Easy Funnel Cake Recipe Just like the Fair - Our WabiSabi Life (2024)

By Debi 5 Comments

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If you love Funnel Cake, you have to make this Easy Funnel Cake recipe! Made with only 3 ingredients, this is the best recipe ever.

Top the fried deliciousness with powdered sugar, whipped cream, or make it a truly decadent treat with vanilla ice cream.

3 Ingredient Funnel Cake with Pancake Mix

Easy Funnel Cake Recipe Just like the Fair - Our WabiSabi Life (1)
Jump to:
  • 3 Ingredient Funnel Cake with Pancake Mix
  • ❤️ Why you’ll love it
  • 🥘 Equipment
  • 🧾 Ingredients
  • 🍳 How to Make
  • 🎥 Video
  • 🥄Variations
  • 🍽️ What to Serve With
  • 🍶 Storing
  • 💭Tip for Making the Perfect
  • ❔FAQs
  • 📖More Recipes
  • Easy Funnel Cake

❤️ Why you’ll love it

This classic carnival treat is easy to make and ready in just minutes. Plus, you can top it with your favorite toppings for a truly indulgent dessert.

  • Enjoy your favorite treat all year long
  • It’s made with pancake mix.
  • It’s only 3 ingredients, not including the oil for deep frying.

🥘 Equipment

🧾 Ingredients

Get the full list of ingredients, with measurements, and step-by-step instructions at the bottom of the post in the printable recipe card.

Easy Funnel Cake Recipe Just like the Fair - Our WabiSabi Life (2)
  • Complete Pancake Mix
  • Water
  • Sugar
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil
  • Powdered Sugar

🍳 How to Make

Get the full list of ingredients, with measurements, and step-by-step instructions at the bottom of the post in the printable recipe card.

How to Make Funnel Cake Recipe With Pancake Mix

Combine the dry ingredient with the wet ingredients together in a large bowl, making sure there are no clumps.

Heat the oil. Drizzle the batter into the oil.

Once the first side is golden brown, flip and cook the other side until golden.

Once cooked, move the funnel cake on a paper towel placed on a baking sheet or cooling rack to soak up the excess oil.

Easy Funnel Cake Recipe Just like the Fair - Our WabiSabi Life (3)

Hint: To test if the oil is hot enough, drop a tiny piece of the batter into the oil. If it sizzles and cooks quickly, your oil is ready to go.

🎥 Video

🥄Variations

  • This recipe is super customizable. Here are a few delicious variations to try:
  • Add cinnamon to the pancake funnel cake batter for an extra flavor kick
  • Top with chocolate sauce or caramel sauce for an extra indulgent treat
  • Mix in some chopped nuts or sprinkles into the batter before frying
  • Don’t be afraid to play with the ingredients – if you want a chocolate funnel cake, try using some cocoa powder in the batter. Add strawberry powder, like the kind you use for strawberry milk, for a strawberry-flavored funnel cake.
  • Instead of adding whipped cream or fresh fruit, top the 3 ingredient funnel cake with Serve topped with strawberry compote, crushed Oreos, marshmallows, or any other favorite topping.
  • Want to add more protein? Or save a few calories? You can use a high-protein, low-calorie pancake mix, like Kodiak cakes. This type of mix tends to have less cholesterol and sodium and has more fiber and vitamins. There are ones that are lower in carbohydrates but I have not tried them personally.
  • You can use gluten-free pancake mix to make this funnel cake with pancake mix.

🍽️ What to Serve With

🍶 Storing

While this 3 ingredient funnel cake recipe is best served warm, straight from the fryer, you can store leftovers for later.

Refrigerator Storage: You do not need to refrigerate your funnel cake. Leftovers can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days

Freezer Storage: You can freeze leftover funnel cakes tightly covered with plastic wrap or foil, and place it in a re-sealable freezer bag. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before heating and eating. Funnel cakes can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Reheat: Reheat in the oven or toaster oven at 350 degrees F until heated through, about 5 minutes.

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💭Tip for Making the Perfect

  • Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of this recipe:
  • Do not over-mix the batter. The consistency should be thick, but pourable. Over-mixing will result in dense and rubbery funnel cakes.
  • Make sure your oil is hot enough before adding the funnel cake batter. If the batter is not hot enough, the funnel cake will soak up too much oil.
  • Be careful with the oil. It can be dangerous if it gets too hot or is handled improperly.
  • Don’t overcrowd the pot when deep frying. Overcrowding will result in unevenly cooked funnel cakes.
  • Make sure to check for doneness before removing from the oil.
  • It’s also important to drain excess oil off after deep frying.

❔FAQs

What is Funnel Cake Batter Made of?

When you are wondering how to make funnel cake, you might think you need a bunch of fancy ingredients. Typically funnel cake batter is made using egg, flour, and baking powder as well as other simple ingredients, however, this funnel easy funnel cake recipe, it is made using pancake mix. The funnel cake from pancake mix means you only need 3 ingredients and the oil to fry it in. Then you can have carnival pancake funnel cake anytime you want.

Does The Best Funnel Cake Recipe Need to Be Fried

You do want to fry it to have the best funnel cakes at home. While many people think you have to deep fry the funnel cake, and this is the easiest way to fry it, you can pan-fry it as well. Use a deep frying pan if you are not using a deep fryer.
You can make this funnel cake in the air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 375 degrees F and cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Be sure to check on it often so it does not burn.

Can I Use Bisquick to Make Funnel Cake?

Yes, you can definitely use Bisquick Pancake & Baking Mix to make funnel cake. The steps and ingredients are the same as this 3 ingredient funnel cake made with pancake mix recipe. Simply combine the Bisquick with water, blend together until combined, then deep fry in hot oil as instructed above.

Easy Funnel Cake Recipe Just like the Fair - Our WabiSabi Life (5)

📖More Recipes

Need to change the number of servings? You can click on the number of servings and change the number. This will adjust the ingredient measurements to what you need.

If you love this recipe, come back and give it 5 stars!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Easy Funnel Cake

Our Wabi Sabi Life

If you love Funnel Cake, you have to make this Easy Funnel Cake recipe! Made with only 3 ingredients, this is the best funnel cake recipe. Top the funnel cake with powdered sugar, whipped cream or make it a truly decadent treat with vanilla ice cream.

4.46 from 51 votes

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 135 kcal

Ingredients

Directions

  • Mix your dry ingredients together complete pancake mix and sugar, with the wet ingredients, the water, and vanilla all together into a large bowl.

  • Mix well and until batter is nice and smooth with no clumps.

  • Heat the oil until it is hot enough to fry the funnel cake.

  • Add the batter into a funnel and move batter to a squeeze bottle or bag to pour into hot oil. Be very careful when pouring the batter so it does not cause the oil to splash.

  • Fry until golden brown and then flip. (About a minute or so on each side. A bit longer if making larger ones).

  • Once cooked, move the funnel cake on a paper towel to soak up the excess oil.

  • Plate, sprinkle with confectioners sugar and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 135kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 4gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 249mgPotassium: 100mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 122IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 106mgIron: 1mg

Keyword funnel cake

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Easy Funnel Cake Recipe Just like the Fair - Our WabiSabi Life (9)

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Glenda

    I love them, but had never tried to make them until I saw your post. The recipe is simple and it was actually pretty fun making the designs. lol Not to mention they were absolutely scrumptious!

    Reply

    • Debi

      Careful, it’s addicting.

      Reply

  2. Kari L Candland

    Would you consider a “complete pancake mix” one that you just have to add water?

    Reply

    • Our Wabi Sabi Life Staff

      Yes, many of them just require water. Thanks for your question.

      Reply

      • Loreen Sekerak

        I’ve always wanted a nice funnel cake recipe.This one looks wonderful! Thanks so much!

        Reply

Leave a Reply

Easy Funnel Cake Recipe Just like the Fair - Our WabiSabi Life (2024)

FAQs

What is funnel cake batter made of? ›

Traditional recipes call for a fairly standard batter: flour, eggs, sugar, milk, baking soda or baking powder, but I discovered that you can make awesome funnel cakes with "complete" buttermilk pancake mix (look for brands that only require the addition of water).

Why is my funnel cake not crispy? ›

It's important to keep to a frying temperature of around 375 degrees. Any higher than that, and your funnel cakes will brown before cooking through. At too low a temperature, the batter will absorb excess oil, resulting in a greasy, limp funnel cake.

How hot does oil have to be for funnel cakes? ›

Funnel cake frying temperature

In order for a funnel cake to even work at all, a relatively high frying temperature is needed. 375°F (191°C) is high enough to start coagulating the proteins and gelling the starches in the batter almost on contact, preventing the batter from literally frittering away.

What's the difference between fried dough and funnel cake? ›

Fried dough is made with a bread dough that uses yeast for leavening. Funnel cake has a more pancake-like batter, which is much thinner than bread dough, and it uses baking powder as leavening rather than yeast.

What is the best oil for frying funnel cakes? ›

Top tips for making a funnel cake:

Keeping the oil temperature steady at 375° is important if you want your funnel cakes golden and crunchy. — Use a neutral oil for frying these funnel cakes—vegetable oil is a classic pick for us, and what we use here.

How unhealthy is a funnel cake? ›

This treat is simply batter poured through a funnel into hot fat or oil. Then it's deep-fried until crisp and sprinkled with sugar. For that, you walk away with as much as 760 calories, 44 grams of fat, 8 grams saturated fat and 16 grams sugar.

Why does my funnel cake taste like flour? ›

I suspect the reason you notice a decidedly flour-y taste is because you aren't adding salt, or not using enough salt. Yes, even sweet baked goods need salt! Another thing you can use to counteract the raw, flour taste is to add flavorings to the batter or dough.

Should I put funnel cake in the fridge? ›

Funnel cakes are truly best eaten warm and freshly made. However, if you have some left store them in an airtight container for up to five days in the fridge or in the freezer for up to three months. Reheat them on a baking sheet pan in the oven at 350° F for about five minutes.

How many funnel cakes will 5 lbs make? ›

So a 5 lb bag would make about 30 funnel cakes." Hope this helps! :) Thank you for your feedback!

What food is similar to funnel cake? ›

Jalebis are made up of fried dough and syrup.

Jalebi, a popular dessert in India and Pakistan, looks similar to funnel cakes, which are popular in the US.

What is Disney funnel cake? ›

Dining located in World Showcase at EPCOT. Satisfy your sweet tooth with a classic funnel cake or cookies 'n cream funnel cake—topped with your choice of powdered sugar, chocolate syrup, vanilla ice cream and other tasty options. You can even bring the delightful experience home with a funnel cake gift kit!

What is another name for funnel cake? ›

Funnel cake
Funnel cake with no toppings
Alternative namesFunnel fries, carnival cake
TypeDoughnut
Place of originUnited States
Region or statePennsylvania
2 more rows

How healthy is funnel cake? ›

But for someone looking to eat healthy, fairs can be a tricky situation. The classic funnel cake has 760 calories and 44 grams of fat— roughly the same amount as four servings of cheese pizza, according to food nutrition comparison sites.

Is there a funnel cake mix? ›

Products in this video
  1. Most purchased | Highest rated | Lowest Pricein this set of products. ...
  2. 5 Pounds Krusteaz Funnel Cake Mix (Pack of 1) ...
  3. Fun Pack Foods - Carnival Funnel Cakes Deluxe Kit - Includes (2) Original Funnel Cake Mixes, Pitcher, Fry Ring & Cooking Tongs. ...
  4. Snappy Premium Funnel Cake Mix, 5 Pound.

How were funnel cakes made? ›

Funnel cakes are made by pouring batter into hot cooking oil in a circular pattern and deep frying the overlapping mass until golden-brown. The batter is commonly poured through a funnel, creating its texture and giving it its name.

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