The Foodie Files

With Cinco de Mayo coming up on Sunday it seemed irresponsible to make anything but a delicious Mexican treat for this week's Foodie Files.  And when I came across this recipe for churro cupcakes...well...my hands were basically tied.  I love a good churro but I'm not a huge fan of frying (I wish I could say it was for health reasons but- if I'm being honest- it's mostly to my distaste for hot oil splatters) so I was doubly excited to give this treat a go.  I (quite literally) whipped up a cinnamon mascarpone frosting and drizzled a little dulce de leche over the finished cupcakes and that my friend was a delight in and of itself.  This one is a dessert worth making for sure!

Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 (1 stick) cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk

Frosting:

1/2 pint heavy cream
4 ounces (1/2 tub) mascarpone cheese
1 TBS cinnamon sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Dulce de leche to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl (preferably the bowl of a standing mixer) combine the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, until just combined then stir in the vanilla and oil.

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and gently stir in until barely combined.  Pour in half of the milk and mix.  Repeat these steps with the remaining flour mixture and milk, ending with the flour.  Do not over mix.  

Fill each cupcake tin with 2 tablespoons of batter, or until the cupcake tin is filled half way.  It'll look a little empty but trust me on this one.

Bake the cupcakes for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with one or two crumbs clinging to it.  Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

For the icing, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, then whisk in mascarpone, cinnamon sugar and vanilla.  Top with dulce de leche and serve!