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Easy Churro Cupcakes with Box Cake: Cinnamon Swirl Shortcut

A close-up of a churro cupcake cut in half showing the cinnamon filling and cream cheese frosting.
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Make delicious churro cupcakes using a simple box cake mix hack. These easy churro cupcakes feature a cinnamon swirl, a sweet dulce de leche center, and a classic cinnamon sugar topping for a no-fry churro dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 box (15.25 oz) vanilla or yellow cake mix
  • Ingredients listed on the cake mix box (usually eggs, oil, water)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for batter)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for topping)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (for topping)
  • 1/2 cup dulce de leche or caramel topping (for filling)
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
  • 2 cups powdered sugar (for frosting)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)
  • 1–2 tablespoons milk (for frosting)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to the temperature listed on the cake mix box. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. Prepare the cake batter according to the box directions, but reduce the liquid slightly (use 1/4 cup less water or milk specified) for a thicker batter.
  3. Stir 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon into the prepared cake batter until just combined. This creates the cinnamon swirl flavor.
  4. Fill each cupcake liner about two-thirds full with batter.
  5. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. While the cupcakes cool, prepare the cinnamon sugar topping: Mix the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
  7. Prepare the frosting: Beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Add milk one tablespoon at a time until you reach a smooth, pipeable consistency.
  8. Once the cupcakes are completely cool, use an apple corer or small knife to remove a small plug from the center of each cupcake.
  9. Fill the hole with about 1 teaspoon of dulce de leche. Replace the removed cake piece gently.
  10. Frost the cupcakes using a piping bag or knife.
  11. Dip or generously sprinkle the tops of the frosted cupcakes with the prepared cinnamon sugar mixture.

Notes

  • For an extra buttery flavor, substitute the oil required by the box mix with melted butter.
  • If you do not have dulce de leche, you can use thick caramel sauce or even a simple vanilla buttercream filling.
  • To make this a true box mix churro cake hack, you can brush the tops of the warm, baked cupcakes lightly with melted butter before rolling them in the cinnamon sugar.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kingscook.com/churro-cupcakes-with-box-cake-recipe/