Air-Fried Cupcakes: A Quick, Easy, And Delicious Treat!

Making cupcakes in an air fryer is a fun and easy activity to do with your kids. It is also a great way to bond with your family and friends over some delicious treats. The best part is that you can make cupcakes in an air fryer in a jiffy with just a few simple ingredients.

You can use a boxed cake mix or make the batter from scratch. If you are making the batter from scratch, you will need ingredients such as flour, sugar, butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. You can also add food colouring to make your cupcakes more festive.

Once you have your batter ready, simply fill your silicone or paper cupcake liners about halfway full and place them in the air fryer basket. Set the temperature and time according to your specific air fryer model, and let the cupcakes bake.

After they are done, remove them from the air fryer and let them cool before frosting them. You can decorate your cupcakes with a simple buttercream frosting or get creative with different piping techniques.

So, if you're looking for a fun and easy dessert to make, why not give air fryer cupcakes a try? They are sure to be a hit with your family and friends!

Choosing the right liners for your cupcakes

When making cupcakes in an air fryer, choosing the right liners is essential to ensure your cupcakes turn out moist, fluffy, and perfectly shaped. Here are some tips to help you select the best liners for your air fryer cupcakes:

Silicone Cupcake Liners

Silicone liners are a popular choice for air fryer cupcakes. They are reusable, making them a cost-effective and environmentally friendly option. Silicone liners can withstand the high temperatures of an air fryer without losing their shape. They are also non-stick, making it easy to remove your cupcakes once they are baked. When using silicone liners, spray them with a non-stick spray before filling them with batter to ensure easy removal.

Paper Cupcake Liners

While some sources advise against using paper liners in an air fryer, others have successfully used them with a few adjustments. If you choose to use paper liners, it is recommended to place them in suitable containers, such as small pudding dishes or a muffin tin, to prevent them from opening up and spreading out. This will help your cupcakes maintain their shape. Additionally, fill your paper liners only about a quarter to a third of the way full to avoid batter spillage.

Aluminium Foil

If you are using silicone liners, "tenting" them with aluminium foil for part of the baking time can help prevent burning or overcooking. This technique is especially useful if you are baking gluten-free cupcakes, which may require a longer cooking time. Wrapping the aluminium foil around the silicone molds after removing them from the air fryer can help ensure even cooking.

Liners for Different Cupcake Sizes

If you want to make standard-sized cupcakes, paper liners are a good option. However, some silicone cupcake holders are slightly smaller than traditional cupcake liners, so you may end up with smaller cupcakes. If you use smaller silicone liners, you may need to reduce the baking time by a couple of minutes to avoid overcooking.

How to make the batter

Firstly, gather your ingredients. For a basic vanilla cupcake, you will need flour, baking powder, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk. For chocolate cupcakes, you will need cocoa powder, vegetable oil, and hot water. If you want to make gluten-free chocolate-orange cupcakes, you will need chocolate, coconut oil, almond flour, brown sugar, orange zest, and vanilla extract.

Next, prepare your muffin tin or silicone cupcake holders by spraying them with non-stick cooking spray. If using paper liners, place them into small containers so they don't lose their shape in the air fryer.

Now, it's time to make the batter. In a large mixing bowl, combine your dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt. For chocolate cupcakes, also add cocoa powder, baking soda, and a small amount of hot water. Mix well to ensure there are no dry clumps.

In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients: sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk. For chocolate cupcakes, use vegetable oil instead of butter and milk. If making chocolate-orange cupcakes, melt the coconut oil and chocolate together first, then add the remaining ingredients.

Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking or mixing until everything is well combined. For chocolate-orange cupcakes, be sure the chocolate-oil mixture isn't too hot before adding the egg.

Your batter is now ready to be spooned into your prepared muffin tin or silicone cupcake holders. Fill each one about halfway to two-thirds full.

Place the batter-filled tins or holders into the air fryer, and you're ready to start cooking!

How long to cook the cupcakes for

The cooking time for cupcakes in an air fryer varies depending on the recipe used and the type of air fryer. However, on average, cupcakes in an air fryer take between 11 and 14 minutes to cook fully.

For example, one recipe for air fryer chocolate orange cupcakes recommends cooking the cupcakes for a total of 14 minutes at 320°F. The first part of this cooking time involves "tenting" the silicon molds with aluminium foil while they are in the air fryer, and the second part involves removing the silicon molds from the air fryer and wrapping them in aluminium foil.

Another recipe for air fryer cupcakes recommends cooking the cupcakes for 12 minutes at 160°C/320°F. This recipe also suggests allowing the cupcakes to cool completely before adding any frosting.

A third recipe for air fryer cupcakes suggests cooking the cupcakes at 330°F/165°C for 11 minutes.

It is important to note that different models of air fryers will bake at different rates, so it is recommended to start with the lowest time recommended in the recipe and then increase the cooking time if needed. Additionally, if the cupcakes are rising unevenly, it is suggested to lower the temperature by 10 to 15 degrees.

To check if the cupcakes are done, a toothpick can be inserted into the centre of the cupcake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes are fully cooked. If not, the cupcakes can be put back into the air fryer for a few more minutes until the toothpick comes out clean.

How to make buttercream frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (230 grams) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups (360 grams) powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Tiny pinch of salt

Method:

• Set your butter out ahead of time so that it can soften. This will ensure that the frosting is smooth and creamy.
• Beat the butter with a mixer for about 1 minute, just until it’s nice and smooth. You can use a handheld or stand mixer.
• Mix in the powdered sugar. Start with low speed and gradually increase to medium.
• Mix in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
• If needed, stop and scrape down the sides of your bowl and mix again to make sure everything is well combined.
• You can now use this frosting to pipe onto cupcakes or decorate a cake. Or you can store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.

Tips:

• This recipe can be made 1 to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
• You can add food colouring to this recipe. If using liquid food colouring, add just a few drops as it can thin out the frosting. For a darker colour, use gel food colouring.
• If your frosting is too sweet, add a pinch of salt to balance out the sweetness.
• If your frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar or cornstarch.
• If your frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk and mix again.

How to pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes

Once your cupcakes are baked and completely cooled, it's time to pipe on the buttercream. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Before you begin, ensure you have your buttercream ready. You can make this yourself by combining butter, double the quantity of icing sugar, a little milk, and vanilla essence. If you want coloured buttercream, add a few drops of food colouring of your choice and mix well.

Now, let's get piping!

Step 1: Prepare your piping bag by sliding a nozzle into the bottom of the bag. You can use a variety of nozzles to create different effects, such as stars, swirls, or smooth sides. Choose the one that best suits your desired cupcake design.

Step 2: Place the piping bag inside a drinking glass, with the nozzle facing down. This makes it easier to fill the bag with buttercream.

Step 3: Load the buttercream into the piping bag. Fill it about halfway to avoid overfilling, which can make piping messy.

Step 4: Remove the piping bag from the glass and twist the open end tightly to secure the buttercream. You can also use a peg to hold it in place.

Step 5: Using a pair of scissors, carefully cut about 1.5 cm off the tip of the piping bag, just enough for the nozzle to peek through. This will allow the buttercream to be dispensed smoothly.

Step 6: Hold the piping bag with one hand, covering the twisted or pegged section with your fingers. Gently squeeze the bag with the other hand to start piping.

Step 7: Begin piping from the outer edge of the cupcake, applying even pressure to the bag as you work your way towards the centre. This will create a nice swirl or star pattern, depending on the nozzle you've chosen.

Step 8: Release the pressure on the bag and gently lift it away to finish the swirl. You can add more buttercream to create a taller swirl, or stop after one circle for a simpler design.

Step 9: Repeat this process for each cupcake, and feel free to experiment with different piping techniques and nozzle shapes!

Your cupcakes are now ready to serve and enjoy!

Frequently asked questions