Funnel Cake
A thin batter drizzled through a funnel into hot oil in a lacy spiral, fried until golden and crisp, then dusted with icing sugar. The state fair favourite, made in your kitchen.
How to Make Funnel Cake
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Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together in a large bowl.
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Beat the egg with the milk and vanilla in a jug, then pour it into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. The batter should be thick but pourable, like double cream; add a splash more milk if it is too stiff.
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Heat 3 cm of oil in a large, deep frying pan to 175°C / 345°F. Cover a plate with kitchen paper.
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Pour the batter into a funnel, holding your finger over the bottom hole, or into a squeeze bottle with a wide tip.
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Working close to the surface of the oil, release the batter in a steady stream, moving in overlapping circles and loops to make a lattice about 15 cm across.
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Deep-fry for 1 to 1.5 minutes until golden underneath, then flip carefully with a slotted spatula and fry for 1 minute more.
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Lift out onto the paper to drain, and repeat with the remaining batter, keeping the oil at 175°C.
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Dust generously with icing sugar and serve straight away.
Tips for Making Funnel Cake
- Check the temperature. At 175°C the batter sets in seconds and stays crisp, whereas cooler oil makes the cake soggy and greasy.
- Pour close to the surface of the oil. Batter dropped from height splashes, and could burn you.
- Fry one at a time. A second cake lowers the temperature and makes them stick to each other.
What to Serve with Funnel Cake
- Fresh strawberries and whipped cream
- Chocolate sauce
- Vanilla ice cream
Storing & Reheating Funnel Cake
Best eaten within minutes, while still crisp. Leftovers keep for a few hours in a loosely covered container and can be re-crisped in a hot oven for 5 minutes, but are never the same.
Funnel Cake FAQ: Common Questions
How long does Funnel Cake take to make?
About 25 minutes in total — 10 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 4.
What are the key tips for making Funnel Cake?
Check the temperature. At 175°C the batter sets in seconds and stays crisp, whereas cooler oil makes the cake soggy and greasy. Pour close to the surface of the oil. Batter dropped from height splashes, and could burn you. Fry one at a time. A second cake lowers the temperature and makes them stick to each other.
What should I serve with Funnel Cake?
Fresh strawberries and whipped cream; Chocolate sauce; Vanilla ice cream.
Is Funnel Cake suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Funnel Cake?
About 516 kcal per serving, with 10 g protein, 65 g carbohydrate and 24 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Funnel Cake Nutrition
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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