MAKES 1 (9 X 13-INCH) CAKE
Churros are a fried pastry traditionally from Mexico or Spain. While many restaurants and bakeries feature them, Kathy’s favorite taste was from a food truck that specialized in them, serving the classic cinnamon-sugar ones and others covered with dulce de leche, chocolate, or fruit syrups. That hot, fried pastry was incredible and is forever etched in her food memories. This Churro Poke Cake is not fried, but the cinnamon-sugar sauce makes a crusty sugar layer in the cake that might suggest a crisp, fried churro. Add a layer of dulce de leche, and you have an amazing dessert.
Nonstick cooking spray
1 (15.25- to 18-ounce) box yellow cake mix
Eggs, oil, and water as directed on the cake mix box
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted
⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish, if desired
1 (13.4-ounce) can dulce de leche
1 (8-ounce) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Prepare and bake the cake according to the package directions for a 9 x 13-inch cake. Place the cake on a wire rack and let cool completely.
Poke holes evenly over the baked cake using a drinking straw.
In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Drizzle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the cake, filling all the holes.
Place the dulce de leche in a 2-cup microwave-safe glass bowl. Microwave on High (100%) power for 20 to 30 seconds, or until the dulce de leche is just warm. Spoon the dulce de leche over the cake, spreading it evenly with a butter knife and filling in the poked holes. Cover and refrigerate the cake for 1 hour.
Frost the cake with the whipped topping. Garnish the cake with a sprinkling of cinnamon, if desired. Cover and refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour or up to overnight before serving.
Dulce de leche is a thick, caramel-like sauce especially popular in South America, Central America, and Mexico. Dulce de leche, which translates to “sweet milk,” is made from milk that cooks so long it becomes thick, sweet, and golden in color. It is now readily available canned or jarred, so it is easy to use in your recipes. Look for it in larger grocery stores, shelved with Latin American foods or with the evaporated milk.