Description
Churro Cupcakes bring the carnival home! Soft cinnamon-sugar cupcakes topped with dreamy frosting. A delightful dessert, easy to make and always a hit.
Ingredients
Scale
- Cupcake Base Essentials:
- 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup (180ml) whole milk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cinnamon Sugar Flavor Boosters:
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for topping)
- Creamy Frosting & Finishing Touches:
- 8 oz (226g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3–4 cups (360-480g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1–2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Prep the Pan & Dry Mix:: First things first, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Honestly, don’t skimp on the liners, or you’ll have sticky cupcake bottoms, and who wants that? In a medium bowl, whisk together your all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. I always give it a good minute or two to make sure everything’s evenly distributed, otherwise, you might get a weird pocket of salt or leavening in a cupcake, and that’s no fun.
- Cream the Wet Ingredients:: In a larger bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together your softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until it’s light and fluffy. This takes about 2-3 minutes, and you’ll see it turn a pale yellow. I always scrape down the sides of the bowl religiously here; it’s so easy for butter to hide. Then, beat in your large eggs, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. This is where I sometimes get impatient, but trust me, it’s worth it for a smooth batter!
- Alternate Wet & Dry:: Now, with the mixer on low speed, gradually add your dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the whole milk, beginning and ending with the flour. So, flour, then milk, then flour, then milk, then flour. Mix until just combined. Overmixing is the enemy here, hon! It develops the gluten too much and you end up with tough cupcakes, and we want soft, tender ones.
- Swirl the Magic:: In a small bowl, whisk together your ground cinnamon and brown sugar for the swirl. Divide your cupcake batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Then, sprinkle about a teaspoon of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over each cupcake. Using a toothpick or a small knife, gently swirl the cinnamon sugar into the batter. Don’t go too crazy, just a few swirls will do to create that pretty marble effect.
- Bake ‘Em Up:: Pop your cupcakes into the preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Ovens vary, so keep an eye on them! Mine usually take around 20 minutes, but I’ve definitely underbaked before and ended up with slightly gooey centers, which isn’t the worst thing, but not what we’re aiming for here.
- Cool & Frost:: Let the cupcakes cool in the muffin tin for about 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. While they’re cooling, make your cream cheese frosting. Beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth, then gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, a splash of milk if needed, until fluffy. Once the cupcakes are totally cool—this is critical, or your frosting will melt—frost them generously. Sprinkle with an extra mix of cinnamon and granulated sugar for that classic churro finish!