From the first bite, you'll know that this churro cupcake recipe tastes just like the real thing! These delicious cupcakes are moist and fluffy, with the tops dipped into a cinnamon sugar mixture, then piped high with a cinnamon frosting. They are so much fun to make.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat together cake mix, oil, buttermilk, eggs, and cinnamon. Beat for 2-3 minutes until well combined.
Scoop cake batter into prepared muffin tins, filling about ⅔ of the way full. Bake cupcakes for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to cooling rack.
While the cupcakes are still warm, dip the tops into a shallow dish with the cinnamon sugar. Allow to cool the rest of the way.
While the cupcakes are cooling, beat together cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and ground cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
Add the powdered sugar and begin beating it into the cream cheese mixture - frosting will be very thick. Add a tablespoon of milk/cream at a time, beating the frosting until a thick pipeable consistency is achieved.
Transfer frosting to a piping bag and pipe swirls on top of the cooled cupcakes.
Drizzle with caramel sauce and top with a piece of churro.
Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Cupcakes and frosting can be frozen for up to 1 month. Churros may not freeze well.You can use your favorite vanilla or white cake recipe - Add 2 teaspoons of cinnamon to the recipe to achieve a churro flavor.We substituted buttermilk for the water in the cake mix instructions to achieve a richer, moister cupcake. The frosting recipe will produce a bit of a stiffer consistency than a traditional cream cheese frosting, making it durable for piping and staying on top of the cupcake.Before adding the frosting (or instead of), you could also brush the tops of the cupcakes with melted butter and then dip them in the cinnamon sugar for a more pronounced cinnamon sugar crust.