This is the county fair type funnel cake recipe. Light and fluffy, this gets dusted with powdered sugar and is served hot for a fun and tasty treat. Funnel cake doesn’t have to be a once a year treat…make it a County Fair night by serving all the fair favorites for dinner!
The funnel cake is synonymous with county fairs, but its roots go back to medieval Persia where yeast risen dishes were a popular treat. The dessert spread throughout Europe and was brought to America by the Dutch as a dish called Drechderkuche in 1879.
Funnel cakes are traditionally made by pouring hot cooking oil in a circular pattern and deep frying until golden brown. The batter is then poured through a funnel to create its texture. This is also what gives the dessert its name.
How to Make Funnel Cake; The Staple Fair Food
Funnel cakes are usually served dusted with powdered sugar, but they can also be served with jelly, jam, cinnamon, fresh fruit, chocolate and other toppings.
If you travel the world, you will find there are many variations on the traditional funnel cake. Here are some examples:
- Germany: The German funnel cake is called Straube or Strieble and it is quite similar to the American version.
- Finland: Commonly served on May Day, funnel cake is called tippaleipa which translates to droplet bread.
- Lithuania: In Lithuania, the dessert is normally made in early spring to empty last year’s honey stock and make room for a new one. It is called skruzdeylynas or ant’s nest.
- Asia: In Asia, there is a dessert similar to the funnel cake called a jalebi. Unlike the traditional funnel cake, these do not call for baking powder, so they have a chewier texture.
- The Philippines: The Philippines serve a variation that is considered the native donut. It is called kumukunsi and it is made with rice flour, duck eggs and sugar. It is molded into rope like strands so that is similar in appearance to the funnel cake although the taste and consistency is more like that of a creamy pancake.
Our version of the funnel cake is a bit more traditional and is a great way to get familiar with the recipe before getting more adventurous. Serve it to your family to give them a taste of the county fair and a treat they are sure to love.
Easy Funnel Cake Recipe
Our version of the funnel cake is a bit more traditional and it is a great way to get familiar with the recipe before getting more adventurous. It involves simple ingredients like egg, milk, sugar, salt and baking powder. However, the preparation can get a bit more complicated.
The first part involves making sure the pan has heated to the perfect temperature. To be sure the temperature is right, drop a pinch of flour into the hot oil. If it sizzles right away without smoking, you know the temperature is ideal.
The second tricky part will come when you use a funnel to drop the egg, milk, sugar, salt and baking powder mixture into the pan. When doing this, you must make sure the mixture is distributed evenly so the funnel cake will be cooked to perfection.
This can be a bit disconcerting as you will be dropping the mixture into hot oil which can pop and burn you as you are working over it, so it is best to use extreme caution.
Although the recipe recommends that you use a plastic gallon bag instead of a funnel if you don’t have one, this will not give you the same amount of control, so using the funnel is preferable.
Finally, you must be very careful when you remove the cake from the heat. Make sure to do so carefully so that the pastry does not fall apart. You should also check to see that the funnel is completely done before removing it, but don’t leave it on too long so that it burns. 2-3 minutes should be perfect.
Serve it to your family to give them a taste of the county fair and a treat they are sure to love.
If you enjoy this recipe, make sure to check out our Yum Yum Cake Recipe and our Blueberry Cake Recipe.
Funnel Cake Recipe
(29 votes, average: 3.38 out of 5)
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- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 3 Minutes
- Total Time: 18 Minutes
Description
Our version of the funnel cake is a bit more traditional and is a great way to get familiar with the recipe before getting more adventurous.
Ingredients
- 1 Egg
- 2/3 Cup milk
- Tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/4 Teaspoon salt
- 1 Teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- In a deep skillet, heat about two cups of oil over medium-high heat until hot. Test the temperature by dropping a pinch of flour into the hot oil. If it sizzles right away without smoking, it’s perfect.
- Beat egg and milk. Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl and slowly add to the egg mixture, beating until smooth.
- Using a funnel, drop into hot oil working from center outwards in a web pattern. (You can use a gallon sized freezer bag instead of a funnel by pouring the batter into the bag, snipping off a small corner of it, and squeezing the batter into the oil.)
- Cook for about 2-3 minutes, remove from the oil when golden brown and crispy.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: funnel cake
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