Churro Cake – Bead Yarn & Spatula

I must say, I haven’t gone crazy this year with baking pumpkin desserts. I had a couple of recipes I wanted to try – which I did – and there were others that I came across that I passed on. Could it be that my love of pumpkin is fading? Mmm…. I don’t think so. I’ve just been focusing on getting some other things done and finding and creating other recipes to make. Now, if you love pumpkin and you love churros today’s cake is for you… It’s a Pumpkin Churro Bundt Cake.

The base of the cake is a white cake mix that is doctored with some spices and of course pumpkin puree. The pumpkin flavor is not overpowering at all and the puree gives the cake a nice light orange hue. Not the artificial looking orange you may see with some pumpkin desserts thanks to the addition of orange food coloring.

And to get the churro effect, once the cake has completely cooled it is rubbed with a cinnamon sugar mixture. I must say, I liked that the recipe didn’t call for the cake being brushed with melted butter before coating it with the cinnamon sugar. I think the cake would have been almost too wet then since the pumpkin helps to make the cake incredibly moist. And yes, there were no issues getting the cinnamon sugar to stick to the cake without it.

Along with the cinnamon mixture on the outside of the cake, there is also a swirl of it on the inside which gives each piece of the cake an extra spice and sweet kick.

If you are in the mood for actual Pumpkin Churros, try the recipe below:

Pumpkin Churros

Pumpkin Churro Bundt Cake

Servings: 12-16
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Ingredients:

For the Cake:

1 15.25 box of white cake mix

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 egg yolk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Cinnamon Swirl:

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a Bundt pan with baking spray and set aside.

Combine the ingredients for the cinnamon swirl in a medium bowl, set aside.

In a large bowl sift together the cake mix, flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, salt and baking powder.

In a separate large bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients – buttermilk, pumpkin puree, light brown sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla extract – until well combined. Add this mixture to dry mixture and whisk together until well combined.

Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and then sprinkle 1/3 cup of the cinnamon sugar evenly over the top of the batter and then pour the remaining batter into the pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the cake comes out clean.

Place the pan on a wire rack and allow the cake to cool completely. Invert the cake on a platter or cake board and rub the remaining cinnamon sugar around it.

Recipe from Sweet Meli Bakery

With Cinco de Mayo just a few days away (and it falling on the weekend this year) you may be searching for some fun and delicious recipes to make. If you’re thinking of making churros but aren’t keen on the idea of having to fry them or just want a fun alternative how about a Churro Cake with a Spiced Chocolate Sauce for drizzling over it. And don’t worry, you will still have the cinnamon sugar coating that makes a churro extra yummy.

I began by combining my dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt – in a medium bowl and setting it aside. In the bowl of my stand mixer I beat butter, sugar and vanilla on medium-high speed until it was light and fluffy – about five minutes. I then added in four eggs and two egg yolks, one at a time. And finally I beat in sour cream. With the mixer on low, I added in the flour mixture in three parts alternating with milk. Once the mixtures were combined I poured it into a Bundt pan that I sprayed with baking spray. I tapped the pan down on my counter a few times to release any air bubbles and then baked it in a 350 F preheated oven for about 50 minutes. Once the cake was done I let it sit in the pan for about 10 minutes and then inverted it on a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cake was cool I placed it along with the cooling rack over a large bowl. I combined cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl and set it aside. In another small bowl I melted three tablespoons of unsalted butter in the microwave. Next, using a pastry brush, I brushed sections of the cake with the melted butter and then sprinkled the cinnamon-sugar mix over the section. Pressing the mixture on to the cake to adhere it. Hence me placing the rack over a large bowl, any excess melted butter and cinnamon sugar mixture simply fell into the bowl, making for an easier clean-up. You want to do this in sections, if you simply brush the entire cake and then tried sprinkling it with the cinnamon sugar it will not adhere to the cake as well (or at all) since the butter will seep into the cake.

Next, I made the chocolate sauce to go along with the cake. I combined half and half, chile powder, dark brown sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla extract and salt in a small saucepan. I brought it to a simmer over medium heat and then removed it from the heat and added in semi-sweet chocolate chips. I let the mixture stand for a few minutes and then stirred it until it was smooth.

The best way to eat this… With the chocolate sauce drizzled over the cake. YUM! This cake was hit amongst my friends with some of us going back for seconds and practically drenching the cake with the sauce – it’s that GOOD!

Churro Cake with a Spiced Chocolate Sauce

Servings: 12
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Ingredients:

For the Cake:

2 3/4 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks, at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 cup whole milk

For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Spiced Chocolate Sauce:

1 1/4 cups half-and-half

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon chile powder**

Pinch of salt

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips*

*original recipe called for 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

**If you want your sauce to have more of a kick add in 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of chile powder

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prep a Bundt pan by spraying it with baking spray (or brushing it with butter and then coating it with flour).

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a handheld mixer, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, and then the egg yolks. Beat in the sour cream. Reduce the speed to low and add in the flour mixture in three parts alternating with the milk. Beat until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Smooth the top of the batter with a spatula and then place in the oven for about 50 – 55 minutes. Until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then loosen the edges with your cake tested or butter knife and invert the cake on a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cake has cooled make the topping.

Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Place the cake along with the rack over a large bowl. Working in sections, brush the cake with the melted butter and then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the cake, pressing to adhere it to the cake.

To make the spiced chocolate sauce combine all of the ingredients, minus the chocolate chips, in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and add in the chocolate chips. Let it sit for 2 minutes and then stir until smooth.

Serve the cake with the spiced chocolate sauce.

Recipe from Food Network