Funnel Cake Cupcakes

Funnel cake cupcakes – a mix of soft and delicious cupcakes with crispy funnel cake on top and the best buttercream frosting. Mmm!

Although this dessert has more elements than, say, a plain old vanilla cupcake recipe, and requires some time, it is so worth the effort!

These funnel cake cupcakes have an impeccable taste, a delightful mix of different textures, and rich flavors. It’s something you have to try for sure.

So let’s get baking!

What is a Funnel Cake?

Chances are, you’re already familiar with funnel cake. Think county fair, rodeo, or even circus and then think about delicious fried crunchy sweet bread.

This North American classic is simple, but oh so satisfying. If you haven’t tried one before, this dessert is not really a cake, but a fried dough.

The batter is similar to pancake batter, but a bit thicker. Batter is drizzled onto hot oil in a circular and zig-zag shape and fried until golden brown. Once fried, it is dusted with powdered sugar and served.

Once prepared, it looks almost like a mixture of churros and donuts. It is a delicious, crispy, and sweet fair food that we somehow forget to make at home. A funnel cake, or funnel fries, can be served alone, or you can use them as I did, as a crispy topping for your cupcakes. 

How Do You Make a Funnel Cake?

As mentioned, funnel cake has a batter similar to that of pancakes. Because I used them as a topping, I made a small batch. I did pull a little to the side to enjoy while the cupcakes were baking, however!

Making funnel cake is simple. Here are the basics:

1. Gather ingredients and mix together. (You can find them in the recipe below.)
2. Heat 2 inches of oil in a skillet or saucepot. 
3. Pour the batter into an icing or sauce bottle. Drizzle the batter into the hot oil. I like to make three circles, starting from the center and moving outwards. Then I drizzle batter in a zig-zig shape over the circles, so everything is linked and will not fall apart. Of course, you have to do this fast as the batter is very thin and will fry quickly.
4. Fry the funnel cake until golden brown, and remove using a slotted spoon. Dust the funnel cake with powdered sugar while still warm.

You can also reheat any leftover funnel cake for a treat tomorrow.

Cupcake Tips & Tricks

You have probably made cupcakes before, but still, here are some tips I’ve learned the hard way. Whether you’re a newbie or a cupcake pro, these points will help you get a better batch:

• Follow the recipe. This sounds like a silly thing to say, but not so long ago I was one of those bakers that believed adding a little more or less of something would not impact the baked goods. Oh, I was so wrong! While you can experiment more with savory meals, desserts should always be precise. Subbing out eggs, reducing or increasing sugar, flour, or baking powder, will definitely ruin your cupcakes.

• Use room temperature ingredients. Recently I watched a video regarding room temperature ingredients; apparently it has no effect if the ingredients are same temperature. I disagree a bit with that, however, because I have learned from experience that if I add anything cold to, say, my butter, then the butter will not mix as well as it would if all the ingredients were at room temperature. 

• Be careful when mixing. Do not over mix and do not under mix the batter. Both will result in a poor and sad looking cupcakes. 

• Use quality paper liners. I learned the hard way that there are good and poor quality cupcake liners. Choose parchment paper liners or any quality liners labeled grease-proof. Poor quality liners may cause the batter sticking to t hem. 

• Fill the liners properly. Ideally the cupcake liners or muffin pan should be filled up to 2/3 of the way with batter. Anything less or more will result in flat cupcakes or overfilling. If the batter of your cupcake recipe is thin, use a bowl with a spout and pour the batter. Or if it’s thicker, use a spoon or an ice cream cookie scoop.

• Bake the cupcakes in the center of the oven. I used to bake more cupcakes at the same time, filling two pans baking them together. Then I wondered why my cupcakes turned brown on one side, or why some were baked perfectly and others were under/over baked! Ovens have hot spots, and the main hot spot is in the center. You can bake cupcakes in two pans at once if you need to, but you should rotate the pans throughout the baking. But I prefer baking one batch at the time. 

• Cool the cupcakes before removing from the pan. This may sound like a no-brainer if you’ve baked before, but we are often in a rush, myself included. I rush sometimes to take pictures of the dish I made and quite often spread frosting over warm cupcakes. Of course, you can already guess that the frosting begins to melt. So as a reminder for you and me, cool the cupcakes before you anything add to them, especially frosting.

How To Make Funnel Cake Cupcakes

Step 1

Make the funnel cake: In a bowl, whisk all the liquid ingredients. Fold in flour, salt, and baking powder.

Step 2

Heat 2 inches of oil in a saucepot over medium/high heat. Fill a sauce bottle with the batter. Drizzle the batter in circular and zig-zag motions and fry until golden.

Drain on paper towels. Dust with powdered sugar. 

Step 3

Make the cupcakes:

Beat butter and sugar in a bowl (above right picture). Beat in the egg and vanilla.

Fold in flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and milk. Stir until you have a smooth batter. 

Step 4

Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper liners. Fill each up to 2/3 full. 

Step 5

Bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes. 

Make the frosting while the cupcakes cool:

In a large bowl, beat butter with powdered sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla and heavy cream. Beat again until you have a smooth buttercream frosting.

Step 6

Assemble the cupcakes:

Spoon the buttercream in a piping bag. Pipe the buttercream over COLD cupcakes. Break the funnel cake into pieces and place over the buttercream.

Serve cupcakes and enjoy.

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