Air Fryer Baking: Cake Perfection

Air fryers are a convenient alternative to traditional ovens, especially in the summer when you want to avoid heating up your kitchen. They are also perfect for making smaller portions and preheat in a flash. But can you bake a cake in an air fryer?

The short answer is yes, but it's not totally effortless and you may need to adapt your recipe. Air fryers circulate hot air more efficiently, so they can cook food faster and at lower temperatures. This means you'll need to reduce the temperature you'd usually bake a cake at by about 10-20 degrees. You'll also need to be prepared to adapt and improvise as you get to know how your specific air fryer handles baked goods.

One of the challenges of baking a cake in an air fryer is that the top of the cake can brown too quickly, while the inside remains raw. To prevent this, you can cover your cake tin with a heatproof lid or aluminium foil. You'll also need to check that your cake tin fits inside your air fryer before you start baking.

While air fryers may struggle to produce a perfect, patisserie-worthy cake, the results can still be delicious. So, if you're curious to experiment, baking a cake in an air fryer is a fun way to explore new culinary possibilities.

Air fryer cake recipes

Air fryers are a convenient alternative to traditional ovens, especially when you want to avoid heating up the kitchen, are baking in small portions, or simply want to put your cool kitchen gadget to good use. While air fryers are not ideal for producing a perfect, patisserie-worthy cake, they can still be used to bake delicious treats. Here are some tips and tricks for baking cakes in an air fryer:

Choose the Right Pan

Select a cake pan that fits comfortably inside your air fryer. The size of the pan will depend on the size of your air fryer, with smaller air fryers requiring a 6 or 7-inch pan, while larger air fryers can accommodate an 8-inch pan. A half-size Bundt pan (about 3-cup capacity) is also a good option as it allows hot air to circulate through the centre, resulting in more even baking.

Prepare the Pan

Grease the cake pan with shortening or cooking spray, and line the bottom with parchment paper to prevent the cake from sticking. You can also flour the pan by adding flour to the greased pan and tapping it around to coat the shortening.

Adjust the Temperature and Baking Time

If your recipe follows a traditional oven method, you will need to lower the temperature for the air fryer. Air fryers circulate hot air more efficiently, so they can cook food faster and at lower temperatures. Reduce the temperature by about 10-20 degrees from what you would use in a conventional oven. For example, if you typically bake a sponge cake at 170 degrees in a fan oven, you would reduce the temperature to 160 degrees in the air fryer. Additionally, air fryers may require a longer baking time than a traditional oven.

Preheat the Air Fryer

If your recipe includes baking soda or powder, preheat your air fryer. The initial burst of heat will help your cake rise. If your air fryer doesn't have a preheat setting, that's okay—it will still work, but you may need to make adjustments during the baking process.

Be Prepared to Adapt

Not all air fryers are created equal, so be prepared to adapt and improvise. Each air fryer is unique, and you may need to experiment to find the right temperature and cooking time for your specific model. Check on your cake regularly during the baking process to ensure it is not browning too quickly or cooking unevenly.

Cover the Cake

If the top of your cake is browning too quickly while the centre is still raw, cover the cake tin with a heatproof lid or aluminium foil to prevent further browning. For thin, runny batters, you may want to cover the cake from the start to prevent splattering and potential damage to the heating element.

Check for Doneness

Since baking in an air fryer is not an exact science, it is important to check for doneness rather than rely solely on cooking times. Insert a skewer or toothpick into the centre of the cake, and if it comes out clean, your cake is ready.

Cool and Decorate

Once your cake is baked, allow it to cool for a few minutes in the pan before inverting it onto a cooling rack. Once the cake has cooled completely, you can decorate it with frosting, sprinkles, chocolate chips, or any other toppings of your choice.

Air fryer cake prep

Ingredients and Equipment

Before you start, make sure you have all the ingredients and equipment you need. For the cake, you can either make your own batter or use a store-bought boxed cake mix. You will also need a cake pan that fits inside your air fryer basket—if your air fryer came with an accessory kit, it may have included a cake pan. You can also use a bread pan or any cake tin that fits, including metal, glass, ceramic, or silicone. If you want to be extra careful, you can use cake strips to ensure even baking and prevent the cake from doming in the middle, but these are optional.

Preparing the Cake Pan

First, prepare your cake pan by greasing the sides and bottom with shortening and then flouring them, tapping the pan to remove the excess flour. You can also add a round piece of parchment paper to the bottom of the pan to prevent the cake from sticking.

Filling the Pan

Fill the pan with your cake batter until it is a little over halfway full. If you have any batter left over, you can make cupcakes or fill the pan again once the first cake is cooked. If you are using cake strips, soak them in water, wring them out, and then place them around your pan.

Air Frying

Set your air fryer to 320-350°F (160-176°C). Set the timer for 20-30 minutes, depending on your air fryer model and the type of cake you are making. Allow the air fryer to heat up for a minute or two, then pull out the basket and place the filled cake pan inside.

Checking for Doneness

After 15-18 minutes, slide the basket out of the air fryer and do the toothpick test: poke the top of the cake in the middle with a toothpick, and if it comes out clean, the cake is ready. If not, slide the basket back into the air fryer and cook for another 5-8 minutes. If the cake is browning too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil before cooking it longer.

Cooling and Decorating

Once the cake is done, remove it from the air fryer and place the pan on a hot pad. Allow the cake to cool for about 10 minutes, then flip it over and remove it from the pan. Place the cake on a wire rack to cool completely, then decorate it with frosting, sprinkles, chocolate chips, or any other toppings you like. Enjoy!

Air fryer cake baking times and temperatures

Firstly, it is important to preheat your air fryer. This will help your cake to rise, especially if your recipe includes baking soda or powder. Most air fryers will preheat in just a couple of minutes, which is much faster than a conventional oven.

When it comes to temperature, air fryers circulate hot air more efficiently than conventional ovens, so you will need to lower the temperature for the air fryer. A good rule of thumb is to reduce the temperature by about 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit from what you would use in a conventional oven. For example, if you would typically bake a sponge cake at 170 degrees Fahrenheit in a conventional oven, you would reduce the temperature to 160 degrees Fahrenheit in an air fryer.

The baking time for an air fryer cake will also be shorter than a conventional oven. A cake that usually bakes for 22 minutes in an oven might only need 20 minutes in an air fryer. However, it's important to remember that not all air fryers are created equal, and you may need to adapt and improvise. Be prepared for some trial and error as you get to know your specific air fryer. It's a good idea to check on your cake a few times during the cooking process to ensure it's not browning too quickly or cooking too slowly.

If you find that the top of your cake is browning too quickly, you can cover it with a heatproof lid or aluminium foil. This will help to prevent over-browning and ensure that the inside of your cake is cooked through.

To check if your cake is done, insert a skewer or toothpick into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, your cake is ready. If it comes out with wet batter or crumbs, your cake needs to bake for a few minutes longer.

Air fryer cake tins and pans

• Size: Ensure that your cake tin fits inside your air fryer. The best sizes for basket-type air fryers are typically 5-8 inch round or square cake pans, or 6-cup bundt pans. If you have a smaller air fryer, you may need to use a 6 or 7-inch cake pan.
• Depth: Choose a pan that isn't too deep to avoid touching the heating element. Shallow pans will also help your cake bake faster.
• Material: You can use various materials in an air fryer, such as aluminium, stoneware, heat-resistant silicone, metal, glass, or ceramic. Silicone cake pans can result in more even rising.
• Preparation: Grease your cake pan with a combination of cooking spray and parchment paper to prevent sticking. Alternatively, you can grease and flour the pan or use cake release (a mix of shortening, flour, and vegetable oil).
• Temperature and Time: Air fryers circulate hot air more efficiently, so you'll need to lower the temperature and increase the baking time compared to a traditional oven. Most cakes bake well at around 320-330°F for 30-45 minutes, but this may vary depending on your air fryer model.
• Covering: If the top of your cake is browning too quickly, cover it with a heatproof lid or aluminium foil to prevent over-browning. For loose foil, ensure it's wrapped securely around the tin to prevent it from blowing off.
• Doneness: Since baking times vary across air fryer models, check for doneness by inserting a skewer into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, your cake is ready.

Air fryer cake troubleshooting

Choosing a recipe

Keep it simple. Start with a basic recipe, such as a single-layer chocolate cake, and work your way up to more complex cakes. This will help you get to grips with the ins and outs of your particular air fryer.

Selecting the right pan

Many air fryers can't accommodate anything bigger than an 8" round pan. Smaller pans are better as cakes bake more quickly and evenly in them. A half-size Bundt pan is a good option as it allows hot air to flow through the centre of the cake, helping it bake more evenly.

Determining time and temperature

Your air fryer may have a bake cycle. If so, start there. The default temperature is likely to be lower than you're used to. If your fryer doesn't have a bake cycle, set the temperature to 325°F. The baking time will probably be longer than for a conventional oven.

Preventing the cake's top crust from burning

When making a full-size cake, you'll need to shield its top from burning. You can use aluminium foil, a heat-safe frying pan lid, or a heat diffuser. Alternatively, add an edible topping midway through the bake to prevent the crust from burning and avoid having to frost the cake later.

Prepping the baking dish

Use a combination of air fryer-safe cooking spray and parchment paper to prep your baking dish. This will prevent your cake from sticking.

Letting the cake cool

Leave your cake in the pan for at least 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool. This will allow it to set completely.

Frequently asked questions