Easy Churro Cake with Cinnamon Sugar Topping (Healthier Version)
All the churro flavour without the deep fryer is a genuinely worthwhile trade. Deep-frying at home requires a large quantity of oil at a precise and carefully monitored temperature, the smell of hot oil throughout the kitchen and, ideally, someone standing next to the fryer the entire time to prevent disaster. A churro cake achieves the defining flavour notes of the original: the warm cinnamon, the slightly crisp caramelised sugar surface, the vanilla-scented interior, in a format that requires a standard oven, a round or square tin, and about forty minutes from bowl to table. The cinnamon sugar topping bakes directly onto the surface of the cake and caramelises into a thin, sweet crust that is the closest thing to the real churro experience a baked good can deliver.
Why this recipe works
The cake batter is enriched with a small amount of cream cheese or yogurt, which gives it the slightly tangy, doughy quality associated with churro batter. Cinnamon throughout the batter and generously on top means the warm spice is present in every bite rather than just at the surface. Coconut sugar in both the batter and the topping caramelises at a lower temperature than white sugar, creating the golden, slightly crisp surface layer without requiring an excessively long baking time. A small amount of vanilla extract completes the churro flavour profile.
Getting it right
Apply the cinnamon sugar topping as soon as the batter is in the tin, before it goes in the oven. The topping needs to bake with the cake rather than being added afterward, which would produce a dry, unbaked sugar coating that lacks the caramelised quality the recipe needs.
Do not open the oven door in the first twenty minutes of baking. The cinnamon sugar topping is vulnerable to temperature changes during the early setting stage.
Common mistakes
Using too little cinnamon in the topping produces a cake that tastes of sugar rather than cinnamon. The cinnamon sugar ratio should lean heavily toward cinnamon, around one part sugar to two parts cinnamon.
Overbaking produces a dry cake with a burnt, rather than caramelised, topping. Check ten minutes before the stated baking time is complete and remove when a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Substitutions
Cardamom can replace half the cinnamon for a more complex spice profile with a slight floral note. A drizzle of dark chocolate over the cooled cake adds richness and a visual contrast to the golden topping. For a dairy-free version, replace cream cheese with coconut cream at the same quantity.
Serving suggestion
Serve warm in generous squares, dusted with additional cinnamon sugar if desired. A small pot of dark chocolate dipping sauce alongside allows guests to recreate the churro-with-chocolate experience fully. Best eaten on the day of baking.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups white whole wheat flour (spooned and levelled)
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 0.3 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon (for the batter)
- 1 medium ripe banana (mashed until smooth, about 80g)
- 0.5 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 0.3 cup coconut sugar (for the batter)
- 2 tbsp light olive oil or melted coconut oil
- 1 large egg (at room temperature)
- 0.5 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt (at room temperature)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 0.3 cup unsweetened oat milk (or any milk of choice)
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar (for the cinnamon sugar topping)
- 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon (for the cinnamon sugar topping)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Lightly grease an 8x8 inch square baking tin with a little coconut oil or cooking spray, then line the base with baking parchment.
Lining the base makes removing the cake much easier once it has cooled.
- 2
In a small bowl, mix together the 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar and 1.5 teaspoons of ground cinnamon for the topping. Set this aside.
- 3
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the white whole wheat flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon until evenly combined.
Whisking the dry ingredients together first ensures the leavening agents are distributed evenly throughout the batter.
- 4
In a separate medium bowl, mash the banana until completely smooth with no large lumps. Add the applesauce, coconut sugar, olive oil, egg, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, and oat milk. Whisk everything together until well combined and smooth.
Make sure your egg and yogurt are at room temperature so they incorporate smoothly and help the batter come together without lumps.
- 5
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold gently until just combined. Stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour. Do not overmix.
Overmixing develops gluten and can make the cake dense rather than soft. A few small lumps in the batter are perfectly fine.
- 6
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and spread it evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle the reserved cinnamon sugar topping evenly across the entire surface of the batter.
For a more pronounced churro crust, gently press the cinnamon sugar into the surface with the back of a spoon before baking.
- 7
Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Start checking at the 28-minute mark. Every oven runs slightly differently, so trust the toothpick test over the timer.
- 8
Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Then lift it out using the parchment and transfer to a wire rack. Let it cool for at least another 10 minutes before slicing.
Cutting into the cake while it is too hot can cause it to crumble. A little patience goes a long way here.
Nutrition per serving
207kcal
Calories
5g
Protein
34g
Carbs
5g
Fat
3g
Fibre
13g
Sugar
178mg
Sodium
Pro Tips
- ✓
Use a very ripe banana with lots of brown spots for the best natural sweetness and the smoothest texture in the finished cake.
- ✓
Room temperature ingredients blend together more easily and produce a more even crumb, so take the egg and yogurt out of the fridge 30 minutes before you begin.
- ✓
Do not substitute the Greek yogurt with a runny regular yogurt, as the thicker consistency is important for the batter structure.
- ✓
If you want an extra cinnamon hit, add a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon directly on top of the cinnamon sugar topping right before the cake goes into the oven.
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This cake tastes even better the next day once the cinnamon flavour has had time to deepen and meld through the crumb.
Frequently Asked Questions
Variations
- •
Chocolate Swirl Churro Cake
Before adding the cinnamon sugar topping, dot the batter with a few teaspoons of unsweetened cocoa powder mixed with a little coconut sugar, then swirl gently with a skewer for a chocolatey twist.
- •
Apple Churro Cake
Fold half a cup of finely diced peeled apple into the batter along with a pinch of nutmeg. The apple pieces add natural sweetness, extra fibre, and a lovely soft texture throughout the cake.
- •
Churro Muffins
Spoon the batter into a lined 12-cup muffin tin, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping over each muffin and bake at 175 degrees Celsius for 18 to 22 minutes.
Substitutions
- •Greek yogurt → Dairy-free coconut yogurt (Use a thick, unsweetened coconut yogurt to keep the batter consistency the same. This also makes the recipe dairy free.)
- •Egg → Flax egg (Mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water, stir, and leave for 5 minutes to gel. This works well as a vegan binder in this recipe.)
- •Coconut sugar → Maple sugar or light brown sugar (Both work at a 1-to-1 ratio. Coconut sugar is preferred for its lower glycaemic index, but maple or brown sugar produce a similar caramel-like depth of flavour.)
- •Oat milk → Any plant-based or dairy milk (Almond milk, soy milk, or regular semi-skimmed dairy milk all work here. Just make sure it is unsweetened to avoid adding extra sugar.)
- •White whole wheat flour → Spelt flour (Spelt flour has a naturally mild, slightly nutty flavour and works wonderfully in this cake with no other adjustments needed.)
🧊 Storage
Store cooled cake slices in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. The cinnamon sugar topping softens slightly in the fridge, but a quick 15 seconds in the microwave brings back some of the warmth and texture.
📅 Make Ahead
This cake bakes beautifully the day before serving. Make it, allow it to cool completely, then store it covered at room temperature overnight. The cinnamon flavour actually deepens overnight, making day-two slices arguably even better than day-one.
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