Make this Air Fryer Cake Recipe and you will be rewarded with a lovely soft and fluffy sponge cake. Grab your bowl and ingredients and let me show you how to bake a cake in your air fryer!
Take a look at my Air Fryer Chocolate Cake!
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I am currently having a bit of a love affair with my Air Fryer. I do think my slow cooker is a bit jealous 😉 I have been using the Air Fryer to make quick lunches and even roast dinners and now I am fully into air fryer baking!
Can you bake a cake in an air fryer?
Ok, truth time. I was a little dubious about baking cake in my air fryer but I am absolutely THRILLED with the results!
So much so that baked a lemon and a vanilla cake on the same day and both came out soft and light with just the perfect crumb. I think you too will be wowed with how versatile your air fryer is.
Air Fryer Cake From Scratch
You can use a box cake mix but I am a firm believer that homemade is always best. And trust me when I say this air fryer cake recipe is just as easy and quick to prepare.
Here’s what you will need
- Self raising flour (also known as self rising) or plain flour plus baking powder
- Sugar – ideally caster sugar
- Softened unsalted butter or margarine (such as Stork)
- Medium eggs
- Semi skimmed milk
- Vanilla extract or vanilla powder
You will need a cake pan that fits comfortably inside your air fryer. I have the Cosori 5.8Qt which can fit an 8 inch cake pan. If you own a smaller air fryer you may need to use a 6 or 7 inch cake pan – HOWEVER if you do the timing will have to be tweaked.
This recipe makes a proper sized cake that easily serves 12. It can be sliced in half and filled with your choice of buttercream or frosting. But it is so moist and delicious that it tastes amazing simply dusted with a little icing sugar.
HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER CAKE
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
Preheat the Air Fryer at 160°C (320°F) while you prepare the batter. Mist an 8 inch deep cake pan with cake release and line the bottom with baking paper. (Please check the recipe card notes if using a smaller cake pan).
Measure the flour and sugar into a mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Stir to combine.
Add the butter, eggs, milk and vanilla. Beat together using an electric hand mixer or your stand mixer, using a spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. Mix until the batter is smooth, about a minute.
Transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan and level. Place the pan into your air fryer and cook for 30 minutes at 160°C (320°F). Lower the temperature to 150°C (300°F) and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes.
Check for doneness – insert a skewer or toothpick in the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. If the skewer comes out wet or with moist crumbs continue to cook for a further 5 minutes.
Take the cake out of the air fryer using oven mitts. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan then invert onto a cooling rack.
What temperature is best for baking a Cake in Air fryer?
My air fryer comes with a baking option which is set to 150°C (300°F) for 30 minutes. I think that would be sufficient for a smaller cake but for this recipe you will need to cook for longer.
Please note
Air fryer baking times and even temperatures can vary with each brand. It is best to bake on a lower heat setting to allow the cake to rise evenly and avoid burning on top.
Check the cake is baked by visually checking (is the cake springy to the touch, does it pass the toothpick test?). If the cake is still a bit raw in the middle then continue to cook, adding a few minutes until it is done.
Another way to check is to use an instant read thermometer. Insert the probe in the middle of the cake (not touching the bottom of the pan) and check it measures around 209°F (98°C).
Take a look at my Air Fryer Chocolate cake – I covered the cake tin with foil in this instance which created an even rise.
Tips for Air Fryer Cake
- Use room temperature ingredients. You can soften butter by blasting in the microwave on the DEFROST setting for a few seconds. If your eggs are cold, submerge them in warm water for a few minutes.
- Don’t overfill the cake pan – about half full is right. The cake pan I used is 8 inches wide and 3 inches deep. If you use a smaller cake pan then the baking times indicated below may not work.
- You might need to level the cake if you want to layer it.
- I have provided a buttercream recipe in the card below if you wanted to fill your cake as I have done, Victoria Sponge style.
- Store in an airtight container for up to five days, un-frosted. It stays lovely and soft for ages!
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Air Fryer Sponge Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 260 g (2 cups) self raising flour
- 250 g ( 1 ¼ cup) caster sugar
- 3 medium eggs
- 115 g (½ cup) softened unsalted butter or margarine
- 120 ml (½ cup) semi skimmed milk, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Frosting
- 57 g (1/4 cup) softened unsalted butter
- 240 g (2 cups) icing sugar
- 3 tbsp full fat cream cheese
- 2 tbsp double cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
Filling & Decoration
- strawberry or raspberry jam (seedless)
- fresh berries or other seasonal fruit
- mini meringues , optional
- Icing sugar to dust
Instructions
- Preheat the Air Fryer at 160°C (320°F) while you prepare the batter. Mist an 8 inch deep cake pan with cake release and line the bottom with baking paper.
- Measure the flour and sugar into a mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Stir to combine.
- Add the butter, eggs, milk and vanilla. Beat together using an electric hand mixer or your stand mixer, using a spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. Mix until the batter is smooth, about a minute.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan and level. Place the pan into your airfryer and cook for 30 minutes at 160°C (320°F). Lower the temperature to 150°C (300°F) and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes.
- Check for doneness – insert a skewer or toothpick in the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. If the skewer comes out wet or with moist crumbs continue to cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Take the cake out of the air fryer using oven mitts. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan then invert onto a cooling rack.
- Put all the ingredients for the frosting in a bowl and beat together until the frosting is light and fluffy and holds peaks.
- Slice the cake in half and level if needed (use a cake leveller ideally). Pipe a ring of frosting around the edge of the bottom layer. Fill the middle with jam. Top with more frosting and level. Sandwich with the top layer.
- Spread a little of the frosting over the top of the cake and decorate with fresh berries. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
Notes
- If your are using plain flour (all purpose flour) add 2 1/2 tsp baking powder in with the flour and sugar.
- Use room temperature ingredients. You can soften butter by blasting in the microwave on the DEFROST setting for a few seconds. If your eggs are cold then submerge them in warm water for a few minutes.
- Don’t overfill the cake pan – about half full is right. The cake pan I used is 8 inches wide and 3 inches deep. If your airfryer is small you might need to split the batter between two 6 or 7 inch pans and bake for 25 minutes at 150°C (300°F). Note that air fryers can vary in their cooking and baking temperatures.
Sylvie jones says
Took delivery of my new air fryer yesterday, couldn’t wait to try the Victoria sponge, followed recipe very closely, it was a disaster, came out like a flat sponge with a burnt top and runny inside, so cooked it for another 20 minutes and had it for desert today with lots of custard to save wasting it, where did I go wrong ??
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Sylvie
there’s a few things to consider
1. What is the brand of your air fryer
2. How large was the cake tin you used
If the top was burned then perhaps follow the technique of my air fryer chocolate cake which is covered with foil to avoid this issue. https://www.supergoldenbakes.com/air-fryer-chocolate-cake/
Bernadette Buller says
I have made this cake and it was a triumph!! I substituted some of the S.R. foour for cocoa, and added some chocolate chips. Husband says its the best he has ever had.
I did have to leave it in the Air Fryer for quite a bit longer, but just kept checking every 10 minutes or so. Really love, thank you so much for an easy to understand recipe that really works!! Bernie
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Bernie, Glad it worked for you! With air fryer recipes it really comes down to a bit of trial an error with the timing
ana says
Turned out amazing! My cakes always go wrong in the oven so I was not expecting much. But it worked! Thanks!
Tabbs says
Very disappointing outcome! The cake is brown on top and runny inside – like a raw cake bomb! I followed all the instructions and don’t know what has gone wrong…
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Tabbs can I ask which air fryer you used?
Caroline says
I followed the recipe and baking instructions and after 1 hour of baking the bottom is raw every cake I have baked in my ninja has been a disaster I don’t know what vim doing wrong HELP!!!!
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Caroline – what size cake tin are you using? If the cake is cooked on top but still damp underneath is it possible to flip it over?
Mark says
disappointed is an understatement. served it in litres
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Mark – I am disappointed too on your behalf – are you sure you followed the recipe properly? I have tested it extensively and received very good feedback. While Air Fryers vary in their temperature settings the cake should definitely be baked so I am wondering if you used the right temperature setting.
Karen says
Made this for first time in my new airfryer , and it’s amazing . lovely and moist thankyou so much . would love to know if you have a recipe book ?
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Karen, thank you so much for your comment! I don’t have a recipe book at the moment but perhaps soon! xxx
MARY says
Hi, I love your recipes and just want to know which airfryer you are using? I haven’t got one yet and am looking into buying one..possibly Philips HD9741/10? I make a lot of cakes and this is a really important feature it would need to have.
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Mary I have a Cosori XL but also just got an even bigger one (Tower 11 litre) which I have not tested yet. This is the Cosori model I have which I recommend https://www.amazon.co.uk/COSORI-Electric-Temperature-Reminder-Function/dp/B07N8QY3YH/