Equipment
Ingredients
Batter
- 180 ml whole milk
- 1 egg
- 13 g granulated sugar
- 2½ ml vanilla extract
- 120 g all-purpose flour
- 2 g baking powder
- 3 g kosher salt
Frying and Topping
- 700 ml vegetable oil, neutral
- 20 g confectioners' sugar
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 189 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 34 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 329 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 51 mg
- Potassium
- 160 mg
- Calcium
- 84 mg
- Iron
- 1.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 13 mg
- Phosphorus
- 129 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 41 mcg
- Vitamin D
- 0.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.27 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.28 mg
- Niacin
- 1.8 mg
- Folate
- 63 mcg
- Water
- 53 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Whisk the milk, egg, sugar, and vanilla together in a medium bowl until fully combined.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, whisking until the batter is smooth and pourable.
Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat until it reaches 190°C (375°F).
Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set it near the stove for draining.
Pour 160ml of batter into a measuring cup with a spout.
Drizzle the batter into the hot oil in a circular motion, then zig-zag across the center to connect the strands.
Fry the funnel cake for 90 seconds until the bottom is golden brown.
Flip the cake carefully using tongs and fry the second side for another 90 seconds.
Transfer the cake to the paper towel-lined sheet to drain excess oil.
Dust the hot cake generously with confectioners' sugar using a strainer.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure the oil is deep enough so the batter doesn't hit the bottom of the pot immediately.
- Serve immediately as the texture degrades quickly when cold.
Storage
Troubleshooting
Funnel cake is greasy and heavy
Cause: Oil temperature was below 190°C (375°F) during frying
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Use a thermometer and wait for the oil to return to temperature between batches.
Batter disperses into small beads instead of a lattice
Cause: Batter is too thin or poured from too high up
Fix: Whisk 10-15g of flour into the remaining batter.
Prevention: Ensure batter is thick enough to coat a spoon; pour close to the oil surface.
Cultural Context
Funnel cakes are a quintessential American fair food, with roots tracing back to German "Strieblekuchen" or "zwetschgenkuchen" (plum cake), brought by immigrants. They became popular in the United States at carnivals, amusement parks, and sporting events, offering a sweet, easy-to-eat treat that could be prepared quickly in large batches.
