Video: How To Make Funnel Cake And 2 Ways To Top It

The Tasting Table edit team has major feelings about all the funky, delicious food you can find at carnivals. With the corn dogs, cotton candy and all things fried, fairs are a food lover's wonderland. We focus our from-scratch efforts on making funnel cake with two variations on toppings that go way beyond the traditional shower of confectioners' sugar.

Adding cornmeal to the batter provides both a distinct taste and crunch to our fried dough. And though that sweet powder is a classic topping for funnel cake, when you have Nutella and bacon at your fingertips, you use them. Trust us on this: It's a flavor combo you will not regret.

The other variation we go with is so classy looking you could serve it at a fancy brunch. Sliced strawberries and peaches, topped with fresh whipped cream and a drizzle of honey, make for quite an elegant upgrade to the typical paper-plate snack.

In a mixing bowl, combine 1⅔ cups of all-purpose flour with ½ cup of cornmeal, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and 2 teaspoons of sugar.

In a separate bowl, mix together 2 cups of whole milk with 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk together until smooth.

Pour the batter into a squeeze bottle. Alternatively, you can ladle the batter into a funnel (hence the name, funnel cake), keeping a finger over the spout to prevent the batter from flowing out.

In a medium saucepan, heat some vegetable oil to 375°. Carefully squeeze the batter into the hot oil in squiggly circles to form the cakes (or carefully remove your finger from the funnel spout to release the batter into the oil). Fry until golden, about 3 minutes per side.

Drain on paper towels. Top as desired. Our favorite flavor combinations are: drizzle of Nutella with crumbled bacon and confectioners' sugar, and sliced strawberries and peaches with whipped cream and honey.

Get more fair food recipes:
- From-Scratch Elephant Ears with Cinnamon Sugar
- The Best Corn Dogs Recipe
- Quick and Easy Deep-Fried Oreos