Funnel Cakern

close up overhead shot of a Funnel Cake sprinkled with powdered sugar

This funnel cake recipe creates the deep-fried treat made famous at summer fairs and carnivals that you can now make at home and enjoy with all your favorite toppings.

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Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Servings servings

Table of Contents

Funnel Cake Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Funnel Cake Recipe
How To Serve
Storing Funnel Cakes
Frequently Asked Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
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Funnel cake is one of those things that’s just so darn delicious, it’s hard to resist. This classic fair food is made from a simple dough that’s deep-fried and topped with your favorite toppings, making it the perfect sweet snack.

close up shot of a Funnel Cake topped with strawberries and whipped cream

Funnel Cake Ingredients

Funnel Cake raw ingredients that are labeled

The golden brown, crispy exterior gives way to a warm and fluffy center that practically melts in your mouth.

The delicate sweetness of the funnel cake batter is perfectly balanced by a generous sprinkling of powdered sugar, creating a flavor combination that is irresistible.

You’ll need:

2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
½ teaspoon of salt
1 cup of whole milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
½ teaspoon of butter extract (optional)
Vegetable oil for frying (1½-2 inches deep in skillet)
Powdered sugar for dusting the top of the funnel cakes

Substitutions And Additions

TOPPINGS: You can get creative with the funnel cake toppings that you add. You can drizzle them with chocolate, or strawberry sauce, add whipped cream and sprinkles to the top, serve them with dipping sauces like frosting or Nutella, or add a big scoop of ice cream to them.

How To Make This Funnel Cake Recipe

Let’s walk through the easy steps to making the batter and frying up these classic treats.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

This recipe makes 3 large dinner-plate-sized funnel cakes or 6 medium-sized salad plate funnel cakes.

STEP ONE: In a medium mixing bowl using a whisk, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Use a whisk to combine.

STEP TWO: In a separate mixing bowl, add milk, beaten eggs, vanilla extract, and butter extract. Use a whisk to combine.

milk, beaten eggs, vanilla extract, and butter extract whisked together in a bowl

STEP THREE: Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients while continuing to whisk together until no lumps remain. Set aside while heating the oil.

dry ingredients whisked into the wet ingredients in a bowl

STEP FOUR: In a skillet with deep sides over medium heat, add enough vegetable oil to fill the skillet 1½ to 2 inches deep. Heat the oil to 350°F.

Use a candy thermometer to test the temperature. If the oil is too hot, it will quickly cook the outside without properly cooking the inside of the funnel cake.

STEP FIVE: Fill a piping bag with a large round tip on the end with ⅓ of the funnel cake mixture if making 3 large funnel cakes or ⅙ of the mixture if making medium funnel cakes.

PRO TIP:

When adding the funnel cake batter to a piping bag, it is helpful to place the piping bag in a tall wide glass mason jar to keep it upright while filling.

You could also use a squeeze bottle instead of a piping bag to drizzle the batter in the oil.

funnel cake mixture placed into a piping bag

STEP SIX: With your finger on the piping tip, hold the bag 3 to 4 inches above the hot oil. Remove your finger and gently squeeze while drizzling the batter into the oil.

Make a round circle with the batter to start, then drizzle the batter across the circle in one direction, then drizzle across the circle in the opposite direction. Complete the funnel cake with another circle on the top to close it.

Let cook in the oil until it is golden brown. Use tongs to carefully flip the funnel cake over. Allow the other side to cook until golden brown.

PRO TIP:

With each new funnel cake, test the oil temperature. If it drops too much below 350°F, the batter will soak up too much oil; if it heats up too much above 350°F, it will cook too quickly.

To take a proper temperature, swirl the oil with the end of the thermometer and then let the tip sit in the oil until you get a proper temperature reading. Make sure not to touch the bottom of the pan with the thermometer.

funnel cake batter squeezed into a pot of hot oil

STEP SEVEN: Remove the funnel cake from the oil and place it on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to absorb the excess oil. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.

fried funnel cake placed on a paper lined pan and sprinkled with powdered sugar

How To Serve

There are so many options to choose from to top your funnel cakes. Try:

Sliced strawberries and whipped cream
Bananas, Nutella, and whipped cream
Cinnamon and sugar
Ice cream and caramel sauce or hot fudge
Honey and butter melted together
Fresh fruit
Icing, 1 cup powdered sugar, and just enough milk (1 tablespoon at a time) to form an icing you can drizzle

Check out our funnel cake bites and deep-fried Oreos for more carnival-inspired treats.

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Storing Funnel Cakes

While best served fresh, here’s how to store these funnel cake treats:

ON THE COUNTER: These amazing funnel cakes need to be eaten immediately. They should be finished within 5 hours or so. It’s best not to store them as they will get soggy very quickly and not reheat well.

IN THE FREEZER: We do not recommend freezing funnel cakes as they will become soggy. Stick with making these fresh.

close up shot of a Funnel Cake sprinkled with powdered sugar

This homemade funnel cake recipe will allow you to make this fair favorite year-round in the comfort of your own kitchen. Just as flavorful as the originals, these deep-fried treats are perfect for adding all of your favorite sweet toppings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I store leftovers for later?

This easy recipe will not store well. The funnel cakes should be eaten within about 5 hours of cooking, or they will become soggy.

What is the best oil for deep-frying?

Fry only with oils that have a high smoking point. The smoking point is the temperature it takes for the oil to start to break down and smoke. Once it smokes, it’s not good for frying.

The best kind of oil includes peanut oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, corn oil, or vegetable oil. Olive oil, on the other hand, is not a good oil to fry in.

Can I make mini funnel cakes with this recipe?

You can use this funnel cake batter recipe for any size of funnel cake you’d like to try.

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Funnel Cake

5 from 2 votes

This funnel cake recipe creates the deep-fried treat made famous at summer fairs and carnivals that you can now make at home and enjoy with all your favorite toppings.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon butter extract, optional
vegetable oil, for frying (1½ to 2 inches deep in skillet)
powdered sugar, for dusting the top of the funnel cakes

Instructions

In a medium mixing bowl, add the 2 cups of flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Use a whisk to combine.
In a separate mixing bowl, add the milk, beaten eggs, vanilla extract, and butter extract. Use a whisk to combine.
Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients while continuing to whisk together until no lumps remain. Set aside while heating the oil.
In a skillet with deep sides over medium heat, add enough vegetable oil to fill the skillet 1½ to 2 inches deep. Heat the oil to 350°F. Use a thermometer to test the temperature. If the oil is too hot it will quickly cook the outside without proper cooking inside of the funnel cake.
Fill a piping bag with a large round tip on the end with ⅓ of the funnel cake mixture if making 3 large funnel cakes, or ⅙ of the mixture if making medium funnel cakes.
With your finger on the piping tip hold the bag 3 to 4 inches above the hot oil. Remove your finger and gently squeeze while drizzling the batter into the oil. Make a round circle with the batter to start, then drizzle the batter across the circle in one direction, then drizzle across the circle in the opposite direction. Complete the funnel cake with another circle on the top to close it. Let cook in the oil until it is golden brown. Use tongs to carefully flip the funnel cake over. Allow the other side to cook until golden brown.
Remove funnel cake from the oil and place it on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Notes

This recipe makes 3 large dinner-plate-sized funnel cakes or 6 medium-sized salad plate funnel cakes.
When adding the funnel cake batter to a piping bag, it is helpful to place the piping bag in a tall wide glass mason jar to keep it upright while filling. You could also use a squeeze bottle instead of a piping bag to drizzle the batter in the oil.
With each new funnel cake, test the oil temperature. If it drops too much below 350°F, the batter will soak up too much oil; if it heats up too much above 350°F, it will cook too quickly. To take a proper temperature, swirl the oil with the end of the thermometer and then let the tip sit in the oil until you get a proper temperature reading. Make sure not to touch the bottom of the pan with the thermometer.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

Stephanie Keeping Publisher
Layne Kangas Marketing
Sian Cox Photographer
Lexus Monroe Editorial Assistant