Churro Cake
My Churro Cake features vanilla layer cake topped with a crunchy cinnamon sugar topping and fluffy cinnamon buttercream. This decadent cake tastes just like your favorite fair treat!
I love making over the top birthday cakes for my family like my Death by Chocolate Cake and my Reese's Cake. The cinnamon sugar crunch layer is to die for. I want to put it on all of my cakes now! As if the cake and frosting aren't decadent enough I also had to add a churro right on top! It is perfect with a tall glass of cold milk or a hot cup of coffee!
Why This Recipe Works: A Sprinkle of Food Science
- Replace Water with Milk: This adds fat and sugar which translates to a super moist and tender cake.
- Brush Cake With Butter: This keeps it moist for days and also helps the cinnamon sugar mixture stay in place.
Ingredient Notes/Shopping Tips
Ingredient Notes & Shopping Tips
- Cake mix: I like Betty Crocker's French vanilla best.
- Oil: Any neutral oil like canola or vegetable will work just fine.
- Milk: Use whole milk for the best results.
- Eggs: Bring to room temp to help them mix in smoothly. ~30 minutes at room temp. is perfect. Or place in a bow of warm not hot water for a few minutes.
- Butter: Be sure the butter is softened for the frosting. It should be soft enough that you can easily make a dent with your finger but not melted or greasy looking. Speed up the softening the process by cutting butter into smaller pieces.
- Heavy Cream: You can use half and half or milk in a pinch.
- Vanilla: Pure extract or paste bridges “cake” and “churro” flavors.
- Churros: Bake your own, grab some from a local vendor or the frozen aisle.
Krystle's Tips: Steal My Culinary School Secrets
- Even Layer Every Time: I suck at eyeballing things. So I like to divide by batter evenly by weight among the 3 pans.
- Don't Overbake: If the toothpick is coming out clean it's likely dry and overbaked. Bake until the toothpick has a few moist crumbs.
- Keep Things Sturdy: I like to level my cakes after baking with a cake leveler. However, you can also use cake strips while baking if you prefer.
- Use a Pasty Brush For the Butter: You want enough for the cinnamon to stick but not too much that the cake feels greasy.
- Perfect Frosting: Do a crumb coat: a light coat of frosting and then pop in the fridge for 15-20 minutes. Then continue frosting with an offset spatula for ultra smooth icing.
More Layer Cakes To Try Next
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📖 Recipe
Churro Cake
My Churro Cake features vanilla layer cake topped with a crunchy cinnamon sugar topping and fluffy cinnamon buttercream.
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Servings: 15 People
Calories: 798kcal
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Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 Boxes French Vanilla Cake Mix
- 6 Eggs
- 2 C Whole Milk
- 1 Cup Vegetable Oil
- 3 Tablespoons Cinnamon
For the Cinnamon Crunch
- ¼ Cup Butter Melted
- 2 Cups Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Cinnamon
For the Frosting
- 2 Cups Butter
- 5 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
- 3-5 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla
- 1 Pinch Salt
- Churros If Desired, For Garnish
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Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray (3) 9 inch cake pans with baking spray
- In a large bowl mix all cake ingredients until smooth and combined. Evenly divide between pans.
- Bake for 28-32 minutes or until done. Cool completely.
For the Topping
- In a small microwave safe bowl melt butter. In another medium bowl mix cinnamon and sugar.
- Using a cake leveler to make the cakes even and flat. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. You may not use all of the butter or sugar mixture.
For the Frosting
- In a large bowl cream butter and powdered sugar. Add cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. Then stir in heavy cream until you reach your desired consistency.
- Spread around 1 cup of the frosting on each layer and spread until smooth.
- Frost the sides the cake.
- Top cake with piped frosting, churros if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 798kcal | Carbohydrates: 117g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 632mg | Potassium: 102mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 97g | Vitamin A: 1054IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 2mg
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Just baked this Churro Cake and the kitchen smells incredible. It tastes like a cinnamon-sugar dream! Worth every minute.
This churro cake is so good, my family and friends loved it, asked me to make it again. Even asked the recipe, I send it your blog.
The cake was absolutely delicious! I made it for my best friend's birthday and everyone raved about it! I will definitely be making it again!
this cake is incredible! such a yummy treat.
this cake is incredibly delicious! such a yummy recipe.