Summer Carnival Food: Funnel Cake with Chai Cherries
There is nothing subtle about funnel cake. It's fried dough dusted in powdered sugar and it exists purely for joy. Making it vegan is surprisingly simple and making it at home means you don't have to deal with a county fair parking lot to get your fix.
The chai cherry sauce on top is what takes this from carnival snack to something you'd actually be proud to serve at a dinner party. Warm spiced cherries with cardamom, cinnamon, and a hint of black pepper draped over crispy fried dough is a combination that sounds ridiculous and tastes absolutely right.
Ingredients
For the funnel cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Oil for frying
Powdered sugar for dusting
For the chai cherry sauce:
2 cups fresh or frozen cherries, pitted
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ginger
Pinch of black pepper
1/2 cup brewed black tea
Instructions
Heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy bottomed pan to 375°F.
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add almond milk and vanilla and whisk until smooth. The batter should be pourable but not too thin.
Pour batter into a squeeze bottle or a zip-lock bag with the corner snipped off.
Squeeze batter into the hot oil in a circular overlapping pattern. Fry for about 2 minutes per side until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels and dust generously with powdered sugar.
For the chai cherry sauce, combine all sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 10–12 minutes until cherries are soft and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Spoon warm chai cherries over the funnel cake and serve immediately.
The squeeze bottle is not optional. Trying to pour funnel cake batter from a bowl is a mess you don't want to deal with. Get a cheap squeeze bottle and thank yourself later.
Hungry for more plant-based inspiration? Head back to Vegan Good Eats for more creative vegan recipes straight from the kitchen.
The chai cherry sauce on top is what takes this from carnival snack to something you'd actually be proud to serve at a dinner party. Warm spiced cherries with cardamom, cinnamon, and a hint of black pepper draped over crispy fried dough is a combination that sounds ridiculous and tastes absolutely right.
Ingredients
For the funnel cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Oil for frying
Powdered sugar for dusting
For the chai cherry sauce:
2 cups fresh or frozen cherries, pitted
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ginger
Pinch of black pepper
1/2 cup brewed black tea
Instructions
Heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy bottomed pan to 375°F.
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add almond milk and vanilla and whisk until smooth. The batter should be pourable but not too thin.
Pour batter into a squeeze bottle or a zip-lock bag with the corner snipped off.
Squeeze batter into the hot oil in a circular overlapping pattern. Fry for about 2 minutes per side until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels and dust generously with powdered sugar.
For the chai cherry sauce, combine all sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 10–12 minutes until cherries are soft and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Spoon warm chai cherries over the funnel cake and serve immediately.
The squeeze bottle is not optional. Trying to pour funnel cake batter from a bowl is a mess you don't want to deal with. Get a cheap squeeze bottle and thank yourself later.
Hungry for more plant-based inspiration? Head back to Vegan Good Eats for more creative vegan recipes straight from the kitchen.