The Ideal Temperature For Frying Funnel Cake, And How To Tell It's Ready

Funnel cakes are the perfect representation of a summer carnival or boardwalk. A sugary web of fried batter, funnel cake is crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, with plenty of confection's sugar on top to seal the sweet deal. 

Funnel cakes are named as such because they are made by funneling dough into hot oil, which creates a unique shape of lines and curves that intertwine as they're fried. (If you want to get creative, there are a slew of funnel cake add-ons to take the treat up a notch.)

If you've never made one yourself, you might be surprised to learn how easy they are to prepare. Of course, to get that crispy exterior and soft interior, you'll need to fry the batter at the perfect temperature: 375 degrees Fahrenheit. And when it comes to preparing the batter, you'll need just a handful of ingredients, most of which you likely already have in your pantry.

The process for deep-frying foods is quite easy, but you have to stay vigilant about the oil temperature. Not all oils are created equal; they have different smoke points. The lower the smoke point, the less likely you should use it to fry food. Walnut and flaxseed oil have an extremely low smoke point of about 225 degrees Fahrenheit, so don't use these to fry funnel cake. Canola oil has a smoke point of more than 400 degrees, so it's widely used to fry foods. Some of the best oils for deep frying include avocado, peanut, and corn oil as well.

When frying funnel cake, baker Autumn Moultrie told Epicurious that there is only one perfect temperature: 375 degrees. It has to do with getting that proper interior and exterior; a lower temperature results in a longer cooking time, which Moultrie says lets the batter become soggy with oil. A higher temperature means the exterior crisps too quickly, leaving the center undercooked. 

Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the oil. If you don't have one, Moultrie says look for bubbles when the batter hits; the batter should rise to the top of the oil instantly once it makes contact.

When it's time to fry funnel cake, the visuals are the best way to tell it's ready. You want funnel cake to turn golden-brown on the bottom, so keep an eye on it and check the underside after a minute or two. 

Once you get that golden-brown coloring, flip it and wait for the same to happen on the other side. Take the funnel cake off the heat immediately once the cake gets that deep golden color all around.

If you fry a funnel cake and don't eat it all in one sitting, you can save it for later. While it's best to cook only as much as you're going to eat, you can store it in the refrigerator for about two days. As for the batter, that can be made in advance and stored for up to five days in the refrigerator.