Category: funnel cake

I love surprising people, so Funnel Cake is often on my table. This versatile, incredibly crispy cake is quick to make. Funnel Cake is the perfect choice when you’re tired of crepes or pancakes or don’t have time to make laborious Spanish Churros. You can make it as a traditional cake or fry it as funnel cake fries.

How to choose the best ingredients for Funnel Cake

You likely have all the ingredients at home. Just ensure they are of good quality and in the right amount.

Egg—It will be best to use a large egg, but any size will work for the cake.

Milk can be cow’s milk or a vegetarian drink replacing milk. It can also be just water.

Water—If you have good-quality tap water, it can be from the tap. I have a filter at home, and I filter it myself. You can also use sparkling water; the cake will be slightly aerated.

Salt—Use the salt you have at home. This ingredient is needed to maintain balance with sugar and emphasize the taste. A small amount works wonders in the kitchen.

Sugar—I use cane sugar because it is less processed, but you use what you use every day. It also works well. To further enrich the taste of Funnel cake, you can use muscovado sugar because it has more molasses than other cane sugars and adds a specific flavor to the cake.

Vodka or vinegar can be added to the batter to prevent the cake from absorbing too much oil, a trick I learned from my grandmother.

How to Make Funnel Cake

To make a funnel cake, you will need a bowl, a whisk, and a frying pan about 15 inches in diameter for a 6-7 inch diameter. It is recommended to fry one funnel cake at a time to control its color; it will not taste as good if it is too toasted.

Step 1: Measure all the ingredients and pour the sifted flour with baking powder into a bowl. Then, add the egg, vanilla extract, salt, and sugar.

Step 2: Then, add the egg, vanilla extract, salt, and sugar.

Step 3: Add the milk and mix. The dough will be very thick but should come together without lumps.

Step 4: Slowly add the vodka and mix thoroughly.

Step 5: Add half of the water mix and then the rest to achieve the perfect consistency for frying a funnel cake. Pour the batter into a bottle, using a funnel for ease.

Step 6: Pour the oil into a pan and heat it (temperature around 4 for an electric stove, similar for gas). The oil should reach ⅔ of the pan. A cast iron pan is recommended for its excellent heat retention and quick heating. If using one, be cautious of the cast iron handles. For other pans, ensure the height is suitable for flipping the funnel cake while baking. Test the oil’s heat by observing tiny air bubbles rising from the bottom.

Step 7: Once the oil is heated, pour the dough into the pan in various patterns, creating a circle. These can be snails, zigzags, or even flowers.

Step 8: Once the dough takes on color from the oil side, flip it over using a skewer and a spatula. The funnel cake is ready when it achieves a light brown color.

Step 9: Place the funnel cake on a plate covered with paper towels to drain excess fat.

Step 10: Serve with powdered sugar, powdered sugar with cinnamon, or fruit and yogurt fillings.

Enjoy!

Tips and tricks

•  To prevent the funnel cakes from becoming greasy, it is good to place them on white paper towels without prints right after baking to absorb excess fat.

• For the funnel cake, you can use a bottle for topping if you have one. I cut off the tip to a diameter of about 1 cm (0.40 inch). You can also use a ketchup or mayonnaise bottle, but washing the bottle well in water with baking soda (soda removes bad smells) would be good. In such a bottle, cut out the silicone protection so that the dough flows smoothly, and you will have control over its amount.

• I definitely recommend funnel cake bottles because you can pour several portions into such a bottle, and it saves time; it is also cleaner during baking.

• When you only have the dough for the last funnel cake, it is a good idea to plug the bottle with your finger and turn it upside down so that all the dough flows into the bottle opening. The dough must flow out of the bottle in a continuous stream. Otherwise, small pieces will form (which can also be eaten, but the whole thing can be decorated and given the flavor you want)

• If your funnel cake cools down and you want to reheat it, I recommend using an air fryer at about 190 degrees and 1 minute. The cookies will be crispy and warm again.

• If you plan to freeze the funnel cakes, I recommend not baking them until brown but removing them from the oil when golden brown.

• You absolutely must use either a funnel or, better yet, a bottle to pour the batter onto the hot oil. If you do it with a spatula, the batter will pour out in too thick portions and will not bake entirely inside.

Sides To Serve Funnel Cake

This cake is like a chameleon because it changes its taste depending on the additions. The traditional and most classic way is to serve it sprinkled with powdered sugar, but this is one of many versions I have in mind. You can add anything you wish, such as chocolate or fruit toppings, or combine my favorite Greek yogurts with fruits. If you don’t have fruit, you can use preserves or jams. You can also replace the yogurt with whipped cream, giving it a light taste.

But wait, there’s more fun to be had with this cake! You can also transform it into a mini apple pie using the Apple Pie Filling from my recipe. The result is a masterpiece of taste, especially when you add a scoop of ice cream and sprinkle with cinnamon. The perfectly crispy funnel cake will make an apple pie that you absolutely have to try. It’s not just a recipe, it’s a fun culinary adventure waiting to be explored. If you want more protein in this dessert, cream cheese will be perfect, or you can make Labneh cheese from Greek yogurt using my recipe.

Substitute

Funnel cake fries or churros can be a great alternative to funnel cake. Similarly, Crepes or pancakes can also be served.

How to store Funnel Cake

If you want to enjoy more cookies later, you can freeze them and bake them in the oven or an air fryer. To bake in the oven:

• Preheat it to about 200 degrees Celsius and bake the frozen cookies for 6-10 minutes, depending on your oven.

• Set the temperature to 200 degrees Celsius for the air fryer and bake for 1 minute.

• Place the frozen cookies directly on the baking tray or in the air fryer basket in both cases.

By following these simple steps, your cookies will be ready to eat and regain their delightful crispiness and freshness, just as they were when they were first baked.

For storage, place the cookies in a well-sealed container in the freezer for up to four weeks. Avoid using bags, as the cookies are delicate and can break. Alternatively, you can store freshly made cookies in a closed, dry container for 2-3 days and reheat them as you would the frozen ones.

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