Hosting a San Diego Event? Here’s Why You Should Cater Malasadas

What could anyone possibly have wrong with a deep-fried sugared doughnut without a hole? Not quite the same, but close enough to please skeptical or picky eaters, the malasada is a first Portuguese and then Hawaiian classic dessert. Malasadas are made from butter, flour, and eggs, cooked then coated in a cinnamon sugar dusting. The ingredient ratios and frying technique make for a crispy, not crunchy, exterior with a soft, doughy interior. 

 

Customization

With 16 different flavor fillings and 5 different coatings, Manual Malasada offers the largest variety of malasadas in San Diego. We offer flavors like haupia, lilikoi mango, Nutella, PB&J, ube cheesecake, bavarian cream, pineapple, and more. For coatings, we offer plain sugar, cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, li hing, and no sugar. With choices of 3,6, or 12, you can mix and match to your heart’s content. Every palate, including the pickiest eaters, is sure to be satisfied with our options.  

Versatility

From picnics to baby showers, malasadas are the perfect finger foods to transport and snack on. The versatility is incredible with these desserts. Donuts have been trapped in the breakfast food domain, rendering them irrelevant for activities later than noon. But malasadas, a close cousin to our beloved donuts, haven’t been pigeonholed in the same way. A nighttime event featuring a platter of malasadas won’t garner the same judgment as that of a donut spread. With our varying box options, you can customize your purchase to fit the needs of your guests. All you have to do it place your order, pick it up and put it out and we can almost guarantee you’ll have empty boxes by the end of your event. 

 

Convenience

Box it, bag it, then toss it. At Manuela Malasada, our treats come in boxes with several quantity options and offer options for large orders. All you have to do is come in, place your order and we’ll get you however many boxes you need. Take them to your event to share, or back home and eat them all yourself (we won’t judge). You won’t have to struggle with an easily smushable cake or ice cream sandwiches that will surely melt in transit. Malasadas are one the easiest desserts to acquire and transport. That’s why you see them at almost any traditional Hawaiian party you go to.  

If you are interested in catering Manuela Malasada for your next event place, fill out the contact form on our website or give us a call. Let’s celebrate with ease! 

The History of Malasadas: From Portugal to San Diego

The small deep-fried ball of dough we have come to know and love today has surprisingly endured quite a bit before reaching us. In its original state, the malasada was a flattened round of yeasted dough made with flour and molasses and coated with sugar and cinnamon.

The Origins of Malasadas in Hawaii

After the area’s sugar exports skyrocketed, malasadas made their way to surrounding communities, including the Canary Islands and even Brazil. Historically, they were a product of the Catholic tradition of Ash Wednesday followed by Fat Tuesday. As households sought to clear out fats and sugars from their pantries before Lent, they used the ingredients to make malasadas. 

In the late 1870s, many Portuguese laborers traveled to Hawaii to work on the sugarcane and pineapple plantations, bringing their traditions with them. Now, there are many malasada bakeries across the Hawaiian islands that make the treats year-round. 

 

Malasadas on the Mainland

Surprisingly, most of the malasadas we find on mainland America are from Portuguese immigrants, not Hawaiians. They are still made in their traditional contexts on Fat Tuesday by Catholic Portuguese families, mainly on the east coast.  

On the West Coast, malasadas are a bit harder to find. In fact, Manuela Malasada is one of the only places in San Diego you can find real malasadas.

 

Looking to try this delicacy laced in history for yourself? Come to Manuela Malasada in National City for fresh, made-to-order malasadas of all flavors.