The last day of the Great Frederick Fair marks the end of the season of delicious fair food such as corndogs, deep fried Oreos, snocones, cotton candy, and funnel cakes. However, while you can’t buy fair food at any time of the year, you can make funnel cakes that taste as great as the ones at the fair!

The original recipe I used to make my funnel cakes was from Taste of Home. As I fried funnel cake after funnel cake, I changed the recipe each time until my final recipe tasted as close to fair funnel cakes as possible.

This recipe will impress your friends because it seems difficult but is surprisingly simple due to its simple ingredient list and ease of preparation.

Funnel Cakes

Total Time: 30 – 45 minutes

Makes 8-10 funnel cakes

Ingredients

• 2 Eggs
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 cup of water
• 4 tablespoons of vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Oil for frying (vegetable or sunflower oil work best)
• Confectioners Sugar for dusting

  

Directions

*You will need a cooking thermometer for this.  Really hot oil can cause a fire.  Oil that is too low will produce soggy funnel cakes.

1. In a deep pan or fryer, heat oil to 375°F.   **Do this first because the oil takes longer to heat up than the total time needed to prep the funnel cakes.  You will need to cover the bottom of the pan with about an inch of oil.

2. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add milk, water, and vanilla until well blended.

3. In another bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; beat into egg mixture until smooth.

4. Check the consistency of the batter. It should be thin but not watery. To make batter thinner, add a tablespoon of water. To thicken, add a tablespoon of flour.

5. Ladle the batter into a funnel. (A measuring cup will work as a substitute funnel). Holding the funnel several inches above the oil, move the funnel in a spiral motion until a disc roughly six inches in diameter is created.

6. Fry 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain off excess oil on paper towels.

7. Dust with confectioners’ sugar to taste; serve warm.