State Fair inspired pancakes

I woke up this morning thinking about the State Fair. I'm really not sure why. The fair won't be in town until this fall and where I like to go, I'm not really one to look forward to it all year. Maybe because I spent the evening hanging out with my sister and her family playing silly games which took me back to last fall when we all went together.  Anyways, all the festive thoughts brought to mind the delicious funnel cakes that are a must-have when on the fair grounds. I started dreaming up a breakfast dish that would resemble a funnel cake and decided to take it to the kitchen.

Starting out with a simple pancake base I pulled together my mix.

Whisk together in a large bowl:


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cinnamon

In another bowl, whisk:
1 1/2 cups milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and gently whisk them together, mixing just until combined.

Season a large skillet or griddle with butter and in funnel cake fashion, spoon the batter on the heated skillet in a random, stringy pattern instead of a perfectly round cake. Cook on one side until the lightly golden and flip.

Next, in a large pan, heat canola oil and drop your cake in to lightly fry.  Remove from the oil and lay on a towel to remove excess oil. Repeat for the remainder of the cakes. 

In a small bowl, whip up a couple tablespoons of fresh unsalted butter and add a dash of cinnamon.  You will want to let your butter soften at room temperature for a bit before taking your hand mixer to it.

Stack your pretty little cakes on a plate and drizzle with your favorite syrup, warmed if you desire. I chose a butter pecan syrup which is my absolute favorite. That's it!  Enjoy!