Churro Cupcakes have all the cinnamon and sugar flavor of the fried treat, made into cupcake form! They are topped with a fluffy buttercream frosting and a mini churro for a delightful dessert!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners, and set aside.
For the cupcake batter, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine the oil, sugar, and light brown sugar. Whisk until fluffy.
Add the eggs and vanilla extract and continue whisking until the eggs are just mixed into the batter.
Using a wooden spoon, fold in the dry ingredients, then stir in the milk. The batter will be thick.
Spoon the batter into each cupcake liner about half full, then bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into the center cupcakes comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes to room temperature.
While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting. Use an electric mixer, or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, to cream the butter. Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, salt, and milk and blend until the buttercream is thick and smooth. If the buttercream is too thick, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag with a large star tip, and pipe it onto the cooled cupcakes.
Top each frosted cupcake with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar and/or a mini churro.
Notes
Churros- our homemade churros would be perfect on each cupcake. If you don't want to make them yourself, you can pick up a batch in the freezer section of your grocery store, or from a local Mexican restaurant. Or skip them completely and use one of our cinnamon tortilla chips instead!
Milk- whole milk is perfect for today's recipe. Or swap it out for tangy buttermilk (or use our buttermilk substitute).
Storage: To store at room temperature, place the cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Please note that the buttercream may get melty in warm temperatures. Or, place the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Enjoy chilled or bring to room temperature.
Freezer: It’s best to freeze the cupcakes before adding the buttercream frosting. Place the cupcakes in an airtight container, and you can store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature, add the buttercream, and serve.
Use a cookie scoop to easily fill the cupcake liners with less mess.
Another topping suggestion: caramel drizzle. Caramel is complementary to cinnamon and brown sugar.