Churro Cake

Hey friends, let’s bake something truly special today.

Seriously, forget about your average cinnamon cake. We’re about to create a masterpiece: the Churro Layer Cake.

Picture this. You take a bite of the perfect churro. It’s warm. It’s crispy on the outside, coated in that sparkly cinnamon-sugar mix. Then you dip it into thick, warm chocolate. That feeling, that whole experience? We’re going to bake it into a single, incredible slice of cake.

This isn’t just a cake with cinnamon in it. It’s a complete flavor journey.

I came up with this recipe because I wanted to take the humble churro and turn it into something a little more elegant. Something you could serve at a birthday party or bring to a friend’s house. The kind of dessert that makes people’s eyes go wide.

There are three key parts that make this cake shine:

• A super tender, moist cinnamon cake. We use both butter for flavor and oil for an amazing texture.
• A rich, dark chocolate ganache filling. This is our “dipping sauce.”
• And the real star of the show: a silky Cinnamon Ermine Buttercream.

If you’ve never made an ermine frosting before, get ready. It starts with a simple cooked flour-and-milk base, which then gets whipped into butter. It has the fancy texture of a meringue buttercream, but it’s way, way easier to make. Think of it as the cool, low-maintenance cousin of Swiss meringue. It’s also not sickly sweet, which I love.

This is the perfect project for a weekend. Especially a rainy afternoon here in Dhaka, when the whole house fills with the smell of cinnamon and chocolate. It just feels like a warm hug.

Ready? Let’s get our aprons on.

Your Baking Blueprint

Before we dive in, let’s look at the game plan. This cake has a few moving parts, but don’t let that scare you! I’ll walk you through everything, step-by-step. Building these layers of flavor is exactly what makes this cake so special.

What to Expect:

• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Cooling & Chilling: about 3 hours
• Total Time: Around 4 hours, 20 minutes. It’s a labor of love, but so worth it!
• Servings: You’ll get one amazing three-layer, 6-inch cake. That’s about 8-12 slices, depending on how generous you are.
• Difficulty: I’d call it intermediate. None of the steps are crazy hard, but you do have to juggle the cake, the filling, and the frosting. But hey, if you’re a beginner looking for a fun challenge, you can totally do this!

The Gear You’ll Need:

• Three 6-inch round cake pans
• A stand mixer (or a hand mixer you trust)
• A saucepan
• Parchment paper, bowls, a whisk, a spatula… the usual suspects.

Can I Make It Ahead?

Absolutely! This cake is great for prepping in stages. You can bake the cake layers a day or two early. You can even make the frosting base ahead of time. I’ll cover all the details later on.

Need to Make a Different Size?

No problem at all. This recipe is pretty flexible. Here’s a quick guide to help you adjust it.

Cake Size	Scaling Factor	Approximate Bake Time	Notes
Three 6-inch Layers	1x (Original)	30-35 mins	This is our recipe as written. Perfect for stacking!
Two 8-inch Layers	~1.3x to 1.5x	35-40 mins	A great standard cake size. Just multiply ingredients by about 1.4.
One 9×13 Sheet Cake	~1.5x	40-45 mins	Best for an easy, no-fuss version. I’d just frost the top.

The Ingredients: What You Need and Why

The magic here is all about how good ingredients work together. Let’s talk about our cast of characters.

For the Tender Cinnamon Cake:

We use both unsalted butter and vegetable oil. It might sound weird, but it’s the secret. The butter gives us that classic, rich flavor we all love. The oil? It guarantees a super moist cake that won’t dry out. Sour cream adds a tiny bit of tang and makes the crumb incredibly tender. And please, use room temperature milk and eggs. It really does make a huge difference in the final texture.

For the Cinnamon Swirl:

This part is simple but so important. It’s just brown sugar, a little flour (to keep it from completely melting away), and a good dose of cinnamon. We’ll layer this right into the batter. The result? Beautiful, tasty ribbons running through each layer of cake.

For the Silky Cinnamon Buttercream:

This is our ermine-style frosting. It starts with a cooked base—almost like a pudding—made from milk, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. You let that cool completely, then whip it into softened butter. The frosting that comes out is unbelievably smooth, holds its shape beautifully, and isn’t nearly as sweet as the powdered-sugar kind. It’s sophisticated. It’s delicious.

For the Finishing Touches:

A churro needs chocolate, right? Our Ganache is just two simple ingredients: good quality dark chocolate (I like 60% cacao or higher) and heavy cream. It creates a rich, fudgy layer that acts just like a dipping sauce. Finally, a simple Coating of granulated sugar and cinnamon gives the outside of the cake that classic churro crunch.

Step-by-Step: Let’s Do This!

Okay, take a deep breath. We’ll tackle this one part at a time. I promise it’s easier than it looks.

Part 1: Make the Buttercream Base First

Let’s get the flavor base for our frosting out of the way.

In a small saucepan, whisk together the brown sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon. Mix them well now so you don’t get lumps later. While you’re whisking, slowly stream in the milk. Keep whisking until it’s totally smooth.

Put the pan on the stove over medium heat. Stir it constantly with a spatula or whisk. You just want to keep the mixture moving so it doesn’t burn on the bottom. After 3-5 minutes, you’ll feel it thicken up. It should have the consistency of a thick pudding.

Pour this mixture into a shallow bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface so a skin doesn’t form. Now, let it cool completely. And I mean completely to room temperature. This is a step I learned the hard way not to rush. If you add warm pudding to butter, you’ll get a soupy mess. Trust me.

Part 2: Bake the Cinnamon Cakes

Time for the main event. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and line the bottoms of three 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon for the Cinnamon Swirl. Just set that aside for now. In a bigger bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, and salt.

Now, grab your stand mixer. Beat the room-temperature butter and sugar for a couple of minutes. Then, pour in the oil and beat on high for another 2 minutes. You want it to get lighter in color and fluffy. You’re whipping air into it!

Turn the speed down and add the eggs one at a time. Mix in the vanilla and sour cream. Finally, with the mixer on low, add half of your dry ingredients, then all the milk, then the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix only until you don’t see any more flour streaks. Don’t overdo it!

Divide half the batter between your three pans. Sprinkle the cinnamon swirl mix over the top. Then, cover it with the rest of the batter. Use a knife to make just a few gentle swirls.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when a toothpick comes out clean.

Here’s my favorite pro-tip for a crazy-moist cake: As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, turn them onto a wire rack. While they’re still warm, wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap. The wrap traps the steam and locks all that moisture inside. Pop the wrapped layers in the freezer to chill down while you finish the frosting.

Part 3: Putting It All Together

Your custard base should be cool, and your cakes are chilling. Time to finish the buttercream.

Beat the room-temperature butter in your stand mixer on high for a solid 5 minutes. No, that’s not a typo. It will get super pale and fluffy. This is key!

With the mixer running, add the cooled custard one spoonful at a time. Let each spoonful mix in before adding the next. Once it’s all in, add the vanilla and whip until it’s perfectly smooth.

For the ganache, just chop up your chocolate and put it in a bowl. Heat the cream until it just starts to bubble, then pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then stir gently until it’s a glossy, smooth ganache. Let it cool a bit.

Time for the grand finale!

Unwrap your chilled cakes. Mix your coating sugar and cinnamon. Roll the sides of each cake layer in the cinnamon sugar. The condensation from the cold cake should make it stick.

• First Layer: Put one cake layer on your stand. Spread a thin layer of the cooled ganache over the top. Then, pipe a thick border of buttercream around the edge and fill it in.
• Second Layer: Gently place the next cake layer on top. Repeat the process: a layer of ganache, then a layer of buttercream.
• Final Touches: Put the third layer on top. I highly recommend chilling the whole cake for 30 minutes now to make it firm. For the drips, gently reheat your leftover ganache (just 5-10 seconds in the microwave!). Let it cool for a minute, then use a spoon to create those beautiful drips down the side of your chilled cake.

Fun Variations to Try

This recipe is a great starting point. Feel free to play with it!

• Gluten-Free? Use a good 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend.
• Vegan? This is totally doable. Use plant-based block butter, a vegan sour cream, your favorite non-dairy milk, and full-fat coconut cream for the ganache. Flax eggs work great here, too.
• Spicy Chocolate Vibe: Want a little kick? Add a tiny pinch (like 1/8 tsp) of cayenne pepper or ancho chili powder to the ganache and the cinnamon swirl. It’s amazing.
• The “I’m in a Hurry” Version: For a simpler take, bake the cake in a 9×13-inch pan. Swirl the cinnamon mix through the batter. Once it’s cool, just slather the top with that delicious buttercream. No layering, no ganache, still delicious.

Serving and Storing Your Masterpiece

You did it! The only thing left to do is slice it up and watch everyone’s faces. I love this cake with a strong cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk.

How to Store It:

Because this cake has dairy in the frosting and batter, it needs to live in the fridge. Keep it in a cake container for up to 4-5 days.

How to Serve It:

For the best possible flavor and texture, let a slice sit out on the counter for 20-30 minutes before you eat it. This lets the butter in the cake and frosting soften back up. It makes a huge difference!

Can You Freeze It?

Yes! This cake freezes like a dream. You can freeze the whole thing or individual slices. Just wrap it well. It’ll be good for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight.

I really hope you have fun making this cake. Happy baking!

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