Can You Cook Cake In Air Fryer? | Pan, Time, Temp

Home cooks often wonder if a small countertop appliance can handle something as tender as cake. The good news is that an air fryer can bake soft, even cakes once you learn how to match pan size and settings to its strong fan.

Heat inside an air fryer moves faster and closer to the food than in a regular oven, so the fan can brown the surface quickly. A few changes to pan choice, batter depth, temperature, and timing turn that fast heat into a cake tool.

Can You Cook Cake In Air Fryer? Basic Air Fryer Cake Answer

So, can you cook cake in air fryer? Yes, as long as you use a pan that fits comfortably, keep the batter layer reasonably shallow, and lower the heat a little compared with a standard oven recipe.

The table below gives a quick view of how classic oven directions translate to air fryer settings for popular cake styles. Use it as a starting point, then tweak for your own machine, since brands and basket shapes vary widely.

Cake Style	Typical Oven Method	Air Fryer Adjustment
Box mix round cake	180°C / 350°F, 25–30 minutes in 8 inch pan	160–170°C / 320–340°F, 18–24 minutes in 7 inch pan
Dense pound cake loaf	175°C / 350°F, 50–60 minutes in loaf pan	155–165°C / 310–330°F, 35–45 minutes in short loaf or small bundt pan
Brownies	180°C / 350°F, 20–25 minutes in square pan	160–170°C / 320–340°F, 15–22 minutes in slightly smaller pan
Cupcakes or muffins	180°C / 350°F, 15–20 minutes in metal tray	155–165°C / 310–330°F, 10–15 minutes in silicone cups or tray
Small cheesecake	160°C / 320°F, 35–45 minutes in springform pan	140–150°C / 285–300°F, 25–35 minutes in smaller, deeper pan
Mug or ramekin cake	180°C / 350°F, 12–15 minutes	160–170°C / 320–340°F, 8–12 minutes in ceramic ramekin
Gluten free mix cake	Follows box, often 175–180°C / 345–350°F	Reduce heat by about 15–20°C and check a few minutes earlier

The main pattern is simple. Drop the stated oven temperature by about 10–20°C (25–35°F), shorten the time a little, and bake in a pan that leaves room for air to move around the sides.

Cooking Cake In An Air Fryer Basket And Pan Tips

This section goes through the factors that matter most for cake success in an air fryer basket. Pan choice, batter depth, and basket setup all change how evenly the cake cooks.

Pick A Pan That Fits With Space To Spare

You need a pan that sits flat on the rack or in the basket while still leaving some space around it on every side. That gap lets hot air swirl past the walls of the pan instead of blasting the top surface.

Round pans that measure 6–8 inches across work well for most medium air fryers. Metal pans give faster browning, while silicone molds take a bit longer but release cleanly and stay quiet when you lift them in and out.

Keep Batter Depth Reasonable

A deep, heavy batter layer struggles in a tight air fryer chamber. The top sets and browns while the center stays pale and wet. Aim for a batter depth of about 3–4 centimeters so the middle can heat through before the top overcooks.

If your favorite cake recipe makes more batter than that, split it between two smaller pans or bake one after the other. You get two cakes with a nice crumb instead of one that is scorched on top and raw inside.

Line, Grease, And Protect The Top

Grease the pan thoroughly and add a circle of baking paper to the base so slices come out clean. For extra sticky cakes, dust the greased sides with a spoonful of flour or fine breadcrumbs.

To protect the top from early browning, tent a small piece of perforated foil over the cake once it sets. Poke a few holes to keep air moving. This simple shield keeps the surface from getting too dark while the center finishes baking.

How Air Fryer Heat Changes Cake Baking

An air fryer uses a strong fan that blows heat straight at the food. Cake batter likes gentle, even heat instead. The trick is learning how your model behaves so you can treat that strong fan more like a mini convection oven than a grill.

Fan Position, Hot Spots, And Rack Height

Most basket style air fryers keep the fan and element in the top section, so the upper surface of a cake faces the strongest heat. If your cakes brown on one side, you have a hot spot, and rotating the pan during baking can help.

Temperature Adjustments For Cakes

Many cake recipes written for ovens use 175–180°C, or around 350°F. In an air fryer, that same setting can dry the edges while the center is still setting. A better starting point for cake is 155–170°C, depending on the style and pan size.

Timing And Early Checks

Because air fryers heat up fast, cakes often finish sooner than oven directions suggest. Set a timer for about two thirds of the recipe time, then start checking with a skewer and add a few minutes at a time until only a few moist crumbs remain.

Step By Step Basic Air Fryer Vanilla Cake

Once you understand the heat pattern, trying a vanilla cake in your air fryer builds confidence. This recipe suits a 6–7 inch round pan and a medium basket style machine.

Ingredients For A Small Air Fryer Cake

• 1 cup (125 g) all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) neutral oil or melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method: Mix, Fill, And Bake

1. Grease a 6–7 inch round pan, line the base with baking paper, and grease the paper.
2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl until the mix looks even.
3. In another bowl, whisk eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Pour the wet mix into the dry mix and stir just until no dry streaks remain.
5. Pour the batter into the pan so the depth sits around halfway up the side.
6. Preheat the air fryer to 160°C / 320°F for a few minutes if your model needs preheating.
7. Set the pan in the basket. Cook at 160°C / 320°F for 18 minutes, then check the center with a skewer.
8. If the skewer still shows wet batter, shield the top loosely with perforated foil and bake in 3–4 minute bursts until the skewer comes out with just a few crumbs.

How To Check Doneness Safely

The surface should feel springy, the edges should pull slightly from the sides, and a skewer placed in the center should not show a streak of batter. Many bakers also like to use a small food thermometer and aim for a center temperature near 185°F.

Troubleshooting Common Air Fryer Cake Problems

Even with careful prep, your first air fryer cake may look a little different from the same batter baked in an oven. Use these fixes to steer each round closer to the texture you want.

Top Burns Before The Center Is Done

This issue often comes from a pan that sits too close to the fan or from too much heat. Lower the temperature by 10–15°C next time, move the rack down if your model allows, and add a loose foil tent once the top has set.

Center Sinks After Cooling

A sunken center usually means the cake came out of the air fryer before the middle finished setting. Leave the cake in for a few extra minutes once the skewer shows only a trace of moisture and avoid opening the basket during the early rise.

Cake Feels Dry Or Tough

Dry edges tell you the cake stayed in the hot air too long or baked at a setting that was too high. Lower the temperature next time and check earlier, or switch from a metal pan to a silicone mold for a softer crumb.

Cake Sticks To The Pan

Sticking comes down to preparation. Use a layer of baking paper on the base, grease the sides well, and let the cake rest in the pan for about 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack.

Typical Air Fryer Cake Temperatures And Times By Pan Size

Once you feel comfortable baking simple cakes, you can branch out to other styles and pans. The ranges below give a handy reference for common setups. Treat them as starting points, since air flow and thermostat accuracy differ between brands.

Pan Size And Style	Approximate Temperature	Approximate Time Range
6 inch round, light metal	155–160°C / 310–320°F	16–22 minutes
7 inch round, dark metal	150–155°C / 300–310°F	18–24 minutes
8 inch round, light metal	150–160°C / 300–320°F	20–26 minutes
Small loaf pan	150–155°C / 300–310°F	28–38 minutes
Mini bundt pan	145–155°C / 295–310°F	20–30 minutes
Ramekins or silicone cups	155–165°C / 310–330°F	10–16 minutes
Small cheesecake pan	140–150°C / 285–300°F	25–35 minutes

If you often bake recipes that use raw eggs, avoid tasting the batter before it cooks. Food agencies point out that raw eggs can carry Salmonella. Safe handling advice from the FDA egg safety guidance stresses chilling, thorough cooking, and care with cross contact.

Food Safety, Storage, And Reheating For Air Fryer Cakes

Cake feels friendly and low risk, yet it still counts as an egg and dairy dessert in many cases. Treating it with the same care you would use for custard or pudding keeps your kitchen safer over time.

The USDA notes that dishes made with egg should reach an internal temperature of at least 160°F to lower the chance of harmful bacteria. Advice on this point appears in their egg products and food safety guidance.

Once your air fryer cake cools to room temperature, wrap it and store it away from direct heat. Plain cake keeps well at room temperature for a couple of days. Versions loaded with fresh cream or soft cheese frosting belong in the fridge.

To reheat a slice, set it in the air fryer basket on a small piece of baking paper. Warm at 140°C / 285°F for just a few minutes. That gentle blast brings back a soft crumb without turning the edges hard.

So yes, the answer to “can you cook cake in air fryer?” is yes. Start with a small pan, keep the batter shallow, lower the heat a little, and check early. With practice, your air fryer can handle everyday cakes and celebration layers without firing up the main oven.