Summertime normally has us out and about exploring all the outdoor parks, carnivals, and amusement parks that we can. This summer is a wee bit different because we have been busy visiting family and getting ready to send our first to college. That doesn’t mean we don’t miss those places especially the yummy food that we normally indulge in there. Funnel cakes are usually our go-to summer carnival dessert (just before Air Fried Oreos). Lucky for us, we have figured out how to make them at home and they taste EXACTLY like the ones we have always enjoyed.
This recipe will have you indulging in your own funnel cakes in less than 15 minutes at home. Top them with powdered sugar, chocolate sauce, berries, ice cream…the sky is the limit.
What are Funnel Cakes Made Out Of?
You only need a handful of ingredients to make funnel cakes and you probably have them all at home. Similar to a simple pancake batter, funnel cakes are made of:
For full information on ingredients and quantities, please see the recipe card below.
Can I Make a Funnel Cake without a Funnel?
Absolutely. Many people don’t have funnels on hand these days and that’s okay. These funnel cakes can easily be made without a funnel.
Using a small measuring cup, you can drizzle your batter in zigzag and cross cross patterns in your hot oil. Just make sure to drizzle a thin stream so that the batter doesn’t clump up too much creating some pieces of the funnel cake to cook more than others. Your goal is a even pattern of batter so it all cooks evenly.
While we have used a measuring cup before, we realized that our old reusable silicone yogurt and applesauce pouches work perfectly for making funnel cakes. We’ve had these pouches for years since the kids were toddlers and they’ve just been sitting in the kitchen drawer until we discovered their new use of funnel cake making.
Reusable food pouches like this with a spout have proven to be perfect funnel cake drizzlers. The newest version of the food pouch that we have from Beaba is called the Beaba BabySqueez.
Type of Oil Needed for Funnel Cakes
Vegetable, canola or peanut oil all work best for funnel cakes. Olive oil is too strong of a flavor so I wouldn’t recommend it.
Step by Step Instructions
1. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until combined. Set aside.
2. In another bowl, whisk together milk, eggs and vanilla until combined.
3. Gently add dry ingredients to the milk/egg/vanilla mixture and whisk until the batter is smooth.
4. Add vegetable oil to a medium size saucepan until it is about 2-3″ deep. Heat over medium heat until the oil is about 370-375F. You can check the temperature with a candy thermometer.
5. When oil reaches the right temp, drizzle about 1/2 cup of funnel cake batter into hot oil. Make sure to drizzle in a thin stream and criss cross and swirl the batter over itself. You don’t want any portion of the batter to be much thicker than another portion. It’s all about an even drizzle.
6. Fry each side of the cake for about 90 seconds each (per side).
7. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel lined plate.
8. Sprinkle powdered sugar on the funnel cake and serve warm.
9. Repeat the process with remaining batter.
Funnel Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- vegetable oil for frying
- powdered sugar for topping
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until combined. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together milk, eggs and vanilla until combined.
- Gently add dry ingredients to the milk/egg/vanilla mixture and whisk until the batter is smooth.
- Add vegetable oil to a medium size saucepan until it is about 2-3" deep. Heat over medium heat until the oil is about370-375F. You can check the temperature with a candy thermometer.
- When oil reaches the right temp, drizzle about 1/2 cup of funnel cake batter into hot oil. Make sure to drizzle in a thin stream and criss cross and swirl the batter over itself. You don't want any portion of the batter to be much thicker than another portion. It's all about an even drizzle.
- Fry each side of the funnel cake for about 90 seconds each (per side) and then remove from oil and place on a paper towel lined plate.
- Sprinkle powdered sugar on the funnel cake and serve warm.
- Repeat the process with remaining batter.