October 25, 2023
Review RecipeFunnel Cake Bites
Table of Contents
Our funnel cake bites recipe shows you how to make the beloved treat that everyone loves so much from local county fairs and festivals. With this simple recipe, you can make these fluffy, powdered pieces of fried cake right from the comfort of your home!
Funnel Cake Bites Ingredients
These funnel cake bites feature a perfect blend of sweet and slightly savory flavors. The batter, made from pantry staples, results in a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Once the bites are fried to perfection, a final dusting of powdered sugar adds a sweet, powdery finish, completing this delightful homemade carnival experience.
You’ll need:
- Vegetable oil or shortening for frying
- 2½ cups of all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup of heavy whipping cream
- 1½ cups of whole milk
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons of salted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable or canola oil
- Powdered sugar for dusting cooked funnel cake bites
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 Bites Recipe
Let’s walk through the step-by-step instructions for making the batter and frying these delectable little treats.
STEP ONE: Pour oil or shortening into a stockpot, Dutch oven, or 12-inch frying pan, making sure it is at least three inches deep.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
It is important to make sure you have enough oil to submerge the bites.
STEP TWO: Affix the pot with a food thermometer and begin heating the oil over medium-high heat.
You will need the oil temperature to reach and stay at 375°F for frying the funnel cake bites.
STEP THREE: While the oil is heating, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, and nutmeg.
STEP FOUR: In a medium bowl, whisk eggs until foamy.
STEP FIVE: Add in the cream, milk, vanilla extract, butter, and oil.
STEP SIX: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, then stir together until the batter is combined.
STEP SEVEN: Use a ladle to dollop a tablespoon or two of funnel cake batter mixture into the heated oil.
The batter will puff up immediately and begin to brown on the bottom. As soon as the bottom of the batter ball is golden brown, flip it over and brown on the other side.
PRO TIP:
Adding too much batter to the pan at once can cause the temperature of the oil to drop rapidly. The funnel cake bites will take longer to cook and will absorb too much oil in the process. Be sure to monitor the oil to ensure it stays at the right temperature continuously while cooking.
If the oil maintains a temperature of 375°F, the funnel cake bites should cook in less than a minute.
STEP EIGHT: Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon to drain off any excess oil.
PRO TIP:
As you are frying up your bites, be sure to pick out any pieces of batter that have fallen off into the oil. They will burn and make the bites taste burnt.
STEP NINE: Place cooked funnel cake bites on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
STEP TEN: Sprinkle the funnel cake bites with powdered sugar and serve immediately.
How To Serve Mini Funnel Cakes
Add whipped cream and a drizzle of hot fudge sauce or caramel sauce on top for a delicious dessert.
If you want to be extra indulgent, serve your bites with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Check out our funfetti dip for a fun dip for this easy dessert as an alternative to the traditional toppings.
If these cake bites have you craving a few more fair or amusement park-style treats, our deep-fried Oreos are totally irresistible.
Also, be sure to try the infamous Disney churro bites. One little bite of these treats will whisk you away to childhood memories.
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Storage
We’ve got a few guidelines to enjoying these tasty treats while they are at their best.
ON THE COUNTER: These amazing funnel cake bites need to be eaten immediately.
They should be finished within five hours or so. It’s best not to store them as they will get soggy very quickly and do not reheat well.
IN THE FREEZER: We do not recommend freezing funnel cake bites as they will become soggy. Stick with making these fresh.
My mouth is watering just thinking about funnel cakes. They are a classic treat that everyone seems to love. They can be topped off with a variety of things, from powdered sugar to drizzled chocolate. This easy recipe for funnel cake bites is a great way to make this delicious treat in the comfort of your own kitchen!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I store leftovers for later?
These easy funnel cake bites will not store very well. They should be eaten within about five hours of cooking, or they will become soggy. If you need to transport them in the short term to share with a friend, you can store them in an airtight container.
What kind of hot oil is best 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. Good oils to use are 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 use this recipe for making regular funnel cakes?
While we haven’t tried it, since these bites taste just like full-sized cakes, you could probably make larger funnel cakes too. Just drizzle your batter in your oil in the famous funnel cake shape and cook on both sides according to the listed time in this recipe. Keep a close eye that they don’t get overcooked.
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Funnel Cake Bites
Funnel cake bites are the bite-size version of the classic favorite fair food.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 30 bites
Ingredients
- vegetable oil or shortening, for frying
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil
- powdered sugar, for dusting cooked funnel cake bites
Instructions
- In a stockpot, Dutch oven, or 12-inch frying pan, add shortening or oil at least 3 inches deep.
- Affix the pot with a food thermometer and begin heating the oil over medium-high heat. You will need the oil to reach and maintain a temperature of 375°F for frying the funnel cake bites.
- While the oil is heating, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, and nutmeg.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk eggs until foamy.
- Add in cream, milk, vanilla extract, butter, and oil.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir together until batter is combined.
- Use a ladle to dollop a tablespoon or two of batter into the heated oil. The batter will puff up immediately and begin to brown on the bottom. As soon as the bottom of the batter ball is golden brown, flip it over and brown on the other side.
- Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon to drain off any excess oil.
- Place cooked funnel cake bites on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- Sprinkle cooled funnel cake bites with powdered sugar and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- It is important to make sure you have enough oil to submerge the bites.
- Adding too much batter to the pan at once can cause the temperature of the oil to drop rapidly. The funnel cake bites will take longer to cook and will absorb too much oil in the process. Be sure to monitor the oil to ensure it stays at the right temperature continuously while cooking.
- If the oil maintains a temperature of 375°F, the funnel cake bites should cook in less than a minute.
- As you are frying up your bites, be sure to pick out any pieces of batter that have fallen off into the oil. They will burn and make the bites taste burnt.
Nutrition
Calories: 89kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 44mg | Potassium: 62mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 141IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg
Have You Tried This Recipe?Follow me on Pinterest @spaceshipslb
Comments
Gloria says
Totally satisfy my wintertime craving while we wait for summer and the fair!!! Super yummy!
Duncan Edwards says
I enjoy the many different cakes and i will say im a new convert, thank you, well done. 🙂
Janice says
I’ve made funnel cakes not the bites but will make
Jill says
These are fun and yummy!
Serena says
Can the batter be chilled or refrigerated, either to be able to make firmer shapes when dropping into the fry oil, or to be saved for use another day?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Serena – we haven’t tried saving the batter so I’m not sure how it would hold up or work. Please let me know if you try it!
Sam says
Haven’t made the recipe yet but looks amazing. I was wondering about storing and how long they might last?