Churro Cake Recipe: Cinnamon-Sugar Layered Cake Tutorial

This churro cake is a single-layer vanilla cake swirled with a cinnamon-spiced filling and finished with a cinnamon-sugar coating. Made from scratch, it’s soft, tender, and quick to prepare without any boxed mixes.

two slices of churro cake on a plate with a fork

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Churros often bring back fond memories—whether from fairs, parties, or a restaurant treat with chocolate for dipping. They’re nostalgic for many of us, and this cake captures that warm cinnamon-sugar flavor without frying. It’s a guilt-free way to enjoy the classic churro taste in cake form.

As a busy mom and lifelong baker, I designed this recipe to be approachable and reliable, similar in simplicity to my graham cracker cake, chocolate snack cake, and raspberry almond cake.

Below you’ll find ingredients, step-by-step instructions, and tips for swirling the cinnamon filling. A short video is also included to show the swirl technique.

💭 what does churro cake taste like?

This cake tastes like a moist vanilla cake with a warm cinnamon swirl throughout. Instead of frosting, it’s brushed with butter and coated in cinnamon sugar, giving a slightly crisp, sweet finish that evokes the classic churro flavor without any frying.

🛒 ingredients and substitutions

Please refer to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient list and exact measurements.

All-purpose flour — Measure carefully: too much flour makes a dense cake. A kitchen scale gives the most accurate results. If using cups, fluff the flour, spoon it into the cup, and level with a knife.

Baking powder — Provides lift for a light texture.

Unsalted butter — Room temperature for the batter; a bit of melted butter helps the cinnamon-sugar coating stick to the finished cake. If using salted butter, reduce added salt accordingly.

Kosher salt — Balances sweetness. Use half the amount if substituting table salt.

Sugars — Granulated sugar is used in the cake, filling, and coating. Brown sugar (light or dark) adds depth to the cinnamon swirl.

Eggs — Use large eggs at room temperature for best results.

Vanilla — Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor.

Milk — 1% works well; 2% or whole milk may be used. Bring to room temperature before mixing.

Sour cream — Full-fat sour cream yields a moist, tender crumb by shortening gluten strands. Plain Greek yogurt can be swapped in a pinch.

Ground cinnamon — Essential for the churro flavor in both the filling and coating.

🥣 how to make this one layer cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare an 8×8-inch baking pan by lining it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang to help remove the cake. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and a tablespoon of flour to make the cinnamon swirl filling. Set aside.

butter and sugar creamed together in a mixing bowl

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (or using a hand mixer), cream the room-temperature butter, granulated sugar, and kosher salt on low to combine, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Scrape the bowl once or twice.

butter, sugar and eggs mixed together in a mixing bowl looking a little curdled

Scrape the bowl, add the eggs and vanilla, and mix on medium-high until combined. The batter may look slightly curdled—this is normal.

cake batter after eggs and sour cream have been mixed into the butter and sugar

Scrape the bowl again, add the sour cream and baking powder, and mix until just combined.

cake batter before the milk is added in a mixing bowl

With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour and mix until you still see a few large streaks of flour. Scrape the bowl.

Still on low speed, gradually drizzle in the milk until the batter just comes together. Finish with a couple of gentle folds using a spatula.

cinnamon filling sprinkled over cake batter in a parchment lined baking pan

Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Sprinkle the cinnamon swirl filling over that layer.

cinnamon swirled cake batter in a parchment lined baking pan

Top with the remaining batter and carefully spread it over the filling. Use an offset spatula or the tip of a knife to gently swirl the filling into the batter, then smooth the top and tap the pan on the counter to release air bubbles.

cinnamon sugar coating on top of a churro cake sitting on a parchment lined cutting board

Bake for about 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack.

When cool, remove the cake using the parchment overhang, brush the top and sides with a little melted butter, and sprinkle evenly with a mix of granulated sugar and ground cinnamon.

🎥 step-by-step video

💬 frequently asked questions

how do I know when it’s done baking?

The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs and no wet batter, usually around 25–30 minutes.

can I make this in a different size pan?

Yes. A 9-inch round pan works well; an 8-inch round will produce a taller cake and may require extra baking time. The recipe should also scale if doubled for a 9×13-inch sheet pan, though bake times will change.

👩🏻‍🍳 tips for the best homemade cake

Use a kitchen scale for accurate measurements if possible. Full-fat sour cream produces the best moisture and flavor. Avoid overmixing—combine ingredients on low and stop when just combined, finishing any remaining streaks with a spatula. Because the batter is thick, an offset spatula makes spreading easier. Check doneness early, since ovens vary. Let the cake cool completely before applying the cinnamon-sugar coating.

🫙 how to store

Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days. To freeze, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw and bring to room temperature before serving.

slice of cake on a plate with a fork and a pink flower

If you make this cake, please tag @twosugarbugs on Instagram—I love seeing your photos!

If you make this recipe (or any recipe from two sugar bugs), please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating. I read every comment and appreciate your feedback!

📖 recipe

Yield: 9 -12 servings

Easy Churro Cake

This churro cake is a single-layer vanilla cake swirled with a cinnamon filling and coated in cinnamon sugar. It’s soft, fluffy, and easy to make from scratch.

Weights (metric) are recommended when available for best accuracy.

Prep Time
15 minutes

Bake Time
30 minutes

Total Time
45 minutes

Ingredients

Cinnamon swirl filling

¼ cup packed brown sugar (50g)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (about 3g)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (8g)

Vanilla cake

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (113g)
¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (10mL)
¼ cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature (60g)
2 teaspoons baking powder (9g)
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (188g)
½ cup milk*, room temperature (120mL)

Cinnamon sugar coating

¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted (14g)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar (¼ cup/50g), ground cinnamon (2 teaspoons/about 3g), and flour (1 tablespoon/8g) for the cinnamon swirl. Set aside.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter (½ cup/113g), granulated sugar (¾ cup/150g), and kosher salt (½ teaspoon) on low, then increase to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Add the eggs (2 large) and vanilla (2 teaspoons) and mix on medium-high until combined, about 1–2 minutes. The mixture may appear curdled—this is normal.
Mix in the sour cream (¼ cup/60g) and baking powder (2 teaspoons/9g) on medium speed until combined, about 30–60 seconds.
On low speed, slowly add the flour (1 ½ cups/188g) and mix until a few large streaks remain. Scrape the bowl.
Still on low, drizzle in the milk (½ cup/120mL) gradually, stopping to scrape the bowl halfway through. Mix until the batter just comes together, then finish with a couple of folds using a spatula.
Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan, spread evenly, and sprinkle the cinnamon filling over it. Top with the remaining batter, spread carefully, and swirl the filling into the batter with an offset spatula or knife. Tap the pan on the counter to release air bubbles.
Bake for 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack.
When cool, lift the cake from the pan using the parchment overhang.
Mix the granulated sugar (¼ cup/50g) and cinnamon (½ teaspoon). Brush the cake with melted butter (1 tablespoon/14g) and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Slice and serve.

Notes

*I use 1% milk, but 2% or whole milk can be used.

**This recipe can also be baked in a 9-inch round pan; butter the pan, line with parchment, and butter again. If using a smaller round pan, baking time may increase slightly.

Did you make this recipe?

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