Churro Cupcakes

New Rule = eat as much as you want without feeling guilty on any holiday! Cinco de Mayo was our first holiday that this WONDERFUL rule was implemented! We wanted to make a mexican dessert but we are not too fond of your traditional flan, tres leches, etc.. We LOVE churros but only when they are hot, so we decided to try a churro cupcake. Lets just say that we applied this rule to the fullest because these cupcakes were OUT OF THIS WORLD!

We know this recipe may seem a bit long and a little intimidating but trust us, it will DEFINITELY be worth it!

Ingredients for Cupcakes
3 cups cake flour, sifted then measured
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
11 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 cups light brown sugar packed
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups whole milk, room temperature
1-13.4 ounces can Dulce de Leche (for filling)

Ingredients for Frosting
1 cup butter
4 ounces cream cheese
2 pounds powdered sugar (32 ounce bag)
2 1/2 tablespoons vanilla
1/4 cup evaporated milk

Ingredients for Topping
Vegetable oil, for frying
One (10-inch) flour tortilla
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon


Directions for Cupcakes
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin pans with baking cups.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
3. In large bowl, cream butter, cinnamon, and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mixing well after each addition.
4. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, beating batter just to combine between additions. Do not overmix. Continue beating one minute. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until cake tester or wooden skewer inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Turn out onto cooling rack; cool completely. Cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to 3 days at room temperature.

Directions for Frosting
1. Cream together the butter and cream cheese with an electric hand mixer.
2. Add 1 pound of powdered sugar, evaporated milk, and vanilla. Mix until well incorporated.
3. Add the remaining pound of powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Add more milk, vanilla, or powdered sugar based on the desired thickness.

Directions for Topping
1. Put the cinnamon and sugar in a large zip lock bag and mix together.
2. Warm the tortilla. Cut the tortilla in strips, about 1/4-inch thick to 1-inches long. Separate the strips and fry in hot oil until golden brown.


3. Place fried tortilla on paper towels to drain.


4. Put the fried pieces into the bag of cinnamon-sugar mixture and shake until all pieces are coated.


5. Once oil is cooled, place the excess into a the dulce de leche can. DO NOT put the excess oil down the sink!



Directions for Assembly
1. Place the Dulce de Leche into a pastry bag with a long skinny tip. Scrap down the sides of the bag and twist the top as shown in the picture.


2. Put the tip inside the cooled cupcake and fill with Dulce de Leche; set aside.


3. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip with the frosting. Pipe frosting onto each cupcake. Garnish with cinnamon-sugar crunchies.