girl. Inspired.

travel, food, design

  • TRAVEL
  • FOOD
    • Breakfast
    • Breads
    • Main Course
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Soups|Salads|Side Dishes
    • Sauces|Dips|Salad Dressings
    • Cake Decorating
      • Inspiration and Ideas
      • Tips and Tutorials
  • Design
    • Craft/DIY
    • Sewing
      • Patterns and Tutorials
      • Pattern and Product Reviews
      • Sewing Ideas and Inspiration
    • Parties
  • Blog
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
  • Subscribe

The Best Homemade Funnel Cake Recipe

July 10, 2021 by girlinspired 1 Comment

Recreate this classic fair favorite at home by learning how to make this homemade funnel cake recipe with its signature crispy donut-like texture and mouthwatering flavor. This simple yet delicious dessert is only elevated with your favorite toppings!

overhead of funnel cake on parchment paper with whipped cream and strawberries, strawberries in a bowl and stacks of funnel cakes in background

This fried dessert is spectacular with just a dusting of confectioners’ sugar but with the addition of toppings like hot fudge, it takes this fun treat up a notch. Dress it up or dress it down, you decide!

funnel cakes stacked on a plate with powdered sugar and whipped cream and strawberries on toop

Table of contents

  • What is Funnel Cake?
  • Recommended Equipment
  • Funnel Cake Ingredients:
  • How to Make Homemade Funnel Cake:
  • FAQs

What is Funnel Cake?

Believe it or not, it’s not actually a cake. Not exactly anyway. But those of us in the know don’t care what it’s called, it’s just that good. It’s actually more like a donut but even crispier, in all its deep-fried glory.

Funnel cakes are made by squirting batter out of a bottle in a circular pattern straight into a pot of hot oil. This gives it that signature swirl and the batter fries up golden brown and delicious. Then, this tasty treat is topped with any and everything from powdered sugar and whipped cream to fresh fruit, strawberry sauce, cinnamon sugar, or chocolate sauce. Caramel sauce or even ice cream would be delicious too! The sky is the limit!

This is a popular fair food item, much like caramel apples and candy apples. There are actually people who will go to a fair JUST to have fair funnel cakes. Now, I may or may not be guilty of this, but either way it’s typically associated with summertime.

As with anything you make in your own kitchen, the rules about when and how to eat your homemade treats go out the window. So knowing how to make it at home definitely has its perks.

This easy funnel cake recipe is super simple to follow and there are no crazy ingredients you’ll need to hunt for. It’s easy enough to make any time of the year!

close up of top of a homemade funnel cake with powdered sugar, whipped cream, and sliced strawberry with bowl of strawberries and plate of funnel cakes in background

Recommended Equipment

  • A candy thermometer. Without one it is harder to determine the temperature of the oil. It just makes life easier, but you can still get away without one. You may just have a couple of “trial and error” batches to start.
  • 2 Quart Dutch oven or a deep fryer. Use one that has the same diameter you’d like your funnel cake to have.
  • Condiment squeeze bottle. These are readily available at your local dollar store, or anywhere that sells baking appliances.

Funnel Cake Ingredients:

  • All-purpose flour
  • Salt
  • Baking powder
  • Granulated sugar
  • Salted butter, melted
  • Egg
  • Heaving whipping cream
  • Whole milk
  • Vanilla extract
  • Vegetable oil or shortening
individual ingredients for funnel cakes - flour, eggs, butter, milk, vanilla, etc.

How to Make Homemade Funnel Cake:

Step 1: Clip the thermometer to the rim of your Dutch oven and fill with several inches of oil or melted shortening to at least 2-3″ deep, preferably halfway. Heat until the oil reaches 375 degrees. This temperature needs to be exact. Too low, and you’ll end up with an oil-soaked funnel cake. Too high and you’ll burn it. The temperature will adjust with the addition of the cold batter, so check frequently to make sure you maintain the correct temperature.

Step 2: While the oil is heating, you can begin to prepare the batter. In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder and sugar and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the egg until it is frothy. Doing this will capture the air which will help get a nice puffy texture. Then, add in the butter, cream, milk and vanilla. Whisk to combine.

Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Then transfer this funnel cake batter to your squeeze bottle. Squeezing the batter out of the bottle will make the stream of batter even and easier to manipulate. Otherwise you run the risk of dropping blobs of dough into the oil and it not being so cute anymore.

Step 4: When the oil is hot enough, squeeze a continuous stream of batter into the pan in a circular motion, overlapping as you go. The batter will sizzle, expand, and pop up to float above the oil. Cook until the bottom is golden brown and flip to continue cooking the other side. Once the entire cake is nicely browned, remove with a slotted spoon. Drain excess oil by placing it directly onto a paper towel. Repeat steps until you’ve made all your cakes. Keep in mind, you’ll need to replenish the oil and bring it back to the exact temperature between each one. It takes quite a bit of oil and precise technique, but it is so worth it!

squeeze bottle squirting funnel cake batter into pot of oil

Step 5: Once it has cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar and topping of your choice. Don’t let it sit too long, or it will get soggy!

golden brown funnel cake lifted from the oil with slotted spoon

Are you going all-in and eating with your hands? Or will you be eating it with a knife and fork? Either way, just make sure to have some extra napkins on hand and maybe tuck one into your shirt!

Now that you’ve mastered homemade funnel cake, what will you ever do at the next state fair?

funnel cake on paper towel sprinkled with powdered sugar

FAQs

Why is my funnel cake soggy?

Although it’s an easy recipe, heating and maintaining the oil precisely at 375 degrees is key. If the temperature drops at all, it will take longer for the funnel to brown which means more oil gets absorbed.

Can I use pancake batter to make these funnel cakes?

You can. Mix up your favorite pancake mix or your favorite pancake batter and make sure it’s a smooth consistency. The batter should be thick enough to form ribbons if you. lift and drizzle it back into the bowl. Take your pancake batter and load it into a squirt bottle and proceed with the recipe as written.

close up of top of a homemade funnel cake with powdered sugar, whipped cream, and sliced strawberry with bowl of strawberries and plate of funnel cakes in background

Homemade Funnel Cake

These homemade funnel cakes are quick to make and taste just like the ones we love from the fair.
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Fair Food
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 583kcal
Author: girlinspired
Prevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

  • digital food thermometer
  • 2 Quart Dutch oven or deep fryer (choose a pan with the same diameter you'd like your funnel cakes to have)
  • condiment squeeze bottle

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • vegetable oil or shortening

Instructions

  • Clip a food or candy thermometer onto the rim of the Dutch oven. Fill at least halfway (at least 2-3" deep) with vegetable oil or melt shortening to this depth.
  • Heat over high heat until oil reaches a precise temperature of 375°F (about 15 minutes).
  • While oil is heating, prepare the batter. Begin by whisking together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Set aside.
    dry ingredients in small bowl
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk egg until frothy. Add in butter, cream, milk, and vanilla. Whisk to combine.
    eg and milk with gold whisk in bowl
  • Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
    dry ingredients with gold whisk in large bowl
  • Transfer funnel cake batter into a squeeze bottle (this is the easiest way to safely add a consistent stream of batter into the pot.)
    prepared batter with gold whisk in mixing bowl
  • When the oil has reached 375°F, squeeze a continuous stream of batter into the pan in a circular motion. Batter will sizzle and pop up to float on top of the oil.
    squeeze bottle squirting funnel cake batter into pot of oil
  • Cook until bottom side of the funnel cake has turned golden brown. Flip the funnel cake and continue cooking until the other side has browned.
    funnel cake being flipped into hot oil
  • Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon to drain the excess oil and place on paper towels.
    golden brown funnel cake lifted from the oil with slotted spoon
  • When funnel cake has cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar and top with whipped cream and strawberries or toppings of your choice.
    funnel cake on paper towel sprinkled with powdered sugar
  • Funnel cakes should be eaten immediately.
Tried this recipe?Follow me on Pinterest @girlinspired!

Notes

Be sure to maintain the oil at a cooking temperature of 375°F.  If the temperature drops, the funnel cake will take longer to brown and will absorb too much oil.  Work quickly and wait between cooking each funnel cake if the oil needs to heat back up to temperature.
Do not get the cooking oil too hot either or it will scorch the funnel cake.  Consistency is key!
Cooking the funnel cakes takes quite a bit of oil.  Replenish and reheat if needed, but be sure you really fill your pot to begin with.  

Nutrition

Calories: 583kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 384mg | Potassium: 167mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 780IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 176mg | Iron: 3mg

Filed Under: Desserts, Food and Recipes Tagged With: fried food

How to Make Fried Chicken

July 31, 2014 by girlinspired 1 Comment

Best Fried Chicken Recipe - plus some lower-cal and grain-free variations

Fried chicken makes me happy.  Since I was a little kid, one of my favorite comfort foods has been my mom’s fried chicken.  To this day, it is completely irresistable.  Served up with mashed potatoes, gravy, and a green salad is perfection, but I love the cold leftovers, too.  I try not to make fried chicken very often, but sometimes I just have to give in to the craving.  I thought it would be fun to share how to make fried chicken and hear how YOU make fried chicken.  I think there are so many methods, but I always fall back on the way my mom makes it.

Best Fried Chicken Recipe - plus some lower-cal and grain-free variations

Cover the bottom of a frying pan with vegetable oil (or olive oil) and heat to medium.  In a large Ziploc bag, place 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. black pepper, and shake to stir.  Rinse and pat dry chicken pieces (and please leave the skin on!!)  Drop one piece of chicken into the Ziploc bag, shake to coat it in the flour mixture, remove and gently place in hot oil.  Continue with chicken pieces until the pan is full.  Cook meat without moving until browned, then gently turn in the pan and begin cooking another side.  If the chicken is stuck to the bottom of the pan, try letting it brown up just a bit more; also, be sure you have a good layer of oil in the bottom of the pan.  Continue browning and turning meat until it is cooked through.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper every time you turn the meat.  Adjust the heat so that the chicken does not burn before it is cooked through, but I find that cooking over medium heat gets the job done.

Best Fried Chicken Recipe - plus some lower-cal and grain-free variations

Variations:

1.  I have also tried microwaving the meat most of the way, then continuing with the same steps.  This method is supposed to lead to less oil absorption since the meat would be soaking up the oil for less time.  It turns out fine.  I have no way to measure if there is any difference in the amount of oil saturation.

2.  Brown the meat on med-high – high heat, then place in oven to cook the rest of the way (also absorbing less oil, perhaps).

3.  Dip the meat into a lightly beaten egg, then dip into almond flour mixed with salt and pepper.  Cook the same way (the almond flour burns more easily, so it may need to be cooked on lower heat).  This is a GREAT grain-free alternative and one I used multiple times when I couldn’t eat grains.

Best Fried Chicken Recipe - plus some lower-cal and grain-free variations

I would LOVE to hear your favorite way to cook fried chicken!  Do you have any special tricks?  And what is your favorite side dish for your fried chicken?

Filed Under: Food and Recipes, Main Course Tagged With: chicken, fried food

About Stef
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Sharing Policy

It is my hope that you will find inspiration on the Girl. Inspired. blog. All photos are copyright protected by Girl. Inspired. If you wish to share something that you have seen here, I am absolutely thrilled! Please use only one picture with a direct link back to the project you are referencing. Thank you so much for your understanding!

Privacy Policy

What are You Looking For?

Copyright © 2022 · Foodie Child Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress