1. Home
  2. Recipes
  3. Easy Cake Churro Bites

Easy Cake Churro Bites

Featured in: End Your Meal on a High Note

Get that classic churro crust by frying up cubes of fluffy store-bought angel cake and rolling them in cinnamon sugar. Skip making dough—this shortcut lets you toss hot, sweet cinnamon bites together in under half an hour. Pour on simple icing if you're feeling extra. These are awesome right from the pan when the centers are cloud-soft and the outsides snap.
Pin it Share it Send it Print it Jump To Recipe
A woman in a kitchen taking a selfie.
By Rosa Rosa
Updated on Fri, 30 May 2025 17:14:34 GMT
A bowl loaded with cinnamon-sugar treats. Pin it
A bowl loaded with cinnamon-sugar treats. | letscookiteasy.com

Take simple store-bought angel food cake and turn it into sweet, bite-sized churro bits everyone loves at fairs. You get all that cozy cinnamon sugar flavor—without dealing with deep fryers or hot splashing oil. Angel food cake stays light and fluffy on the inside, soaks up all that cinnamon sweetness, and the little squares get snatched up almost as fast as you can toss them in sugar.

I whipped these up for my sister’s birthday brunch last weekend, and the tray was empty before I could even grab seconds. The mix of the crispy, sugary outside with the pillowy cake inside was the ideal combo. These even paired perfectly with our morning coffees.

Easy Ingredient Rundown

  • Ground cinnamon: Brings that cozy, classic churro flavor everyone craves
  • Neutral high heat oil: Keeps things cooking hot without adding weird tastes
  • Standard granulated sugar: Delivers the iconic sweet crunch on the outside
  • Angel food cake: Gives you a super airy, spongy base that soaks up every bit of sweet coating

Go for the freshest angel food cake you can score. Give it a gentle press in the middle—if it bounces right back, you’re set. I usually find the bakery section has the softest cakes, but those in the bread aisle do just fine too.

Bowl filled with cake cubes rolled in cinnamon sugar. Pin it
Bowl filled with cake cubes rolled in cinnamon sugar. | letscookiteasy.com

Quick Prep Steps

Roll when hot:
As soon as you pull those cubes off the oil, dunk them in your cinnamon sugar right away so it sticks everywhere and melts a little for extra yum.
Briefly let oil drain:
Using a slotted spoon, take the cubes out and let extra oil drip off, then dab them quickly on paper towels. This keeps your sugary coating nice and dry instead of clumping up.
Fry a few at a time:
Toss just a handful of cubes in at once, giving them a gentle flip until each side’s beautifully golden. Crowd the pan, and you’ll get oily, mushy bites.
Make the sugar mix:
Stir together cinnamon and sugar in a shallow dish while the oil heats. That way, every bite comes out bursting with sweet cinnamon when you roll them later.
Heat up the oil:
Pour your cooking oil in a skillet until it’s an inch deep, then get it sizzling at 350°F. Keeping the right temp gives you a crisp outside without letting the cake soak up too much oil.
Chop the cake up:
Slice your angel food cake into small, even cubes—about an inch each. If they’re all the same size, they’ll fry perfectly and none will burn or stay soggy.

My grandma swore that good cinnamon changes everything. One year, I spent a little more on Ceylon cinnamon for these and wow—it really made the flavors pop. Even my husband, who never touches desserts, ate most of them before dinner.

Best Ways to Enjoy

Put out a tray of these bites with little bowls of sauces for dipping—think chocolate sauce, caramel, or vanilla pudding. The combo of hot cake bites and cold dips is always a hit with friends. If you’re feeling fancy, stick them on little skewers so nobody gets sticky hands at parties.

Tasty Flavor Twists

Spice things up by adding cardamom, a hint of nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice to the cinnamon-sugar. Try switching things up with lemon or chocolate angel food cake for a fun spin. Grown ups can mix a splash of orange liqueur or bourbon into the sugar for a boozy flavor kick.

Simple Storage Tips

Stash leftovers in one layer—use parchment between stacks so they don’t get stuck together. Skip the fridge; cold cake gets dry and loses its fluff. Pop leftovers in a 325°F oven for about five minutes to crisp them up again.

A bowl filled with cubes of cake rolled in cinnamon sugar. Pin it
A bowl filled with cubes of cake rolled in cinnamon sugar. | letscookiteasy.com

I’ve taught plenty of cooking classes, and honestly, these churro bites are my favorite hack for an easy, wow-worthy dessert anyone can make. They’re a breeze for beginners needing a confidence boost, and they always impress—without taking up your whole afternoon.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I use a different type of cake instead of angel food cake?
Definitely! Pound cake or a light sponge cake are good swaps if you want, but angel food cake gets super crisp when it hits hot oil.
→ How do I know when the oil is at the right temperature?
No thermometer? Just toss in a tiny cube of cake. If it fizzes quietly and gets golden after half a minute or so, you're good. If it turns dark right away, let the oil cool down.
→ Can I make these Cake Churro Bites in advance?
They taste best fresh and warm, honestly. If you prep ahead, just cut the cake and mix the cinnamon sugar, then fry and toss right before folks are ready to eat.
→ What's the best oil to use for frying these churro bites?
Canola or plain vegetable oil both work really well. Their flavor is light and they can get nice and hot. Olive oil's taste clashes a bit, so skip it for these.
→ Can I bake these instead of frying them?
Baking won't get them quite as churro-y, but you totally can. Bake at 350°F for around 10 minutes, brush with melted butter, then do the sugar coating.
→ Why did my churro bites turn out soggy?
Usually, it means your oil wasn't hot enough, or you tried frying too many at once. Make sure the oil's hot (test it!) and fry a few at a time for best crunch.

Easy Cake Churro Bites

Take that fluffy angel food cake and turn it into cinnamon-sugar packed bites with a crispy shell and soft, sweet center. You'll get those classic churro vibes in a flash.

Prep Time
15 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Total Time
35 Minutes
By Rosa: Rosa

Category: Sweet Desserts

Difficulty: Easy

Cuisine: American

Yield: 6 Servings (Makes about two dozen bites)

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

→ Main Ingredients

01 1 cup regular sugar
02 1/4 cup cinnamon powder
03 Pre-made angel food cake, 1 loaf
04 Enough vegetable oil to make a layer about half an inch in a pan

→ Optional Glaze

05 1 tablespoon of milk or more
06 A cup of confectioners' sugar

Instructions

Step 01

Let a frozen angel food cake soften to room temperature before working with it. Once softened, slice it into squares that are roughly 1.5 inches. Try to keep them about the same size so they cook evenly.

Step 02

In a wide dish, stir the cinnamon and sugar together until the two are thoroughly blended. Keep the mixture nearby for later.

Step 03

Pour enough oil into a frying pan so it’s about half an inch deep. Heat the oil over medium-low until it hits around 325°F (163°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, drop in a tiny bit of cake — it should gently bubble, but the oil shouldn’t smoke.

Step 04

Carefully place a few cubes of cake at a time into the heated oil. Let them cook until every side is golden brown, which should take about 1-2 minutes per side. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to flip and remove them.

Step 05

When the cake pieces are crispy and nicely browned, move them from the pan and let the oil drip off. While they are still warm, roll them in the sugar-cinnamon mix, turning so all sides are coated evenly.

Step 06

Keep frying and coating the remaining cake cubes, always working in small amounts. If needed, lower or raise the heat so your oil stays at the right temperature.

Step 07

If you want a sweet drizzle or dip, whisk the powdered sugar and milk in a little bowl until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Add a drop or two more milk if it’s too stiff.

Step 08

Drizzle the glaze over your churro bites or offer it as a dip on the side. Let the glaze sit for a couple of minutes so it's less messy when served.

Step 09

Pile the churro bites on a large dish and serve them warm. They’re fantastic on their own or paired with vanilla ice cream.

Notes

  1. Best eaten fresh while still warm for optimal taste and texture.
  2. Mix a drop of vanilla extract into the glaze to boost flavor.
  3. Try adding a sprinkle of nutmeg or cardamom to the sugar mix for a twist.

Tools You'll Need

  • Pan deep enough for shallow frying
  • Long-handled tongs or slotted spoon
  • Bread knife with a serrated edge
  • Flat dish to hold sugar coating mixture
  • Paper towels to soak up extra oil

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Angel food cake includes eggs.
  • Contains gluten from the cake's flour.
  • Glaze may include dairy if made with milk.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 220
  • Total Fat: 5 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 42 g
  • Protein: 3 g