Reheating Cupcakes: Air Fryer Time And Temperature Guide

Air fryers are a convenient kitchen appliance that can cook and reheat a variety of foods. They are especially useful for reheating pastries, which often become soggy and unappetizing when reheated in a microwave. Cupcakes can be reheated in an air fryer in a similar way to muffins. To reheat muffins in an air fryer, preheat the appliance to 300°F and cook the muffins for 2-3 minutes, checking on them frequently to prevent them from drying out. This process should yield muffins that are slightly crispy on the outside and moist on the inside.

Reheating cupcakes in an air fryer

Air fryers are a handy kitchen gadget, great for cooking and reheating food—from chicken to cakes. They're especially useful when you want to reheat something without turning on the oven or making it soggy in the microwave.

How to Reheat Cupcakes in an Air Fryer

Next, place your cupcakes in the air fryer basket. If you're reheating multiple cupcakes, make sure they're not overcrowded, and reheat in batches if necessary.

Reheat the cupcakes for around 10 minutes at 350°F, or 2–3 minutes at 300°F. Keep an eye on them to ensure they don't burn, and adjust the time as needed, depending on your air fryer model.

Tips for Reheating Cupcakes in an Air Fryer

• If you're using paper liners, double up to prevent the cupcakes from spreading.
• Use a muffin tin inside the air fryer, if possible, to help the cupcakes keep their shape.
• Rotate the cupcakes halfway through reheating to ensure even heating.
• If you notice the cupcakes browning too much, cover them with foil.
• If you're reheating frosted cupcakes, be careful not to let the frosting melt.
• Every air fryer is different, so you may need to experiment with the temperature and timing to find what works best for your machine and your cupcakes.

Benefits of Reheating Cupcakes in an Air Fryer

Air fryers are a great option for reheating cupcakes because they:

• Provide a quick and easy way to reheat cupcakes without turning on the oven.
• Result in moist cupcakes with a crisp exterior, thanks to the way air fryers cook food by circulating hot air.
• Allow you to reheat cupcakes without drying them out, as microwaves often do.
• Are perfect for reheating small batches of cupcakes, as you don't have to heat up the entire oven.
• Can be used to reheat a variety of foods, from pizza to pastries, making them a versatile appliance.

Air fryer temperature and time

Firstly, it is important to note that the reheating time will depend on the quantity of cupcakes you intend to reheat. The more cupcakes you put in the air fryer, the longer they will take to reheat. Additionally, the size of your cupcakes matters; larger cupcakes will require a slightly longer reheating time compared to smaller ones.

Now, let's get into the specifics. If you are reheating regular-sized cupcakes, set your air fryer to 350°F. This is a good baseline temperature to ensure your cupcakes heat up evenly. Preheat your air fryer for a couple of minutes to ensure consistent results.

Next, carefully arrange your cupcakes in the air fryer basket. It is important not to overcrowd the basket as this can affect the reheating process. Place the cupcakes in a single layer, ensuring they have some space around them for even heating.

For regular-sized cupcakes, reheat for about 10 minutes at 350°F. Keep an eye on them to ensure they don't overcook. You may need to adjust the time slightly depending on how many cupcakes you are reheating.

If you are reheating mini cupcakes, they will require less time. Set your air fryer to 320°F and reheat for 3 to 4 minutes. Again, keep a close eye on them to prevent overcooking.

Remember, every air fryer is slightly different, so you may need to adjust the temperature and time slightly based on your specific model. Always check that your cupcakes are heated through to the centre before removing them from the air fryer.

Now, for some extra tips: if your cupcakes have frosting, it is a good idea to cover them with foil to prevent excessive browning. Additionally, if you are reheating from frozen, allow your cupcakes to thaw slightly before placing them in the air fryer for more even results.

Using paper or silicone cupcake liners

If you're reheating a cupcake in an air fryer, you can use either paper or silicone cupcake liners. Paper liners are best used when reheating, as they can be disposed of quickly afterwards. However, if you're baking cupcakes in the air fryer, silicone liners are preferable as they hold their shape without the aid of a baking pan.

Paper Cupcake Liners

If you're using paper cupcake liners, it's recommended to double up to make them sturdier and prevent the cupcakes from spreading too much. You can also use a muffin tin to help with this. If you're not using a muffin tin, be aware that the cupcakes may come out lopsided due to the air circulation in the air fryer.

Silicone Cupcake Liners

Silicone cupcake liners are great for baking cupcakes in the air fryer as they can be placed directly in the air fryer basket and ensure even baking. They're also easy to clean and reuse. If you're using a basket air fryer, you'll need to use silicone liners.

General Tips for Reheating and Baking Cupcakes in an Air Fryer

• Preheat your air fryer to 300-350 degrees Fahrenheit. Not all air fryers require preheating, so check your specific model.
• When baking cupcakes, fill each liner about 3/4 of the way full with batter. Do not overfill, as the fan can splatter the batter.
• Reheat or bake cupcakes for around 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The time may vary depending on your air fryer, so check the cupcakes regularly to avoid overcooking. They're done when a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
• Allow the cupcakes to cool before frosting or serving.

How to make cupcakes in an air fryer

Making cupcakes in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to bake a batch of cupcakes without using an oven. Here is a simple recipe for vanilla cupcakes, which you can adapt to make chocolate or lemon cupcakes.

Ingredients:

• 250 g (2 cups) self-raising flour
• 250 g (1 ¼ cup) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
• 115 g (½ cup) margarine or softened unsalted butter
• 120 ml (½ cup) milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Optional frosting:

• 260 g (2 cups) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• 115 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) double/heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract

Method:

First, measure all your ingredients into a mixing bowl. Beat the ingredients together with an electric hand mixer until the batter is completely smooth. You might need to use a spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are well combined.

Next, use a large cookie scoop to divide the batter between 8 large paper cup cases, or a medium scoop for smaller cupcake liners. You should get 10-12 cupcakes.

Place the cupcakes in the air fryer basket and bake at 160°C (325°F) for 23-25 minutes for large cupcakes and 18-20 minutes for smaller ones. You don't need to preheat the air fryer. Check that the cupcakes are risen, golden, and cooked through by inserting a toothpick into the middle – if it comes out clean, they're done. If not, add a couple more minutes to the cooking time.

Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before adding any frosting. You can store the cupcakes in a cake container for 2-3 days or wrap them well and freeze them (without frosting).

To make the frosting, put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk on a low speed setting to combine. Then, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting holds peaks. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip, and pipe a generous swirl over each cupcake.

Variations:

For chocolate cupcakes, add two teaspoons of cocoa powder and a tablespoon of coffee or milk to the batter.

For lemon cupcakes, add a tablespoon of lemon juice and the zest of one lemon to the batter.

You can also experiment with different types of frosting and sprinkles.

Storing air fryer cupcakes

If you have leftover buttercream, you can store it in the fridge to bring the temperature down, or freeze it for later use.

Frequently asked questions