How to Make Homemade Funnel Cakes

Funnel cakes are commonly sold at fairs and carnivals.

For many people, carnivals conjure up images of confections like cotton candy, snow cones and funnel cakes. Funnel cakes are served hot with a sprinkling of powdered sugar or with fruit compote. Funnel cakes originated in Pennsylvania by people of German descent. They get their name from the method by which they are made. Batter is poured through a funnel into hot oil, where it is fried until it forms a cake that is golden and crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside.

Things You'll Need

• 2 cups vegetable oil
• Large skillet
• Deep-fat thermometer
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup milk
• Wire whisk
• Medium bowl
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Spoon
• Large bowl
• Funnel
• Metal spatula
• Toppings

Instructions

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over the stove at medium-high heat. To ensure thorough cooking, use a deep-fat thermometer to make sure the oil stays within the range of 350 degrees to 375 degrees Fahrenheit when it it time to cook the funnel cakes.

2. Beat the egg and milk together with a wire whisk in a medium bowl.

3. Mix the sugar, flour, salt and baking powder with a spoon in a large bowl.

4. Add the milk and egg mixture to the bowl containing the sugar, flour, salt and baking powder, and beat the mixture with a wire whisk until the ingredients combine to form a smooth batter.

5. Pour the batter through a funnel into the hot oil. While you are pouring the batter, move the funnel around so the batter drops in an overlapping weblike pattern that forms a rough circle. Use enough batter so the cake measures about 9 inches in diameter.

6. Let the batter cook in the oil for about two minutes. Remove the funnel cake with a metal spatula, and place it on a plate with several paper towels on it. The paper towels will absorb the funnel cake's excess oil. Make funnel cakes with the rest of the batter until the batter runs out.

7. Top the funnel cakes with powdered sugar, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, ice cream, fresh fruit or any other topping you desire, and enjoy them while they are warm.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't have a funnel, use a gallon-size resealable plastic bag with a corner cut off of it to drop the batter into the oil.

• Be very careful when cooking with hot oil, and keep a fire extinguisher nearby.

• Make sure the funnel does not come in contact with the hot oil.

References

• Moms Who Think: Funnel Cake Recipe
• The Funnel Cake Company: History of Funnel Cake
• "Every Day with Rachael Ray"; Funnel Cakes Recipe; Tracey Seaman; August 2007