Place 2 tablespoons sugar and the dry active yeast in the bowl of a large stand mixer. Add lukewarm water to the bowl, and allow the mixture to foam for 10 minutes, to activate the yeast. *Water that is too warm will kill the yeast, causing it to not rise. Make sure the water is just barely warmer than the temperature of your skin.

Add the remaining sugar and salt to the yeast mixture. Then place a bread hook on the mixer and turn on low. Slowly add the 4 cups of bread flour to the mix. Once the dough comes together allow it to need for 5 minutes. That dough will be wet and tacky. If it looks dry, add a little more water to the dough.

Remove the bread hook and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Then allow it to rise for 1 to 2 hours, until double in size.

Once the dough has risen, set a large pot over medium to medium-low heat. Attach a cooking thermometer to the side of the pot and pour in the oil. Allow the oil to rise to 350°F. Place a plate lined with paper towels on the side of the stove.

Once the oil is at the right temperature, use a 1 ½ to 2 tablespoon scoop to portion out pieces of the wet dough. Dunk the scoop in the fryer oil, if needed, to coat it so that the dough does not stick to the scoop. Place the balls into the fry oil and rotate immediately. Continued a portion out balls of dough, gently placing them in the fryer oil. Use a skimmer to rotate the balls throughout the cooking process so that they are evenly golden on all sides. Cook for 4-5 minutes until a fork inserted into the center of one ball comes out clean. *The temperature will drop once the dough balls are in the oil. This is a good thing! Adjust the temperature to keep the oil around 320°F if possible. Use the skimmer to move the fried fat cakes to the plate. Repeat with the remaining though, dunking the scooper into the fry oil as needed.