Cinco de Mayo Sweet: Churro Cake Ball Truffles!

My first encounter with churros was at camp in 11th grade. (Yes, I was still going to camp.) It was one of those dorky but fun theme nights, probably a fiesta, because the camp staff delivered a bucket of churros—strips of fried dough, dusted with cinnamon and sugar—to each table. I sampled one of the Spanish doughnuts, immediately fell in love, then discreetly inhaled as many as possible.

       Fast forward a few months. It's a big family dinner—my sister, aunt, cousins, boyfriend, everyone. We'd all gathered so my mom could introduce her new man to the crew. I decided to impress them with my international flair and made churros for dessert. But my mom quickly stole the show. She took one bite of a churro, started choking on the sugar, and ripped a giant fart. Her chair was wooden, so you can imagine the reverb. I'm still a little shocked that her date, Paul, ended up marrying her.

      Anyways, lesson learned: I don't serve churros at parties. It's a shame, since churros have the potential to be life-changing.

       But, I've recently learned, there is is a way: I was thumbing through 101 Gourmet Cake Balls by Wendy Paul last weekend—and voila! A churro cake ball recipe! They're only lightly sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar (safe for even old farts, like my mom). So, eager to reclaim the dessert, I made them for a Cinco de Mayo party. Each little truffle is packed with intense cinnamon flavor, sort of like a Taco Bell Cinnamon Twist, but better. 

Churro Cake Balls

What you need

1 box yellow cake mix

3 eggs

¾ cup whole milk

¼ cup oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

Vanilla candy coating
Cinnamon 
Granulated sugar

Frosting

1 stick butter, room temp

3 ¾ cups powdered sugar

4 Tbsp cream

1 Tbsp cinnamon

Put it all together

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine cake mix, eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Pour into a greased 9 x 13" baking pan, and bake for 30-32 minutes.
3. While it's baking, make the frosting: Beat the butter in a large bowl until it's soft and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla, and beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in cinnamon.
4. Cool completely, then crumble into small pieces.
5. Stir the cake crumbles into the frosting until a thick dough forms. Roll tablespoon-size portions of dough into balls, place on a baking sheet, and chill in the freezer for 20 minutes. 
6. Dip each dough ball into melted vanilla candy coating*, then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Allow to harden completely. 

*Try piercing each ball with a fondue stick for easier dipping.