Churro Cupcakes

Churro Cupcakes are the perfect dessert for your fiesta! These light and fluffy cinnamon cupcakes are topped with a sweet cinnamon cream cheese frosting and a crunchy churro!

May is a great month here in San Diego. Although we don't actually celebrate Cinco de Mayo, I certainly take advantage of all of the delicious Mexican recipes floating around and the awesome deals on cilantro, peppers, and carne asada meat! After a delicious meal though and a cold Corona, something sweet and cinnamon-y is the only way to end the night. These Churro Cupcakes are great for that!

Last year around this time, I made these phenomenal Dulce de Leche Milkshakes. They were topped with a Pepita Brittle and homemade Churros. I managed to make a few churros and even made a churro ice cream sandwich. That churro sandwich was the absolute best thing I have ever eaten. Unfortunately, that was the first and last time I will ever make churros as I was sore for 3 days trying after trying to pipe the dough. Thankfully though, most major grocers sell frozen churros that you simply pop in the oven or fryer. For this particular recipe, I purchased the churros at Trader Joe's.

These Churro Cupcakes have a buttery cinnamon cake based that is swirled with Mexican Vanilla (aff link). If you have never used Mexican Vanilla, get some now. It is gloriously flavorful and a little goes a long way! The frosting has the same cinnamon and vanilla flavors and is studded with sprinkled cinnamon and sugar, just like a churro. While not necessary, these cupcakes are garnished with a delicious churro, which is literally the topping on the cake! Enjoy!

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Churro Cupcakes

Author: Jackie

Ingredients

• 2 sticks softened butter (I use Plugra)
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 teaspoon Rodelle vanilla bean paste or regular vanilla
• 2 whole eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 ½ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk with a splash of white vinegar)
• Cinnamon Sugar Topping-
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting-
• ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese , softened
• 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• Baked Churros (found in the frozen section at the store)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make sure all your ingredients are room temperature.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and soda and mix.
3. Using your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld electric beater, blend butter, sugar and vanilla at medium speed until pale and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition.
5. Reduce speed to low and add a cup of flour followed by ⅓ of the buttermilk.
6. Repeat this 3 times, until you have incorporated all the flour and buttermilk.Fill cups with cupcake batter ⅔ full and gently tap on counter to remove air bubbles.
7. Sprinkle each cupcake with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
8. Bake cupcakes for 15-17 minutes or until toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.
9. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
10. Frosting-
11. Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and the cream cheese. Slowly blend in the powdered sugar and vanilla, then beat until smooth and well-combined.
12. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon and sugar mixture.
13. Top with cooled baked churro if desired.
14. Recipe makes 20 cupcakes.