Funnel cakes are an easy carnival treat you can create at home with just some whisking and heat in a pan.
Add your favorite toppings for an extra delicious twist! Pizza dough balls are best enjoyed immediately but can be stored and reheated later to create soft or crispy crunch textures, depending on how long they remain out.
Ingredients
Nothing screams carnival like the delicious treats found at festivals: funnel cakes! With their combination of sweet and fried flavors, these treats make perfect carnival treats that you can easily recreate at home using common pantry ingredients and tools – this recipe being one of the easiest out there! All it takes is some practice and tools for this iconic carnival treat to become one of your own!
The first step in making delicious batter is gathering all your ingredients – you will need flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Sift this dry mix into a medium-sized bowl while whisking milk and vanilla extract together separately until both wet-dry components combine smoothly – without clumps forming in either batch!
First, heat the oil. Heating the oil properly is critical to creating fluffy funnel cakes. Aim for between 375 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit when testing oil temperature; to try, drop a tiny sprinkle of flour into it; if it sizzles, it indicates it’s ready for frying.
Once the oil is hot, use a funnel or plastic squeeze bottle to pour batter into it. Begin in a circle shape before gradually transitioning to a crisscross pattern; once set aside for 90 seconds, flip using tongs for further frying until both sides have become golden and crispy before placing on paper towels to cool before dusting with powdered sugar for serving.
This easy, delicious recipe yields approximately eight funnel cakes from 1/2 cup of batter. Feel free to adjust it according to your needs and the size of your frying pan!
Trying your hand at frying can take practice; if this is your first time doing it, be patient while the oil heats up before trying again. Be sure not to overfill the pot, as this increases the chance of overflow.
Preparation
Funnel cake, a beloved town fair treat, consists of light and airy batter poured through a funnel into hot oil before deep frying until both sides have turned golden brown. Once finished frying, it’s then sprinkled with powdered sugar or drizzled with other toppings for a unique summertime dessert! With just three ingredients and this simple recipe, even novice cooks can create their version of this tasty fried treat at home!
To start making homemade funnel cakes at home, you will require several essential ingredients:
Vegetable Oil To successfully fry a funnel cake, you will require a neutral-tasting vegetable oil with high heat tolerance and no discernible flavor that won’t affect the finished product. Vegetable, canola, or peanut oils make great options because they can handle the high temperatures associated with frying without imparting their distinct taste. Olive or avocado oils have too strong of an aroma and would impede the outcome of frying.
Making Batter
To create the batter for funnel cakes, you will require milk or another liquid source to keep it moist, followed by one large egg to help the batter maintain its form and hold together. Finally, some vanilla extract should be added for flavor enhancement in your finished product.
Pouring the batter into the oil requires several tools, including a funnel or plastic squeeze bottle with a 1/4 inch tip, piping bag, or gallon-sized resealable bag with one corner cut off – these all can help.
Pouring the batter slowly into hot oil will ensure a funnel cake shape. Pour too much at once and it could overflow and disproportionally expand. Flip carefully so both sides are cooked. Drain off excess oil before placing onto paper toweling to absorb residual moisture.
Heat the Oil
Funnel cake is an iconic carnival treat. Composed of egg, milk, and flour batter that has been deep-fried until golden-brown in hot oil before being sprinkled with powdered sugar and other toppings to form the sweet snack, funnel cakes can be found at many fairs and festivals, but making your own at home is just as straightforward. Just requires some ingredients as well as approximately an inch of hot oil!
Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat until it sizzles when dropped with flour – this indicates it’s hot enough to prevent dough from sticking or burning.
While your oil heats, prepare the batter by whisking wet and dry ingredients together in an even, smooth consistency. A thick batter won’t easily slide through hot oil, while too thin may fail to create those beautiful spiraling patterns characteristic of funnel cake eating!
Once the oil is hot, spoon about 1/2 cup of batter into a funnel and use your finger to cover its opening before pouring it directly into the hot oil; while running, move your funnel in circles or zig-zags to ensure it drains evenly into the hot oil for a classic look.
After your cake has formed in the pan, use tongs or a spatula to flip it and continue frying on its other side – this should only take 1 minute or so. After this has happened, remove from the oil onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess fat; sprinkle powdered sugar overtop as desired while still warm – enjoy your sweet creation!
Homemade cheesecake can be created using a piping bag instead of a funnel. Fill a large plastic bag with batter, cut one corner off, leaving about 1/4″ open space, place over hot oil in a pan, and squeeze gently in circles and zig-zags as you pipe, gently overlapping and swirling as you go to create your masterpiece!
Pour the Batter
Make classic carnival treats without needing an elaborate funnel! A standard plastic squeeze bottle controls batter flow and makes placing batter at the center of cakes easier without creating uncooked areas like rafts or nests. Alternatively, you could try using an ordinary disposable icing bag, but I prefer a squeeze bottle’s added control and ease of use!
At home, funnel cakes require the proper batter consistency to come out ideally. Too thin will run directly into hot oil, while too thick will restrict its flow. Practice is needed until it becomes second nature – but with just one or two attempts should provide enough experience to create delicious results!
You are ready to start frying once your batter reaches its ideal consistency. Place a finger over the funnel spout hole and carefully pour out about 1/2 cup worth of batter, slowly swirling it criss-cross in hot oil for approximately 90 seconds until each side is golden-brown before taking out and placing on a paper towel-lined plate to drain off excess fat.
Repeat this process until all batter has been fried, then add toppings if desired – I like dusting mine with powdered sugar, but you could use syrup, sauce, fruit, or whipped cream as toppings. These cakes should ideally be enjoyed while still warm; if not, they can be stored covered at room temperature for up to one day and heated up quickly in an oven, microwave, or air fryer!
Take one bite of this delightful homemade version of a classic fair food, and you’ll be hooked. Great fun to make with children and an excellent way to use up the leftover batter, it is also more cost-effective and nutritious than its counterpart at fairs!
