Churro Cupcake Recipe
Making homemade churros can be a bit intimidating, as there's frying involved. A much simpler idea is to transform that flavor profile into cupcake form with this Churro Cupcake recipe.
Servings: 18
Calories: 410kcal
Ingredients
Caramel Filling
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Churro Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
Cinnamon Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese brick-style, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk optional
Instructions
Make the Caramel:
- In medium saucepan, heat sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly. Don’t worry when you see the sugar becoming clumpy. It will begin to melt into an amber-colored liquid as you continue to heat and stir it. Keep an eye on it, as you don’t want it to burn.1 cup granulated sugar
- Once sugar is completely melted, add in butter (be careful, it may splatter!) and whisk until fully incorporated.6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Slowly drizzle in the heavy cream and vanilla while stirring the mixture. Boil for one minute then remove from the heat.½ cup heavy cream, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Allow to cool while you make the cupcakes. I usually stick it in the fridge to firm up slightly.
Make the Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ cups cake flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the sugar and butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.1 ¾ cups granulated sugar, 1 cup unsalted butter
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated.4 large eggs
- Beat in the vanilla.2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Reduce the mixing speed to low. Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk. Beat until combined.1 ¼ cups whole milk
- Divide the batter evenly among the lined cups, filling each three-quarters full.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Make the Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter for a few minutes until light and fluffy.½ cup unsalted butter, 8 ounces cream cheese
- Add in cinnamon and vanilla.1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- With the mixer on low, add in powdered sugar one cup at a time. If frosting gets too thick, add in milk to thin it out, 1 teaspoon at a time (I did not use any milk).4 ½ cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk
Fill & Frost the Cupcakes:
- With a cupcake corer or an apple corer, cut a hole in the middle of each cooled cupcake and spoon in enough caramel to fill the hole.
- Frost the cupcakes and serve.
Notes
- Store leftover frosted cupcakes in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Unfrosted cupcakes may be made in advance, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Refrigerate leftover caramel and frosting in separate airtight containers for up to 1 week.
- Recipe adapted from Food Network and Macheesmo.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cupcake | Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 58.7g | Protein: 4.1g | Fat: 18.6g | Saturated Fat: 11.3g | Cholesterol: 80.1mg | Sodium: 514.8mg | Fiber: 1.7g | Sugar: 42.8g
