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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)
  • 12 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.

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