My house is a crazy carnival, and I’m really into embracing that atmosphere by frying up some of these crispy, sweet red velvet funnel cakes. They take no time at all, and soon you’ll be living in a perfect world—one where there is a year-round fair in your home, and that fair inexplicably serves vegan red velvet funnel cakes. Yup, this can be your life.
Serves: 6
1½ cups (360 ml) nondairy milk
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp (14 g) cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
2 tbsp (18 g) cornstarch
1 tsp salt
⅓ cup (64 g) vegan granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp (15 ml) natural vegan red food coloring
Vegetable oil, as needed
Vegan powdered sugar, as needed
Coconut Whipped Cream or store-bought vegan whipped topping, as needed
In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and vinegar. Let the mixture sit for 2 to 3 minutes.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and cornstarch. Stir in the salt and granulated sugar. Set the bowl aside.
Whisk the vanilla and food coloring into the milk mixture. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and whisk to fully combine.
In a large pot or skillet, bring 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) of the oil to 350 to 375°F (177 to 191°C). Reduce the heat as needed to maintain the oil’s temperature.
Pour the batter into a large plastic bag. Cut off the tip of the corner of the bag’s bottom. Make sure it is a very small opening, or the batter will pour out too fast.
Hold the bag of batter over the hot oil and begin to drizzle the batter into the oil, swirling fresh batter back and forth across the frying batter. Make the funnel cake as big as you want.
Fry the funnel cake for 2 to 3 minutes on one side, then flip it and fry it for 2 to 3 minutes on the other side, until the funnel cake is crispy.
Place each funnel cake on a paper towel to drain and repeat the preceding process with the rest of the batter.
Serve the funnel cakes with lots of powdered sugar, vegan whipped topping or both.