mix in flour mixture at low speed until just combined.

　　

Step 4

Divide among nine muffin cups (a slightly rounded 1/4-cup batter each). Bake until pale golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on a rack 15 minutes, then turn out onto rack and cool to warm.

　　Cooks' notes:

　　· Cakes are best eaten the day they are made. · Cakes can also be baked in lined mini-muffin pans for 30 minutes; recipe yields 30 mini muffins.