Keep Summer Going: Enjoy Funnel Cake Recipe From Great America

SAN JOSE, CA — California's Great America in Santa Clara announced last week it will not reopen for the remainder of 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic, which sank the hearts of park devotees.

To help ease the disappointment, however, we did snare the amusement park's copycat recipe for funnel cakes with bananas Foster sauce.

"For the first time ever, we have taken one of our in-park recipes and created a copycat version, that can easily be made with ingredients that most home cooks already have in their pantry," a park official said. "This way, Bay Area residents can have a familiar taste of Great America without having to leave their homes."

So keep the summer-fun vibe going — even if just from your kitchen — and give the recipe a whirl. A step-by-step tutorial can be found here.

------------

California’s Great America Funnel Cake with Bananas Foster Sauce

Makes about 2 large funnel cakes and two servings of sauce, plus a little extra in case you’re craving extra sweet toppings! The recipe takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. Safety note: be sure to keep children away from stovetop and hot oil.

DOWNLOAD A PRINTABLE RECIPE SHEET

Bananas Foster Sauce

Make the sauce first so it has time to simmer while you make your funnel cake.

Ingredients

• 0.25 cup unsalted butter
• 0.75 cup dark brown sugar
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp spiced rum (or whatever rum you have on-hand)
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 sliced bananas

Directions

1. Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Once melted, add spiced rum and stir.
3. Add brown sugar to mixture and stir until dissolved.
4. Heat until mixture begins to simmer around edge of pot.
5. Add heavy whipping cream to mixture and stir to combine.
6. Add sliced bananas to mixture and stir.
7. Reduce heat and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, while you make the funnel cake.

-------------

Funnel Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups prepared pancake mix (made according to mix instructions)
• If your mix does not include a fresh egg, add one to the batter
• Oil for deep frying (enough to cover funnel cake, about 3-4” deep)
• Powdered sugar, for serving
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving
• Whipped cream, for serving

Directions

1. In a bowl, prepare the pancake mix according to the mix instructions. If your mix does not include a fresh egg, mix one into the batter. Whisk until smooth.
2. Pour mixture into a pitcher or squeeze bottle.
3. In a thick-bottom pot, heat oil to 375°F. To test oil without a thermometer, drop a small spoonful of batter in oil. If it rises to surface quickly, oil is ready.
4. Hold the pitcher or squeeze bottle with the funnel cake mixture 3-4 inches above the oil. Wear an oven mitt for safety.
5. Pour about 1 cup of funnel cake mixture in a spiral and crisscross motion.
6. With a slotted spoon, carefully fry each side about 2 minutes until golden brown. Be careful not to splash hot oil.
7. Remove funnel cake and drain excess oil on paper towels.

Serving

1. Place warm funnel cake on a plate.
2. Pour Bananas Foster sauce on funnel cake as desired.
3. Dust funnel cake with powdered sugar.
4. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

-----------

FOR ANOTHER FUNNEL-CAKE TWIST: Make Funnel Cakes At Home: A Patch Recipe Share

----------------

ALSO FROM THE PATCH RECIPE FILES:

• Surprising Recipe Twists Using Hatch Green Chiles From New Mexico
• Watermelon Meets Wine & Cognac: A Cocktail Recipe Share

• Tequila Salute: Grapefruit & Rosemary Margarita Recipe
• Avocado-Lover Alert: San Diego Chef Shares 2 Tasty Recipes
• Green Cilantro Goddess Ravioli: A Patch Recipe Share
• Mama Milia's 'Best Guacamole Ever'