Easy Homemade Funnel Cake Recipe

Make crisp, golden fair-style funnel cakes in about 20 minutes, no funnel or deep fryer needed. This simple six-ingredient batter fries into light, fluffy swirls perfect for dusting with powdered sugar.

Why This Recipe Works

This recipe is for anyone whose favorite part of going to the boardwalk, amusement park, or carnival is grabbing a warm funnel cake. It is so easy to make your own at home and still get that crisp exterior and fluffy interior piled high with powdered sugar. I love funnel cake so much, I was even inspired to make my own chocolate funnel cake after seeing a version of it at the boardwalk.

• The batter is simple but sturdy: It’s loose enough to drizzle but thick enough to hold those classic funnel cake swirls.
• Only uses pantry staples: You only need six simple ingredients, plus any of your favorite toppings!
• Ready fast: The batter comes together quickly with pantry staples, so you can make fair-style funnel cakes in only 20 minutes!
• No funnel needed: You can make funnel cake without a funnel by using a squeeze bottle, piping bag, funnel pitcher, or spouted measuring cup for better control over the batter.

If you are looking to try more fair food, I recommend checking out my homemade churros and churro ice cream sandwiches!

What is funnel cake

Funnel cake is a simple batter, similar to pancake batter, that is drizzled into hot oil and quickly fried on both sides. It is traditionally topped with powdered sugar, also known as confectioners’ sugar, and is popularly served at fairs, carnivals, amusement parks, and boardwalks. Funnel cake is not actually cake. It is believed to get its name from the way the batter was traditionally poured through a funnel before being fried until crisp and golden brown.

Key ingredients

The ingredients for homemade funnel cakes are simple and mostly pantry staples. Let’s review the key ingredients and possible substitutions. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.

• Flour - The best flour to use for this is unbleached all-purpose flour. Bleached all-purpose flour or white whole wheat flour are also suitable.
• Sugar - Using granulated sugar gives you the best consistency for your funnel cakes, but brown sugar can work if it is all you have available.
• Milk - You can use any type of milk, even alternatives like cashew milk. Some places will even use buttermilk for tang or water. I recommend whole milk for the best consistency and flavor. 
• Oil - The kind of oil you use matters. You need a neutral oil with a high smoking point such as vegetable oil or canola oil. Peanut oil is also a popular choice.

Recommended Tools

Since funnel cakes aren’t usually made at home, it helps to know which tools work best. You don’t need any special equipment, but the right setup makes it easier to fry crisp, golden funnel cakes with less mess!

• Batter dispenser - The most important tool is the batter dispenser. You can use an actual funnel with a smaller round opening. The downside is you will need to use something to cover the bottom when not dispensing the batter. A piping bag would also work, but you will again need to consider how you will stop the flow of the batter because it is thinner than most things you would use a piping bag for. If you plan on making a lot of funnel cakes, you can invest in a funnel cake dispenser. My personal choice is a funnel pitcher or squeeze bottle with a larger opening because it is the easiest and least messy. In a pinch, a spouted measuring cup could also work.
• Frying equipment - You can invest in a deep fryer if it is something you plan on using often. However, I recommend a deep cast iron pan or Dutch oven paired with a candy thermometer. The reason I recommend cast iron is because it retains and holds heat steadily so you aren't having to adjust the heat on your stove frequently while frying. If you don't have cast iron, however, any heavy-bottomed pot that can hold at least 2-inches of oil will work.

How to make

Making the batter and frying your homemade funnel cake recipe is incredibly easy and can be a relaxing and fun project!

Note: A thermometer is the easiest way to keep the oil steady, which helps the funnel cakes fry crisp instead of greasy.

1. Whisk together the eggs and milk vigorously in a medium bowl until well-combined.
2. Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl until just combined.
3. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until there are no lumps.
4. Heat at least 2-inches of a neutral oil into a pan or Dutch oven and heat to 375F.
5. Pour about ⅓ cup of the funnel cake batter into your dispenser then swirl the batter in a random circular motion into the oil. 
6. Fry on each side for 1 - 2 minutes or until the outside is a beautiful golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack lined with paper towels.
7. Repeat until the batter is used up.
8. Make the toppings for the funnel cake and serve them on the side. Dust the funnel cake generously with powdered sugar. Serve while still fresh and warm!

Amanda's expert tips

The most important way to ensure you get the best results is to make sure you are correctly measuring your ingredients, particularly the all-purpose flour. You should fluff up the flour, spoon it into your measuring cup, then sweep off the excess. If you want to make sure you get consistent results, you can convert the recipe to metric and use a kitchen scale.

It is important to use all room temperature ingredients because it helps everything to incorporate well together. You can quickly bring your eggs to room temperature by leaving them in very warm water for five minutes before cracking them.

Keep an eye on the oil temperature. If the oil is too hot, you can easily burn your funnel cake. On the other hand, if the oil is not hot enough, the batter will end up absorbing too much oil and leave you with a very greasy final product. This is why I recommend keeping a kitchen thermometer for recipes like this, jelly donuts, and even for when you are roasting a turkey! 

Don’t forget to line your wire rack with paper towels so they can absorb the excess oil.

Funnel Cake Troubleshooting

Frying funnel cakes is simple, but a few small details can make the difference between light and crisp or greasy and soggy.

Favorite toppings

The standard topping for funnel cakes is powdered sugar, but you can get a lot more creative than that! Here are some of my favorite toppings for funnel cakes. 

• Instead of confectioner's sugar, you can use a cinnamon sugar mix so it is like a churro funnel cake
• You can top your funnel cake with vanilla ice cream, strawberry cheesecake ice cream, or any of your favorite scoops of ice cream
• Drizzle the top with chocolate syrup, peanut butter hot fudge, caramel sauce, or strawberry sauce
• Use fresh fruits like fresh strawberries or blueberries. Sliced caramel apples or even pie fillings like cherry pie is also a delicious choice

Storage

Funnel cakes are best served fresh, right after frying. They soften as they sit, but you can store leftover batter in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight if you are using double-acting baking powder. Reheat cooked funnel cakes in an oven or air fryer to help crisp them back up.

FAQs

Recipe Card