Go Back
–+ servings
three layer churro cake covered in cinnamon sugar and chocolate sauce
Recipes
No primary category found.

Churro Cake Recipe

4.85 from 53 votes
prep 45 minutes
cook 35 minutes
Additional Time 3 hours
total 4 hours 20 minutes
Serves 12 slices
This churro cake is a fluffy and moist vanilla cake swirled with cinnamon sugar and a cinnamon sugar coating. It’s frosted with brown sugar cinnamon ermine buttercream and layers of dark chocolate ganache. 
Author: Bernice Baran
Servings 12 slices

Ingredients

Cinnamon Buttercream

  • 150 grams light or dark brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 30 grams all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 180 mL milk
  • 283 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract

Cinnamon Swirl

  • 50 grams brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 7 grams all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Cinnamon Cake

  • 270 grams cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 56 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 120 mL canola oil, or any neutral oil
  • 300 grams granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 170 grams sour cream
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 180 mL milk, room temperature

Coating

  • 100 grams granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 28-56 grams unsalted butter, melted *only if needed*

Ganache

  • 113 grams dark chocolate, chopped
  • 120 mL cream

Method

Cinnamon Buttercream

  1. In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, flour, salt and cinnamon. Whisk until they're well distributed.
    150 grams light or dark brown sugar lightly packed, 30 grams all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, 1/8 tsp fine sea salt, 1 tsp cinnamon
  2. While whisking, slowly pour in the milk and whisk until the mixture is smooth. 
    180 mL milk
  3. Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir continuously (but not too aggressively) for 3-5 minutes.
  4. When the mixture thickens and begins to hold streaks, whisk quicker for about another 30-60 seconds. It should be thick like custard.
  5. Pour the mixture into a heat safe container, cover it and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Cinnamon Swirl

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
    50 grams brown sugar lightly packed, 7 grams all-purpose flour, 1 tsp cinnamon

Cinnamon Cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F/177C convection and grease and line three 6 inch cake pans with baking spray and parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl or the bowl of stand mixer, use the whisk attachment to beat the butter with the sugar for 1-2 minutes, at full speed. Then add the oil and beat at full speed, for another 1-2 minutes, until it’s pale and fluffy. 
    56 grams unsalted butter room temperature, 300 grams granulated sugar, 120 mL canola oil or any neutral oil
  3. Add the eggs one at a time. Make sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next egg. Then add the vanilla and sour cream, mixing just until they’re combined. 
    3 large eggs room temperature, 1 Tbsp vanilla extract, 170 grams sour cream
  4. With the mixer at low speed, add half of the dry ingredients, followed by the milk and the other half of the dry ingredients. Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl well so it’s evenly mixed. 
    270 grams cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, 1 Tbsp baking powder, 180 mL milk room temperature, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  5. Distribute HALF of the batter evenly among the three cake pans. You should get about 7-8 ounces in three 6 inch cake pans. 
  6. Cover the batter with the cinnamon sugar mixture and then spread the rest of the cake batter on top of the cinnamon sugar, about another 7 ounces in each pan. Use a knife to swirl the batter over itself randomly to create cinnamon sugar swirls. 
  7. Bake for about 30-35 minutes. When the cake is done baking, it will release itself from the edge of the pan and spring back when you press on the center. Flip the cakes over onto a cooling rack or a tea towel right away.
  8. Allow them to cool ALMOST to room temperature, and while they’re still a little warm, wrap them each in plastic wrap and freeze them while you finish the buttercream and ganache.

Finish Buttercream

  1. Once the custard portion for the buttercream has cooled completely, place the butter into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.**
    283 grams unsalted butter room temperature
  2. Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, to beat the butter at full speed for 5 minutes. Make sure to scrape the edge of the bowl every so often.
  3. When the butter is pale and fluffy, add the cooled custard in 3-4 increments, with the mixture running at medium-high speed. 
  4. Add the vanilla and mix until it's fully combined and smooth. 
    2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  5. To remove any excess air for smooth piping, you can switch to a paddle attachment and mix on low speed for a few minutes *optional.

Ganache

  1. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl and set aside.
    113 grams dark chocolate chopped
  2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, gently bring the cream to simmer. Pour it over the chocolate and cover the bowl for 3-5 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt.
    120 mL cream
  3. Stir the chocolate ganache gently until it’s completely melted and smooth. Allow it to cool while you assemble the cake.

Assemble

  1. Once the cakes are somewhat chilled, unwrap them and roll them in cinnamon sugar. The sugar should stick to the cakes because of the moisture from the trapped heat. *If it doesn’t stick, feel free to brush the sides of the cake with a little melted butter.*
    100 grams granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 28-56 grams unsalted butter melted *only if needed*
  2. Spread a layer of chocolate ganache onto the first layer of cake. It should be thick enough to not be transparent but thin enough to not ooze off the cake. If the cake is cold, the chocolate should set quickly. If it’s not setting, pop the cake in the fridge or freeze for a few minutes. 
  3. Once the chocolate is set, use the buttercream to pipe an even layer of poofs on top of the chocolate. Then top with the second layer of cake. Repeat and place the third layer on top. Refrigerate or freeze the cake for 15-30 minutes to set.  
  4. For the chocolate drip, you may need to gently reheat the leftover chocolate for 5-10 seconds. Let it cool for about 5-10 minutes and then place it into a piping bag or use a spoon to make drips off the edge of the cake.

Notes

*you can double the buttercream recipe and skip the cinnamon sugar coating if you want to decorate the outside of the cake with frosting.
**if your room temperature is warm, place the custard and the butter for the buttercream in the fridge for 10-20 minutes before finishing the buttercream.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 847kcalCarbohydrates: 88gProtein: 8gFat: 52gSaturated Fat: 26gPolyunsaturated Fat: 23gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 156mgSodium: 350mgFiber: 2gSugar: 61g
Course: Cakes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple cake, apple cider cake, Apple Cider Donut Cake, cinnamon sugar cake, donut cake, dulce de leche frosting, fall desserts, russian buttercream