Step 1
Fill a heavy-bottomed high sided saucepan, cast iron skillet, or dutch oven with 1½ to 3 inches of canola oil. Place over medium heat and slowly bring the temperature to 365°F (185°C).
Step 2
In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and baking soda until well blended.
Step 3
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar and whisk until well combined. Whisk in the milk, water, pure vanilla extract, and almond extract.
Step 4
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently whisk just until the batter is smooth.
Step 5
Using a funnel with a ½-inch opening or a piping bag fitted with a round tip (½-inch hole) fill with about ⅓ cup (83 ml) of the batter.
Step 6
Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Set aside.
Step 7
With the tip of the funnel or piping bag held about 2 inches from the hot oil, stream a steady flow of batter into the hot oil. Using a circular motion, create the funnel cake from the outside and work inwards. Criss-cross the batter to connect all the “strands” together. Fry until golden brown in colour; about 2 minutes.
Step 8
Use a pair of tongs or a spider strainer to carefully flip the funnel cake over. When golden brown on the other side, carefully remove the funnel cake from the oil and place onto the paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain off any excess oil. Make sure the oil comes back to 365°F (185°C) before streaming in the batter for the next funnel cake.
Step 9
Repeat process until batter is finished.
Serve warm, dusted with Redpath® Icing Sugar, or desired toppings.
*Experiment with different flavours. Omit almond extract if desired. Replace the ground cinnamon with ground cardamom or nutmeg.
*Add lemon or orange zest to the batter for a citrus taste.
*For a stronger caramel-like flavour, use Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar in place of the Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar. For a more traditional recipe and flavour, use Redpath® Granulated Sugar.
*A squeeze bottle, or a resealable bag (cut corner after it’s been filled) can also be used instead of a funnel.
*Optional or additional topping suggestions: dust with a mixture of cinnamon-sugar, a squeeze of lemon, top with sliced fresh peaches, sprinkle with fresh summer berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries), shredded coconut, drizzle with chocolate or caramel sauce, toasted nuts, maple syrup, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and/or a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream.