Churro Coffee Cake
Submitted by Chef Brandon Esparza
Brandon was born and raised in El Paso, TX. His Mexican heritage inspires the flavor profile and culinary style he uses. A family bread machine brought about his love for the baking and pastry arts, leading him to study and graduate from Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. He was later hired by Escoffier to teach and provide academic support for aspiring chefs.
Chef Brandon’s philanthropic ventures include teaching sustainable agricultural technology to the indigenous Huichol people in the Sierra Mountains of Nayarit, Mexico. He also spent time as an ESL teacher, hosting summer schools for elementary students in Beijing, China and Gimpo, South Korea. Brandon currently owns and operates Broomhill Bakery, an online home-based bakery that serves his cherished El Paso community. His baking is marked by his commitment to the happiness and nourishment of others with everything he creates.
El Paso native Chef Brandon draws inspiration from his Mexican heritage and lifelong love of baking. Now the owner of Broomhill Bakery, Brandon shares his Churro Coffee Cake—a warm, cinnamon-spiced treat inspired by churros and perfect for pairing with coffee or sharing with friends. This cake is a celebration of heritage, comfort, and the joy of baking.
Ingredients:
If You Shop at Ranchland:
Streusel Topping:
½ cup All-Purpose Flour Aisle 9A
2 tbsp Granulated White Sugar Aisle 9A
2 tbsp Light Brown Sugar Aisle 9A
¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon Aisle 9B
Pinch of Salt Aisle 9B
2 tbsp Butter, room temperature Dairy Department
Cinnamon Sugar:
¼ cup Granulated White Sugar Aisle 9A
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon Aisle 9B
Coffee Cake:
1 ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour Aisle 9A
½ cup Granulated White Sugar Aisle 9A
2 tsp Baking Powder Aisle 9A
¼ tsp Salt Aisle 9B
1 Egg, beaten Dairy Department
½ cup Milk, room temperature Dairy Department
1 tsp Vanilla Extract Aisle 9B
½ cup Butter (1 stick) Dairy Department or Shortening, melted Aisle 9A
If You Shop at Estrella:
Streusel Topping:
½ cup All-Purpose Flour Aisle 3
2 tbsp Granulated White Sugar Aisle 3
2 tbsp Light Brown Sugar Aisle 3
¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon Aisle 2
Pinch of Salt Aisle 3
2 tbsp Butter, room temperature Aisle 1
Cinnamon Sugar:
¼ cup Granulated White Sugar Aisle 2
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon Aisle 2
Coffee Cake:
1 ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour Aisle 3
½ cup Granulated White Sugar Aisle 3
2 tsp Baking Powder Aisle 3
¼ tsp Salt Aisle 3
1 Egg, beaten Aisle 1
½ cup Milk, room temperature Aisle 6
1 tsp Vanilla Extract Aisle 3
½ cup Butter (1 stick) Aisle 1 or Shortening, melted Aisle 3
Directions:
Streusel Topping
Rub all ingredients together until the fat is thoroughly blended in and the mixture appears crumbly. Set aside.
Cinnamon Sugar
Stir the sugar and cinnamon together thoroughly.
Coffee Cake
Preheat the oven to 375ºF and grease an 8.5”x 4.5” loaf pan. You may also line the pan with parchment paper if desired.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vanilla and melted butter or shortening.
Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter. It is okay if the batter is still lumpy.
Pour half of the batter into the loaf pan. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar evenly over the surface of the batter. Top with remaining batter and spread evenly with an offset spatula or back of a spoon. Sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar.
Take a wooden skewer or knife and swirl the batter. Crumble the streusel topping over the top of the cake. Place the loaf pan on a cookie sheet for easy transferring and bake at 375ºF for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove pan from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes before removing the cake from the pan to cool completely on a wire cooling rack. The coffee cake can be sliced and served warm or at room temperature. You can also freeze this cake for up to a month.