Funnel cakes are a quick and easy crunchy dessert. This deep-fried bread is the favorite street food at the local fair. Carnival-style funnel cakes are of the size of a paper plate in which it is served. Generously dusted with powdered sugar, these crispy and chewy sweet treats are hard to pass.
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What is funnel cake
Funnel cakes are the best street food that you get at the local state fair. It’s made by deep frying swirl/discs of batter to golden brown perfection so it’s light, airy, crispy, and slightly chewy inside and coated in powdered sugar.
At the state fair, funnel cakes are made by pouring lightly sweetened batter from a funnel in a winding circle into the hot oil. It’s deep fried until golden brown on both sides.
This fair favorite crunchy dessert can be made into one large paper plate size servings or smaller bite sized ones.
Funnel cakes recipes are incredibly easy. In less than 5 minutes stir a simple batter, heat oil, and fry it.
Ingredients needed
Here’s what you’ll need-
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
All ingredients measurements are available in the recipe carb below.
Flour – regular all-purpose flour works best. You can use cake mix. I would not recommend bread flour for the recipe, as it will make the batter too dry.
Here’s a quick batter hack tip – use buttermilk pancake mix instead. You’ll only need to add water (depending on the brand you use) to make the funnel cake batter.
Baking powder – makes the funnel cake airy, and light by puffing up while frying. Make sure the baking powder is not expired.
Oil – it’s best to use neutral oil for deep frying funnel cakes. You’ll need oil with a high smoking point so it does not leave an unpleasant odor and taste when you fry. I recommend using canola oil, sunflower oil, or vegetable oil for frying.
How to make funnel
Mix all the dry ingredients all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
In another bowl whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and water.
Add small dry ingredients in small amounts to egg-milk mix and whisk until combined. Repeat until all dry and wet ingredients are well combined.
Batter thickness is crucial for funnel cake success. If the batter is too thin or watery, it will spread in oil and won’t hold together. If the batter is too thick you won’t be able to freely pour it.
Traditionally funnel cake batter is poured into the funnel. You can pour batter into measuring cups or piping bags or squeeze bottles for easy pouring.
Use a Dutch oven or heavy bottom pan with high sides to avoid oil splatter. Fill the pan with 1” of oil depth.
Heat oil on medium flame until a candy thermometer reads 375F.
Squirt the batter into hot oil, moving in circular or swirling overlapping motion making a 6-inch round.
Fry until golden brown, flipping over once.
Remove from oil and transfer to kitchen paper towel-lined plate to drain off excess oil before you dust with powdered sugar.
Dust a generous amount of powdered or confectioners sugar while funnel cakes are still hot.
Serve immediately.
Useful tips for best funnel cake recipe
- Batter thickness is crucial for funnel cake success. If the batter is too thin or watery, it will spread in oil and won’t hold together. If the batter is too thick you won’t be able to freely pour it.
- It’s important how you pour/squirt the batter. Pour in a thin stream while constantly moving in swirling motion. If you do not move quickly, you’ll end up with a big clump of batter. You won’t get crunchy cake and the center of the cake will be raw.
- Use a Dutch oven or heavy bottom pan with high sides to avoid oil splatter. The heavy bottom of the cast iron pan will maintain the temperature of the oil.
- Place fried funnel cake on a paper towel first before sprinkling with powdered sugar so excess oil will be absorbed.
Funnel cake topping ideas
Traditionally funnel cakes are sprinkled with confectioners or powdered sugar on top.
You can try other toppings too, like-
- Use cinnamon sugar instead of plain sugar
- Sprinkles
- Drizzle with caramel sauce or strawberry sauce
- Scoop of vanilla or strawberry ice cream
- Whipped cream
- Drizzle of Nutella or chocolate sauce or hot fudge sauce
- Fresh fruits like strawberries, banana slices, or pineapple cubes
FAQS
Use gluten-free all-purpose flour instead of regular all-purpose flour.
Traditionally funnel cake batter is poured into the funnel. You can pour batter into measuring cups or piping bags or squeeze bottles for easy pouring.
Batter thickness is crucial for funnel cake success. If the batter is too thin or watery, it will spread in oil and won’t hold together. If the batter is too thick you won’t be able to freely pour it.
It’s best to use neutral oil for deep frying funnel cakes. You’ll need oil with a high smoking point so it does not leave an unpleasant odor and taste when you fry. I recommend using canola oil, sunflower oil, or vegetable oil for frying.
Add slight heat to the funnel cake by adding a pinch of cinnamon powder or pumpkin pie spice. You can incorporate other flavors into the funnel cake by mixing in coffee granules, and strawberry extract.
Because funnel cakes should be eaten fresh, always make a small batch. Funnel cake batter can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Fry a batch as and when needed and serve immediately fresh.
Never store fried funnel cake, it will turn soggy.
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📋How to Make Funnel Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Mix all the dry ingredients all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
- In another bowl whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and water.
- Add small dry ingredients in small amounts to egg-milk mix and whisk until combined. Repeat until all dry and wet ingredients are well combined.
- Traditionally funnel cake batter is poured into the funnel. You can pour batter into measuring cups or piping bags or squeeze bottles for easy pouring.
- Use a Dutch oven or heavy bottom pan with high sides to avoid oil splatter. Fill the pan with 1” of oil depth.
- Wait for the oil to reach 375F.
- Squirt the batter into hot oil, moving in circular or swirling overlapping motion making a 6-inch round.
- Fry until golden brown, flipping over once.
- Remove from oil and transfer to a kitchen paper towel to drain off excess oil before you dust with powdered sugar.
- Dust a generous amount of powdered or confectioners sugar while funnel cakes are still hot.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Notes
- Batter thickness is crucial for funnel cake success. If the batter is too thin or watery, it will spread in oil and won’t hold together. If the batter is too thick you won’t be able to freely pour it.
- It’s important how you pour/squirt the batter. Pour in a thin stream while constantly moving in swirling motion. If you do not move quickly, you’ll end up with a big clump of batter. You won’t get crunchy cake and the center of the cake will be raw.
- Use a Dutch oven or heavy bottom pan with high sides to avoid oil splatter. The heavy bottom of the cast iron pan will maintain the temperature of the oil.
- Place fried funnel cake on a paper towel first before sprinkling with powdered sugar so excess oil will be absorbed.
Created by Jyothi Rajesh
Jyothi Rajesh is the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail. She lives in Bangalore, India and is the mom of two beautiful kids. Her passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. She’s been blogging since 2007 and many of her recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.
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