Recipes

Funnel Cakes

  • Serves

    makes 10-12

ALICE KIM

These lacy doughnut-like treats, which one makes by pouring batter through a funnel into hot oil, were once known as "plow lines" and were served as a snack to field-workers. It's believed that the old moniker may refer to the cake's squiggly lines, which were thought to resemble the reins of a horse-drawn plow.

Ingredients

  • 2 12 cups flour
  • 14 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 12 tsp. baking powder
  • 12 tsp. salt
  • 2 14 cups milk
  • 2 eggs
  • Peanut oil
  • 34 cup confectioners' sugar

Instructions

Step 1

Sift flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together into a large bowl. Whisk milk and eggs together in a medium bowl, then add to flour mixture and whisk until batter is smooth.

Step 2

Pour oil into a deep 8"–10" cast-iron pot to a depth of 3" and heat over medium-high heat until temperature registers 375° on a candy thermometer.

Step 3

Using a funnel with a 1⁄2"–1⁄3"- wide spout, block funnel's spout hand, pour 1⁄3 cup of the batter into funnel mouth. Holding funnel about 5" above the hot oil, release your finger to open the spout, letting batter fall into oil, and quickly move funnel around, making circles and crisscrosses with the batter in the oil. Fry until batter is golden brown on each side, turning once, 30–45 seconds per side. Transfer funnel cake to paper towels to let drain, then dust with confectioners' sugar. Repeat process with remaining batter and confectioners' sugar, making 10–12 funnel cakes in all. Serve warm.

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