Pancake Mix Funnel Cake- The Feathered Nester

Name: Funnel Cake From Pancake Mix
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2-4 cups vegetable oil for frying; 2 cups Bisquick™ baking mix ((see notes for DIY baking mix or use pancake mix)); 1 cup milk; 2 eggs, beaten; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; powdered sugar; whipped cream; cinnamon sugar

Jump to Recipe

This Bisquick Funnel Cake recipe makes the most delicious, old-fashioned homemade funnel cakes! Perfect served hot with powdered sugar, with whipped cream, fresh fruit, or your favorite toppings.

a white plate with Bisquick funnel cake and a red striped cloth and a cinnamon powder bottle at the back.

Bring a taste of the county fair to your kitchen with this carnival funnel cake recipe using Bisquick! This easy 4-ingredient recipe is perfect to fry up the most tender, soft, and chewy funnel cake right at home.

Bisquick baking mix makes a fun and delicious dessert that will rival even the best carnival treat, and also makes prep a breeze. In just minutes, your family will be enjoying warm funnel cakes loaded with your favorite sweet toppings!

Content Covered Here

Why we love Funnel Cake with Pancake Mix

At every fair, our last stop is always the funnel cake booth. Having a lightly crisp and chewy fried treat dusted with powdered sugar is just the perfect way to end an evening of rides, junk food, and all-around family fun!

But why should we only enjoy these sweet snacks at fairs and carnivals? That’s why I decided to start making homemade funnel cake for special occasions like birthday parties and summer cookouts.

However, they’ve become so popular that I get requests from family and friends to have them at every gathering! And really, for how easy they are made, I am certainly happy to oblige.

This nearly foolproof twist on a classic fair funnel cake recipe pancake mix – plus milk, eggs, and vanilla. That’s it! The boxed pancake mix ensures that the batter is spot on every time and creates just the right dense yet fluffy texture when fried.

And from start to finish, this carnival funnel cake recipe using Bisquick is ready to top with your favorite fair-style goodies in under 15 minutes. That’s nearly the same or even less time than you’d spend waiting in line at the carnival or fair!

a white plate with homemade funnel cake with whipped cream and cinnamon powder on top.

Love sweet treat and dessert recipes? Check out our tasty apple strawberry crisp, sourdough discard coffee cake, chocolate chip cookies, bread twists, and blueberry cobbler using Bisquick recipes.

Ingredients you’ll need for Pancake Mix Funnel Cake

Bisquick Original Baking Mix – This is the base of this recipe. But if you don’t have one on hand, check our guide below for a DIY baking mix.
Milk – This adds richness to our homemade funnel cake. You can also use almond milk or soy milk if you prefer.
Eggs – Used as the binding agent. If you don’t have one in stock, you can use mashed banana as a substitute.
Vanilla extract – This is used for enhancing the flavors of this recipe. You can also use almond extract as a substitute.
Oil – We used vegetable oil or frying, or use any neutral flavored oil such as canola or corn oil.
Optional toppings: powdered sugar, whipped cream, and cinnamon sugar.

How To Make Your Own Bisquick Baking Mix

No Bisquick boxed pancake baking mix on hand? No problem!

You can make Bisquick from scratch by combining all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and vegetable shortening. Check out our Bisquick homemade recipe. You can also check the recipe variations for the funnel cake recipe with pancake mix.

Then keep it on hand to use with our many Bisquick recipes like our pie filling cherry cobbler, banana nut muffins Bisquick recipe, or oven fried chicken Bisquick recipe.

ingredients for making homemade funnel cake which consists of vegetable oil, milk, vanilla extract, eggs, and a Bisquick baking mix.

How to Make Funnel Cake with Pancake Mix

Prepare the oil. Pour vegetable oil into the skillet or pot until it reached 2 to 3 inches deep. Heat the oil to 350ºF.
Mix the ingredients. In a medium bowl, mix Bisquick, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. The mixture should be like cake batter.
Put it in a piping bag. Pour the batter into a pastry bag or a Ziplock bag, and then seal the top. If using a Ziplock bag, then cut the tip from one edge of the bag.

Frying the funnel cakes. Starting in the middle of the pan or pot, squeeze the batter in a circular swirling motion into the hot oil and create ribbons of batter to create a 5-inch wide funnel cake.

pouring the funnel cake mixture in a hot oil using a Ziplock piping bag.

Let the funnel cake fry until golden brown in the bottom, fry each cake for about 1 minute, then turn it over with tongs or a spatula.
Cook the other side for 45 seconds to 1 minute until it is equally golden. Repeat this process to cook all of the funnel cakes.

pouring the funnel cake mixture in circular motion to a hot oil using a Ziplock piping bag.

Ready to serve. Carefully remove the cooked funnel cake from the pan with tongs or a spatula then let it rest on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil.

Bisquick funnel cakes in a cooling rack.

Variations on this Funnel Cake Recipe With Pancake Mix

Funnel cake recipe with pancake mix: Swap the Bisquick mix with pancake mix or any baking mix for the Bisquick in this recipe.
For gluten-free funnel cakes use Bisquick Gluten-Free Baking Mix or another GF-friendly baking mix.
Use your choice of frying oil. Vegetable oil, peanut oil, and canola oil are all good options.

How to serve Funnel Cake From Pancake Mix

Once all of the Bisquick funnel cakes are fried and resting on paper towels, it’s time to add your favorite toppings! I prefer to sprinkle it with powdered sugar, whipped cream, or cinnamon sugar, and then serve it warm.

Serve this with a fresh fruit charcuterie board for a healthy side of fresh fruits.

Best Toppings

If you want to take your funnel cakes over the top, try one (or all) of these tasty toppings:

Powdered sugar
Whipped cream
Cinnamon sugar
Cocoa powder
Chocolate chips
Chocolate syrup
Fruit syrups like strawberry or raspberry
Maraschino cherries
Fresh fruits like sliced strawberries or raspberries
Canned pie filling like cherry, strawberry, blueberry, or apple

a white plate with homemade funnel cake and a striped red cloth and silver cup in the background.

How to store this Funnel Cake Recipe with Pancake Mix

You can keep leftover funnel cakes in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 3 days. Then reheat in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds before serving.

However, take note that they are best enjoyed the same day they are made.

Can I Freeze This Funnel Cake With Bisquick?

Yes, you can freeze funnel cakes! Let them cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, put them in the oven at 350ºF until warmed through.

a white plate with Bisquick funnel cake and a striped red cloth in the background.

FAQs for How to Make Funnel Cakes with Pancake Mix

Why are my funnel cakes soggy?

If your funnel cakes are soggy, it’s likely because the oil wasn’t hot enough. Make sure your oil is 375ºF in temp before frying the funnel cakes.

What is the best oil to fry funnel cakes in?

The best oil to fry funnel cakes in is one that doesn’t smoke or burn easily. Vegetable oil, avocado oil, peanut oil, and canola oil are all good options.

What’s the difference between fried dough vs. funnel cake?

The difference between fried dough and funnel cake is that the funnel cake batter is thinner and can be piped into hot oil to create a lace-like cake. Fried dough, on the other hand, has a thicker batter that is dropped or spooned into the hot oil.

Why is my Funnel Cake falling apart?

– It could be because the batter wasn’t well mixed before frying your funnel cakes.
– The oil wasn’t hot enough before cooking the cakes.
– The funnel cake was turned before it was browned enough. To prevent this, let it cook undisturbed for 1 minute and then lift a corner to check to make sure its golden brown underneat before fully flipping.

If you tried this funnel cake from pancake mix recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!