Air-Fryer Baking: Cake Perfection

Air fryers are incredibly versatile kitchen appliances that can be used for a variety of dishes, from breakfast pancakes to roast dinners and even desserts. One of the most surprising uses for an air fryer is baking a cake. While it may not produce a perfect, patisserie-worthy cake, it is possible to bake a delicious, light, and fluffy cake in an air fryer. The best part is that air fryers tend to bake cakes faster than traditional ovens, making them a convenient option for quick desserts. In this article, we will explore the steps for baking a cake in an air fryer, the best types of cakes to bake, and some tips and tricks for success.

Characteristics and Values of Cooking a Cake in an Air Fryer

Air fryer cake recipes

Air fryers are incredibly versatile, and you can use them to make anything from breakfast pancakes to roast dinners and even desserts. You can also bake cakes in an air fryer, and they tend to bake faster than in a traditional oven. However, cakes and air fryers don't always go together seamlessly, and you may need to experiment to determine the perfect cooking time and temperature.

• First, you need to gather your ingredients and tools. You can use a store-bought cake mix or make your batter from scratch. You will also need an air fryer and a cake pan that fits comfortably inside it.
• Prepare your cake pan by coating it with a combination of air fryer-safe cooking spray and parchment paper to prevent sticking. You can also add shortening and flour to the inside of the pan and place a round piece of parchment paper at the bottom.
• Pour the cake batter into the pan until it is a little over halfway full. If you have a cake strip, soak it in water, wring it out, and place it around your pan to ensure even baking.
• Place the pan into the air fryer basket and set the temperature. Air fryer baking times and temperatures can vary by brand, but it is generally recommended to bake at a lower temperature than you would in a conventional oven. For example, if you bake a sponge cake at 170 degrees Celsius in a fan oven, you might want to reduce this to 160 degrees Celsius in your air fryer.
• Set the timer for 30 minutes and check on your cake every 10 minutes to see if you need to adjust the temperature or cooking time.
• Around the 15-minute mark, check if your cake is browning too quickly. If it is, cover it with foil or a heatproof lid to prevent further browning.
• The cake is likely to be ready between 17 to 25 minutes. To check, slide the basket out of the air fryer and do the toothpick test by poking the top middle of the cake with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready. If not, put the basket back into the air fryer and bake for another 5 minutes.
• Once the cake is baked, remove it from the air fryer and let it cool in the pan for about 5 to 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
• After the cake has cooled, you can frost it and add your desired toppings.
• Chocolate Bundt Cake: Bake at 325°F for 35 minutes, shielding with a heat diffuser after 15 minutes. Once turned out of the pan, sprinkle with frosting or cool and glaze with chocolate ganache.
• Banana Bread: Set the temperature to 325°F and cover the top of the loaf securely as soon as it starts to brown, which could be within 5 to 10 minutes.
• Cupcakes: Use two layers of tin foil and paper cups to create individual cupcake moulds, or use a traditional cupcake pan and turn it upside down to form 5-inch squares of tin foil.

Air fryer cake pans

Air fryers are small, mini convection ovens that can be used to bake cakes. However, cakes cooked in air fryers may have a crispy crust and an under-baked centre. To avoid this, you can use a smaller pan, bake at a lower temperature, and use foil or a cover to prevent the top crust from burning.

When baking a cake in an air fryer, it is important to select a cake pan that fits comfortably inside the appliance. For instance, the Cosori 5.8Qt and Instant Vortex air fryers can fit an 8-inch cake pan, while a smaller air fryer may require a 6 or 7-inch cake pan. The timing of the bake may also need to be adjusted depending on the size of the pan and the air fryer model.

There are several cake pans available on the market that are specifically designed for use with air fryers. These pans typically have a non-stick coating, making them easy to clean. They come in various sizes, such as 6, 7, or 8 inches, to accommodate different air fryer models. Some popular options include the GoWISE USA Non-Stick Cake Baking Pan, which is compatible with most air fryers, and the Ninja Air Fryer Baking Pan, which is available on Amazon.

Additionally, there are accessory sets that include both a pizza pan and a baking cake barrel with a non-stick coating. These sets offer versatility and can be purchased at Walmart and other retailers. It is worth noting that the traditional cupcake pan is usually too big for an air fryer, but you can create your own liners using tin foil and paper cups or by forming tin foil over the exterior of the pan cups and placing a paper liner inside.

Air fryer cake batter

Air fryers are a convenient way to bake a cake without heating up your kitchen. They are essentially small, mini convection ovens that use a coil heating element and a fan to circulate hot air and cook the food. While cakes cooked in air fryers may not be perfect, patisserie-worthy creations, they can be delicious.

To make an air fryer cake, you will need a cake pan that fits comfortably inside your air fryer. If you have a smaller air fryer, you may need to use a 6 or 7-inch cake pan. You can use a boxed cake mix or make your batter from scratch. If you are using a traditional oven recipe, you will need to lower the temperature for the air fryer, as they cook food faster and at lower temperatures. Air fryer baking times and temperatures can vary with each brand, so you may need to experiment to determine the proper temperature and cooking time. As a general rule, reduce the temperature by about 10-20 degrees from what you would use in a conventional oven.

Before you add the batter, prep your cake pan by greasing the inside with shortening and coating it with flour. You can also line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper to prevent the cake from sticking. Fill the pan with your cake batter until it is a little over halfway full. If you have a cake strip, soak it in water, wring it out, and place it around your pan to ensure even baking and prevent the cake from doming and cracking in the middle.

Place the prepared cake pan into the air fryer basket and set the temperature and timer according to your recipe, checking on the cake regularly to ensure it is not browning too quickly. If it is, cover it with foil. To check if your cake is baked, insert a skewer or toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. If it comes out wet or with moist crumbs, continue cooking for a few more minutes.

Once your cake is baked, remove it from the air fryer and let it cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. You can then frost the cake and add your desired toppings.

Air fryer cake baking times and temperatures

Air fryers are essentially small, mini convection ovens. They can be used to bake cakes, although they may not produce a perfect, patisserie-worthy cake. Air fryers are great at producing foods that are golden and crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, but cakes (except lava cakes) are not supposed to have a crispy crust and an under-baked centre. However, with the right recipe and some simple tweaks, you can make very good cakes in your air fryer.

Air fryer baking times and temperatures can vary with each brand. It is recommended to bake at a lower temperature than you would in a conventional oven, as air fryers circulate hot air more efficiently, so they can cook food faster and at lower temperatures. For example, if you bake a sponge cake at 170 degrees Celsius in a fan oven, you should reduce the temperature to 160 degrees Celsius in an air fryer.

The size of your air fryer and the type of cake you are cooking will also determine the baking time and temperature. If you are using a smaller air fryer, you may need to use a 6 or 7-inch cake pan, and the timing will need to be adjusted. The general consensus among air fryer bakers is that if your recipe includes baking soda or powder, you need to preheat the air fryer.

• 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes. Let the air fryer heat up for 3 minutes, then bake the cake for 17 minutes. Check the cake with a toothpick, and if it is not done, place it back in the air fryer for about 5 minutes longer.
• 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes, shielding with a heat diffuser after 15 minutes of baking.
• 160 degrees Celsius (320 degrees Fahrenheit) for 30 minutes, then lower the temperature to 150 degrees Celsius (300 degrees Fahrenheit) and continue to cook for another 10 minutes.

Air fryer cake decorating

Air fryers are great for baking cakes as they preheat quickly, saving energy, and stay cool while baking. However, cakes baked in an air fryer can sometimes have a crispy crust and an under-baked centre. To avoid this, you can use a half-size Bundt pan, which is a better match for the air fryer's convection baking than a standard round cake pan. The centre tube funnels hot air through the centre of the cake, not just around the edges. You can also use a 6" round pan, which holds half the batter of an 8" square/round or 9" round, or a quarter of a sheet cake. If you want to bake a full-size 8" or 9" round layer, you will need to take measures to prevent the top from burning while the centre cooks.

When decorating an air fryer cake, you can use frosting, icing sugar, or sprinkles. If you want to frost your cake, you will need to remove it from the pan by flipping it over and letting it cool on a wire rack. Once it's cool, remove the piece of parchment paper and place the unfrosted cake onto a plate or cake stand. You can then frost with chocolate buttercream, homemade buttercream, or cream cheese frosting. If you want to add sprinkles, it's best to do this while the frosting is still wet so that they stick. If you're happy with just a dusting of icing sugar, you can do this directly onto the cake.

If you're baking a cake in an air fryer, it's important to note that cooking times may need to be adjusted by 2-4 minutes, depending on the size of your air fryer and the cake pan you are using. It's also a good idea to trim the top of the cake before frosting to make it easier to decorate.

Frequently asked questions