Homemade Funnel Cakes

funnel cake with piped whipped cream and powdered sugar on top with white cheese cloth, flowers, and forks beside

The classic summertime treat we all know and love...Funnel Cake! Made simply with pantry staple ingredients, ready in less than an hour, and tastes SO. GOOD. Every bite is perfectly sweet and just melts in your mouth!

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 45

Servings:

Calories: 75kcal

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour*
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs room temperature
1¼ cups whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
vegetable oil for frying
powdered sugar for serving

Instructions

In a small stockpot, heat 1-inch of vegetable oil to 375℉.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Add eggs, milk, and vanilla.
Whisk until smooth.
Ladle batter into a pastry bag or plastic zip top bag.
Snip the tip off the bag so that you have about a ¼" opening.
Beginning in the middle of the stockpot, pipe batter into hot oil in a swirling pattern.
Cook until light golden brown, about 1 minute.
Flip over.
Cook for 1 minute.
Remove from oil using a spider or slotted spoon.
Drain.
Repeat with remaining batter.
Sift powdered sugar over top and serve.

Notes

*This recipe was written using an average of the dip and sweep method for measuring flour and the spoon and level method. If you are using a scale, you will need to add 3/4 oz or 22 g to the measurement for each cup of flour.

When mixing the batter, make sure the batter is smooth!
You don't need more than 1 inch of oil in your pot. Too much oil will cause the funnel cakes to separate and not cook properly.
Using a piping bag is definitely the easiest way to achieve the classic funnel cake look.
When piping the batter into the oil, make a small mound in the middle, then from there, make small loops in a circle as close to your middle mound as you can. When making these, we figured out building a base (the beginning mound), then building/swirling closely from there really make it easier to achieve the classic shape. Though, it's definitely something that takes practice and you may find your own technique!
Remember, when the funnel cake floats up as your piping, do not panic! Keep piping until your desired size is reached.
The size of the funnel cake is up to you, we did about 4 rounds. It made for a smaller, more personal serving size.
These funnel cakes do not store/reheat well. They are best eaten soon after frying!

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