Get ready for Cinco de Mayo with these wonderful gluten free churro cupcakes! They're vanilla cakes with a cinnamon-sugar crust and a luxurious cinnamon buttercream. Fiesta time!!
We used to live in Spain when I was very little (my dad was in the Navy). Although I don't remember much, my mom said there were big cauldrons of oil on the street corners where people would fry churros. One thing my mom remembers is that these churros weren't very sweet at all. The chocolate sauce probably made them sweeter, but the churros in and of themselves were just a fried dough. I'm pretty sure Spain was where they originated, but I could be totally wrong about that so don't quote me. Lol! At some point, the churro became one of Mexico's most well known treats.
How I Came Up With This Recipe
I have to say that SO MANY of my recipes and knowledge come from classes I've taken on Bluprint. And I have to give credit where credit is due. Right now, they're having a special that will allow you to try a month of Bluprint for only $1!!! That is such an outstanding deal, you really shouldn't pass it up. Click here to start your trial now.
The class I took to learn how to make these cupcakes was The Perfect Cupcake by Jennifer Shea. Jennifer is the owner of the famous west coast Trophy Cupcakes. In the class, she shares many of her recipes and techniques for making the best cupcakes, and I love ALL of them!
After making the simple vanilla cupcake batter, sprinkle each with a cinnamon sugar mixture before baking. The cinnamon mixture bakes up kind of crackly, which I just love! Top with a light and fluffy cinnamon buttercream and a little pie crust "cookie." The swirl on top of these gluten free churro cupcakes is Trophy Cupcake's signature "Trophy wave" that Jennifer Shea teaches how to do. I love that it's a little different from the norm.
If you're looking for that special something to go with your Cinco de Mayo spread, look no further than these gluten free churro cupcakes! You'll be asked for the recipe, I guarantee it.
Gluten Free Churro Cupcakes
Ingredients
CUPCAKES:
- 2 ¾ cups (400 g) gluten free flour blend (I use Kim's gluten free flour blend)
- 2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup plus 3 tablespoon half & half
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (225 g) butter, at room temperature
- 2 ¾ cups (550 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
BUTTERCREAM:
- 3 cups (680 g) butter, at room temperature
- 6 cups (680 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 teaspoon cinnamon (add 1 teaspoon and then taste before adding more)
Instructions
FOR THE CUPCAKES:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl and set aside. Combine milk, half & half, and vanilla extract in liquid measuring cup and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar on low until well combined. Increase speed to medium and continue to cream for about 4-5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Scrape sides and bottom of mixing bowl.
- With mixer on low speed, add ⅓ of flour mixture followed by ½ of liquid mixture. Continue with 2nd third of flour and last half of liquid, followed by final 3rd of flour. Don't overmix.
- Allow batter to sit for about 15 minutes. Line muffin cups with cupcake liners and fill ¾ full. Mix together cinnamon and 1 tablespoon sugar and sprinkle about ½ teaspoon over each cupcake. Bake for about 27-30 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched.
- Cool in pan for about 5 minutes, and then remove to wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM:
- Using beater blade, cream butter until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until well blended. Stop mixer and scrape down sides and bottom of bowl. Turn mixer up to medium high or high and continue to beat for about 5 minutes, or until very light in color and fluffy. Add vanilla and 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and taste. If a stronger cinnamon flavor is desired, add another teaspoon cinnamon.
- Pipe or spread on cupcakes as desired. Buttercream will keep in sealed container for about one week in refrigerator, or 2-3 months in freezer. If frozen, defrost in refrigerator overnight before allowing to come to room temperature.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Jennifer Shea's class The Perfect Cupcake on Bluprint.
Klaridy
Excellent!! My family is NOT gluten free and they loved them.
Sarah
I just made them and they are greasy and gummy... I made sure the butter was warm and creamed well. I followed the directions to the letter. Last time this happened you said the butter was cold... What else could be going wrong. I use your flour blend, butter, organic sugar, farm fresh milk, 1/2 and 1/2 from the store, farm eggs and vanilla, baking soda and sea salt. Kitchen was about 65 and the oven was preheated. It tend to run a few degrees cool so cooking times are usually a little longer. But I start with the shortest time. They were overdone and sunk in the middle. I love cake and it was the first thing I learned how to make gluten free and I have not had such weird results with any other recipe. In your flour blend I use arrowroot in place of the cornstarch... Is it possible this is the culprit? I am so frustrated.
Kim
I'm so sorry you're having trouble, Sarah. I've made these cupcakes over a dozen times and they always come out really well. You said your oven runs a few degrees cool? Maybe that is the culprit?? When cupcakes are sunk in the middle it's usually because they haven't baked long enough. Why do you think they were overdone? If your oven is running at a different temperature, then maybe either leave them in the oven longer or bump up the temperature of your oven by 25 degrees to compensate. Oven temperature can make a huge difference for sure.
Possibly the arrowroot could be the culprit, although it usually can be subbed 1:1 so I don't think that would be a problem.
Sarah
I bake on the 2nd rack from the bottom. The cupcakes were dark caramel color and the toothpick came out clean. They were sunk in the middle when I opened the oven. I had a little batter left over that I baked in a glass baking pan. Cupcake pans one was gold and the other was black. I baked it for 37 mins and it had a nice round top and clean toothpick when I took it out. As it cooled the top slowly sunk it also was darker then I would like... Same batter it also had a gummy texture... I went looking for answers and found one that said arrowroot and milk don't play nice together. Which is why I am wondering if it is the arrowroot.
Kim
Oh, well then that could make sense then (the arrowroot). What if you try substituting a dairy free milk? I wish I knew what else to do to solve this problem, other than you giving me the brand names of all the flour components you use so I can do some research.
Shari
Hi Kim, just wondering if you’ve made your cupcakes a few days to a weak ahead of time and then frosted on the day you needed them. If so, did you keep cupcakes in refrigerator or freezer. Trying to find enough hours in the day, haha.
Kim
I hear ya, Shari! Yes, I have and what I like to do is keep them in the freezer because they don't dry out like they seem to in the fridge. Let them completely cool and then either place them in a large ziptop bag in one layer. I like to suck out all the air using a straw, just like those food saver machines (I saw Tyler Florence do this once and I've been hooked since)!
Shari
Thank you for your quick response, just what I wanted to hear, Awesome! Have a blessed day. 🦋🌞
Shari
Hi Kim these are awesome. Taking to a block potluck today. 🦋
Kim
Thank you, Shari 😍😍😍
Mary Ocamb
Another Winner!
Kim
Thanks so much 🙂 🙂 🙂