Funnel Cake (2024)

Published: May 28, 2021 · Modified: May 28, 2021 by John Kanell

Summertime is not complete without enjoying a funnel cake, and now you can make your own at home. They are so addictive as freshly made ones are light and fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. You will have so much fun making these and watching the batter puff up into a swirled cake.

If you’re looking for more fairground favorites, you have to try my Churros and Soft Pretzels. They are both super easy recipes to make, and if you’re frying up funnel cake, you can use the same oil for the churros. There isn’t anything better than crispy fried dough!

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

Oil — you’ll need to use an oil with a high smoke point to fry as a low smoke point oil can leave your food with an unpleasant taste. I recommend using vegetable oil, peanut oil, or canola oil for frying.

All-purpose flour — regular all-purpose flour is perfect for this. Although if you only have cake flour, it can work as well. Bread flour can cause the batter to be too dry due to the high protein content.

Baking powder — the baking powder helps the cakes puff up as it fries. Make sure to double-check that yours has not expired and purchase a new one if it has.

HOW TO MAKE FUNNEL CAKE

1. Add the milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla to a bowl.

2. Whisk the wet ingredients together.

3. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the wet ingredients. Whisk to combine.

4. Ladle about 1/3 cup of batter into a funnel and drizzle the batter into the hot oil in a circular or swirling motion, making a 6-inch round.

5. Fry until golden brown, flipping over when needed.

6. Remove with a slotted spoon and let the oil drain off before dusting with powdered sugar.

PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE

• A candy thermometer is a great tool to help get the temperature of the oil right. If the oil is too hot, the exterior will burn before the interior cooks, and if the oil is not hot enough, the funnel cake will absorb too much oil as it cooks, making it greasy.
• If you are not using a scale to measure the flour, then be sure to fluff the flour with a spoon and then sprinkle it into the measuring cups before leveling it off with a knife. This method is the best way to measure flour without overpacking the cup. If you add too much flour, it will cause the batter to be too thick to pour through a funnel.
• If you don’t have a funnel, then you can use a measuring cup or a squeeze bottle to pour your batter into the oil.
• Placing the freshly fried cakes on a paper towel before serving can help absorb extra oil.
• A Dutch oven is ideal for frying. The cast iron will help the temperature of the oil from fluctuating too much and help keep the cooking even. If you do not have one, then use a large heavy-bottomed pot with high sides to avoid splatter.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why is it called funnel cake?

The name comes from the technique of making this recipe. The batter is poured through a funnel to get the signature swirly, thin, crispy cake. The funnel helps make sure the batter is evenly poured into the oil to avoid any large clumps in the cake.

What else can I put on this?

The best part about making this recipe at home is the options for toppings are unlimited! You can top with whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, fresh fruit, sprinkles, strawberry sauce, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, ice cream, and more!

What can I do with leftovers?

Homemade funnel cakes are best enjoyed immediately. I recommend that you make only as many as you need to avoid leftovers. You can store unused batter in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days so that you can make them again later. The oil can be strained and reused.

How do I turn this into fries?

If you want to make funnel cake fries with any extra batter, pipe the batter in long straight lines into the oil instead of swirling to make the cake.

If you’ve tried this Funnel Cake Recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!