Apple Funnel Cake

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
• 0.5 teaspoons salt
• 1.75 cups milk
• 1 cup applesauce
• 3 large eggs
• 0.25 cups white sugar
• 0.25 teaspoons almond extract

Instructions

1. 1

   Stir together flour, baking powder, apple pie spice, and salt in a bowl for the batter.

2. 2

   Whisk together milk, applesauce, eggs, white sugar, and almond extract in a large bowl until combined. Add flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Batter should have the consistency of a cake batter and be thin enough to pass through a funnel.

3. 3

   For apple topper, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add apples, brown sugar, and apple pie spice; cook, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. 4

   Meanwhile, pour oil to a depth 1 1/2 to 2 inches in a deep, heavy- bottomed 8- to 10-inch skillet or deep fryer; heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

5. 5

   Put your finger over bottom opening of a funnel; fill funnel with 1/2 cup batter. Holding funnel close to surface of oil, release batter into oil while making a circular motion. Fry until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Use tongs and a wide spatula to carefully turn funnel cake. If you don't have a funnel, you can use a squeeze bottle instead. Fry until golden, about 1 minute more. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining batter. Keep finished funnel cakes warm in a 180 degrees F (82 degrees C) oven while preparing remaining funnel cakes.

6. 6

   Top with apple topper. Serve with caramel topping and/or powdered sugar.