How to make cakes in air fryer comes down to the right pan, a steady preheat, and a slightly lower temperature than an oven so the center sets before the top browns.
An air fryer can bake a cake with a soft crumb and a neat dome. Treat it like a small convection oven: strong airflow, close heat, and limited pan space. Plan for those three things and your results stop feeling random in a small basket.
This article gives you a repeatable method, plus the small fixes that save a bake when the top browns early or the middle lags behind.
Fast Setup Checklist Before You Start
Knock these out first. They prevent most problems.
- Pick a pan that leaves space on all sides for air to flow.
- Preheat the air fryer so the batter starts setting right away.
- Lower the temperature a notch compared with your oven recipe.
- Shield the top if it browns early.
- Check doneness with a skewer, not only the clock.
| Cake Style | Pan Size That Fits Most Baskets | Temp And Time Range |
|---|---|---|
| Vanilla sponge | 6-inch round, 3-inch deep | 150–160°C (300–320°F), 22–30 min |
| Chocolate cake | 6-inch round or 7-inch springform | 150–160°C (300–320°F), 24–34 min |
| Carrot cake | 6-inch round | 150°C (300°F), 28–38 min |
| Banana loaf cake | Small loaf, 7×3 inch | 145–155°C (290–310°F), 35–55 min |
| Lemon yogurt loaf | Small loaf, 7×3 inch | 145–155°C (290–310°F), 32–50 min |
| Cheesecake | 6-inch round, lined | 140–150°C (285–300°F), 28–40 min |
| Ramekin cakes | 2–3 ramekins, 8–10 oz | 160°C (320°F), 10–14 min |
| Mini bundt cake | Mini bundt, 5–6 inch | 150–160°C (300–320°F), 18–26 min |
How To Make Cakes In Air Fryer Step By Step
This routine works across most models. It slows surface browning so the middle can catch up.
Pick The Right Pan And Fill Level
Use metal, silicone, or oven-safe glass that fits with breathing room. A pan that touches the basket wall blocks airflow and leaves pale sides.
Fill your pan halfway to two-thirds. Air fryer heat is intense near the top, so overfilled batter domes early, then cracks. If you’re scaling a recipe down, bake two smaller layers.
Prep The Pan So Release Is Clean
Grease the base and sides, then line the base with parchment. For springform pans, wrap the base seam with foil if your unit has a drip tray that can catch butter leaks.
If you’re using silicone, set it on a flat rack so you can lift it out without bending. A wobbly pan can tilt the batter and bake lopsided.
Adjust Temperature From Oven Recipes
Most oven cakes bake at 175°C (350°F). In an air fryer, start at 150–160°C (300–320°F). The fan drives heat at the surface, so a lower setting buys the center time to set.
For thick batters like banana loaf, start at 145–155°C (290–310°F). If your air fryer runs cool, stay near 160°C (320°F) and extend the time.
Preheat, Then Load With Space For Air
Preheat for 3–5 minutes. Slide the pan into the basket and keep it centered. If your model has two levels, bake cakes on the lower level so the top isn’t inches from the heater.
Shield The Top If It Browns Early
At the 10–15 minute mark, peek fast. If the top is already dark, lay a loose square of foil over the pan. Don’t crimp it tight; you want heat to keep flowing.
Use Doneness Checks That Match Cakes
Start checking near the low end of the time range. Insert a skewer in the center. A few moist crumbs are fine for chocolate and banana cakes. For sponge cakes, look for a mostly clean skewer and a springy top.
When a cake is set, the sides pull a touch from the pan. If the center jiggles like pudding, it needs more time. Add 3–5 minutes and check again.
Cool The Cake Without Losing Moisture
Let the cake sit in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack. Cooling too fast can trap steam and turn the crumb sticky, so give it that short rest.
Making Cakes In An Air Fryer With Less Guesswork
Once you’ve baked a couple cakes, your own air fryer patterns show up. These pointers help you read the machine.
Basket Air Fryers
These run fast and brown hard. Use smaller pans, lower temperatures, and foil covers more often. A 6-inch round pan is the sweet spot for many baskets.
Oven-Style Air Fryers
These have more headroom and can handle loaf pans and 7–8 inch rounds. Rotate the pan once if your unit has a hot side, then keep the door shut for the rest of the bake.
Springform, Silicone, And Glass
Springform pans make removal easy and keep edges neat. Silicone insulates, so bake times run longer. Glass heats slowly, so it can help with gentle baking, yet it holds heat, so watch carryover cooking after you pull the cake.
Recipe Tweaks That Work For Air Fryer Cakes
You don’t need a new recipe for every air fryer. Small changes make a standard batter behave in a tight chamber.
Scale Batter For The Pan
If your recipe is written for two 8-inch layers, don’t cram it into one small pan. Split the batter into two bakes. You’ll get even layers and skip the raw center problem.
Handle Browning From Sugar And Butter
High sugar batters brown fast. If the top darkens early, drop the temperature by 10°C (about 25°F) and use foil sooner. Butter-heavy batters can fry at the edges in thin pans, so a parchment collar can soften the crust.
Mixing And Ingredient Temperature
Mix just until the flour streaks disappear. Overmixing makes a tight crumb that bakes up dry around the edges.
Use room-temperature eggs and dairy so the batter warms and bakes evenly. If you’re using eggs that might end up undercooked in a cheesecake or lava-style cake, follow the handling tips on FoodSafety.gov’s Egg Chart for safe cook temperatures.
Weigh Ingredients And Level The Pan
Air fryers punish small batter swings. A tablespoon extra flour can turn a light cake dry, while extra liquid can leave a damp stripe near the base. If you have a kitchen scale, weigh flour and sugar instead of scooping by eye. After you pour the batter, set the pan on a small rack and check that it sits flat. A level pan gives an even crumb and a straighter top.
Moisture Insurance For Loaf-Style Cakes
Banana, zucchini, and yogurt cakes do well in an air fryer, yet thick batter can bake unevenly. Let the batter sit for 3 minutes so flour hydrates. A spoonful of yogurt or sour cream keeps the crumb tender without turning it gummy.
Timing Tricks When Your Cake Is Almost Done
This is where air fryer baking feels different. You’ll often finish with a short gentle-set phase.
Lower Heat To Finish The Center
If the top is set and the skewer still comes out wet, drop to 140–145°C (285–290°F) and bake in 5-minute blocks. This dries the center without scorching the crust.
Use Rest Time Inside The Basket
When the cake tests nearly done, turn the air fryer off and leave the basket closed for 5 minutes. Residual heat finishes the middle and smooths the top.
Common Problems And Fixes You Can Do Mid-Bake
When something goes sideways, you can often fix it without starting over. Use this chart to pick the next move.
| What You See | Likely Cause | Next Move |
|---|---|---|
| Top browns fast, center still wet | Heat too high or pan too close to element | Cover with foil, drop temp 10°C, add time |
| Dry edges, tight crumb | Baked too hot or too long; pan too thin | Lower temp next time; use parchment collar; shorten by 3–5 min |
| Cake sinks in the middle | Underbaked center or door opened too early | Bake longer; reduce peeks; rest in basket 2–5 min |
| Gummy line at the bottom | Pan not preheated; batter too cold | Preheat; use room-temp batter; raise pan on rack |
| Uneven rise, tilted dome | Pan not level or basket bumped | Center pan; lift with rack; avoid moving basket mid-bake |
| Stuck to the pan | Not enough grease or no parchment base | Cool 10 min; run thin knife; line base next time |
| Pale top, baked inside | Low sugar batter or foil used too soon | Remove foil late; raise temp 5°C for last 2–3 min |
Serving, Storage, And Quick Cleanup
If you’re glazing or frosting, wait until the cake is fully cool. Warm cake melts buttercream and turns a glaze runny. A simple powdered sugar glaze sets fast, while a thin citrus syrup brushed on the warm cake keeps the crumb soft without adding a heavy topping.
For a clean slice, let the cake cool fully, then cut with a thin knife wiped between slices. Store unfrosted cake wrapped at room temperature for a day or two. Frosted cakes belong in the fridge. For storage timing and fridge guidance, the USDA’s Leftovers And Food Safety page is a handy reference.
Clean the basket and tray after baking so sugar drips don’t smoke on your next cook. Wash with mild soap once the unit is cool, then wipe the heating area with a damp cloth.
One Repeatable Bake Plan For Weeknight Cakes
Follow this plan a few times and you’ll know your air fryer’s rhythm.
- Pick a 6-inch round or small loaf pan and line the base with parchment.
- Preheat for 4 minutes at 155°C (310°F).
- Pour batter to a half-pan level and tap once to pop big bubbles.
- Bake at 155°C (310°F) and check at 22 minutes for rounds, 35 minutes for loaves.
- If the top browns early, cover loosely with foil after the first check.
- Skewer test, then add 3–5 minute blocks until the center sets.
- Rest 5 minutes with the unit off, then cool 10 minutes in the pan.
Keep a note of what worked: pan type, fill level, temperature, and finish time. Next bake, you’ll spend less time guessing and more time enjoying the result. That’s the whole point of learning how to make cakes in air fryer and getting a cake that slices clean and tastes like you meant it.