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Ever had a churro craving that shows up loud and uninvited, then you realise you cannot be bothered with hot oil and a piping bag situation? Same. That is exactly why Churro Cake exists. You still get that cinnamon sugar joy, but it shows up in fluffy cake form and politely lets your oven do the heavy lifting.
This churro cake recipe is basically an easy churro recipe for people who want the vibe, not the mess. Soft crumb, warm spice, a sparkly cinnamon sugar top, then the whole thing gets a chocolate moment if you are feeling extra. Consider it your new favourite churros cake shortcut.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- Churro flavour without frying: Cinnamon sugar is baked right on top, so you get that classic churro finish without oil splatters.
- Light but still satisfying: A couple of clever swaps keep the crumb tender and fluffy, not heavy.
- Simple pantry ingredients: Nothing fancy, just smart assembly that delivers big cinnamon energy.
- Chocolate is invited: Dip, drizzle, spread, or go full dramatic dunk. That sweet spice plus chocolate combo is ridiculously good.
What Goes Into Churro Cake
This churro cake comes together with everyday pantry staples and a few clever swaps to keep things light. You’ll get all the nostalgic cinnamon-sugar flavor in a soft, fluffy cake, no deep frying needed!
- Brown Sugar or Muscovado: Adds rich, caramel-like sweetness and moisture to the cake base.
- Light Butter: Keeps the crumb tender while lowering fat without sacrificing flavor.
- Ground Cinnamon: Brings the warm, cozy spice that makes every bite taste just like a classic churro.
- Melted Chocolate or Clean Chocolate Sauce: For dipping or drizzling — this final touch adds just the right amount of indulgence.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
Add Ins And Substitutions For Extra Fun
If you want to riff on this churro cake recipe, here are options that are not already in the base recipe, written in the same style as the ingredients:
- Orange Zest: Stir into the batter for a bright, bakery-style twist that lifts the cinnamon.
- Espresso Powder: A tiny pinch deepens the flavour and makes the chocolate topping taste even richer.
- Chopped Toasted Pecans: Fold in for crunch and a little nutty contrast to the soft crumb.
- Dulce De Leche Drizzle: Swap the chocolate topping for dulce de leche when you want caramel vibes.
- Cream Cheese Glaze: A tangy glaze balances the sweetness and makes it feel extra special.
How To Make A Churro Cake
- Prep the Pan and Oven: Preheat your oven to 176°C (350°F). Lightly grease an 8×8-inch square baking pan with cooking oil spray, then wipe away any excess with a paper towel.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the sugar, sweetener, butter, and applesauce until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla extract, then whisk until the mixture is light and creamy.
- Combine: In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring to combine.
- Add the Milk: Pour in the almond milk and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix — a gentle hand keeps the cake fluffy.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, then bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Finish and Serve: Let the cake cool completely before spreading with melted chocolate or your preferred clean chocolate sauce. Slice, dip (if you like), and enjoy every warm, fluffy bite!
This Churro Cake is a standout on its own, but it’s even better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or my Red Velvet Cookie Dough Frozen Yogurt. The cool, creamy contrast enhances the warm cinnamon-sugar notes and gives every bite that melt-in-your-mouth finish. For a lighter option, a dollop of Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey adds a tangy balance.
If you’re leaning into the churro theme, try pairing it with my Churro Ice Cream Bowls or Churro Lava Cakes. Both add fun textures and presentation to your dessert table; crispy, golden, and full of that same spiced magic. Serve them all together for a next-level churro dessert spread.
Pro Tips So Your Churro Cake Behaves
- Do not overmix the batter: Once the flour goes in, mix just until combined so the cake stays fluffy.
- Cool it fully before topping: Warm cake will melt chocolate too fast and you will lose that pretty finish.
- Cinnamon sugar timing matters: Sprinkle it evenly right before baking so it bakes into the top instead of disappearing.
- Check early if your oven runs hot: Start checking at 20 minutes so the edges do not dry out.
- Want cleaner slices: Chill the cake for 20 minutes after cooling, then slice and bring back to room temp.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes! You can substitute the egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water) or use extra applesauce for a similar texture.
Absolutely. Any milk you have on hand — dairy or non-dairy — will work just fine in this recipe.
You can melt chocolate in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between each round, or gently over a double boiler for more control.
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Churro Cake
Ingredients
Churro Cake
- ⅔ cup lightly packed brown sugar or muscavado sugar
- ½ cup natural sweetener or your sugar of choice
- ½ cup light butter room temperature, or spread of choice
- 2 tablespoons apple sauce or extra butter/spread of choice
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups plain flour/all-purpose
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- ⅔ cup unsweetened almond milk
- Cinnamon sugar
- 1/4 cup melted chocolate OR a Clean Chocolate Sauce
Optional: Homemade Chocolate Sauce
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons natural sweetener/sugar of choice
- 2 tablespoons warm water or enough to mix into your desired consistency
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 176C | 350F. Grease a square 8-8-inch baking tray with cooking oil spray, and wipe over with a paper towel.
- In a bowl, whisk brown sugar, sweetener/sugar, butter and apple sauce until. Add egg and vanilla and whisk again until light and creamy.
- In a smaller bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Gradually beat in the dry ingredients.
- Pour the milk into the batter, and mix well. Do not over beat batter.
- Pour batter into prepared baking tray and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Bake until golden, about 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Cool completely before spreading with melted chocolate of choice, or a clean chocolate sauce.
- To make your own chocolate sauce, combine ingredients until sauce is desired consistency.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Nutrition calculated excluding melted chocolate, as this is completely optional!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh And I forgot to ask if I could use oatflour instead of the all purpose? Thanx so much
I wouldn’t recommend too as I haven’t tried that myself. If you need to replace the flour, I suggest only replacing half with oat flour and the other half with normal flour (or whole wheat would work too) 🙂
These were just amazing!!! I was a little bit scared how they would turn out because I only used splenda And no Brown sugar. I used 4 tablespoons of Apple sauce because splenda doesn’t give the same moisture and fudgyness as (Brown) sugar. I Also sprinkeled the cake with a mix of splenda and cinnamon and baked it in the oven For 20 minutes. Handsdown the best churro cake ever!! You rock!
Your churro cake is baking in the oven as I type! 🙂 I used honey for my natural sugar and subbed white flour into whole wheat! I hope it comes out okay but the house is already smelling amazing! Thank you 🙂
2 quick questions though- what brand of light butter did you use? (Also in oz) and did you prefer this over the churro blondies? 🙂
Ohhhh great subs!!! How did the honey taste with it? Still Churro? I hope it came out ok for you!
I just use Flora Light. Or Golden Canola Light is good too!
Honestly I loved both! The cake was light and fluffy, but still FUDGY, and the blondies were so fudgy! It’s a hard one lol!
It still tasted great and very churro! My husband could not stop eating! Lol!
I ended up using devondale 25% less fat but will definitely pick up some flora light next time 😉
The blondies are scheduled for next week
Haha that’s so awesome!!
I’m so happy to hear this! You made my day thank YOU xxx
We were drooling before it came out of the oven, the house smelled like heaven. Can we bottle the scent in a candle? My 6 year old asked for seconds, and all you could hear from my two others was yumm umm. A great hit. Thank you so much, this will be a regular in our household. I used coconut oil, and used wheat pastry flour, kept it in an extra 10 minutes and perfection!
YUUUMMM I love those substitutions!! Aw I’m so happy you tried this cake! And I’m even more happy your family enjoyed it. Thank you so much for sharing this with me.
Churro cake?! I’m in! I love churros, but I don’t love the idea of having to heat up a big pot of oil to deep fry a batch of them. And then I’m stuck with a big batch of churros and have to figure out something to do with all that oil. Churro cake is genius! And dunking them in that chocolate sauce? Oh wow. Thanks for sharing an amazing recipe!
Yes Katie I’m sooo with you girl! The oil puts me off too… And this cake was a hit with the family so I take it as a good sign! Light and fluffy…no oil, and Churro!
And…you’re welcome! If you try it, please let me know how you go! Xxx
You have seriously impressed me with this churro cake! I have never seen something like this before, so you definitely have stumbled onto a great idea. Thanks for the recipe, you can definitely consider that I will be recreating it!
Oh wow thank you s much! I’d love to hear how you go if you try it! Thank you for your message… I’m honored! Xxx
Nice and simple recipe, easy to find ingredients! Pinning!
Thank you so much Mira! I’m honoured! Xxx
Thank you! Btw I looove your recepies. Much love from Germany
You’re very welcome girl!! Xxx
Hey Karina. Was wondering what can I use instead of apple sauce? Ty
Hey! You can try 2 level tablespoons of yoghurt instead Xx
How much apple sauce do I use please cant see the amount in receipe thanks. X
2 tablespoons hun Xx