This Air Fryer Cake is rich, tender and chocolatey, and super simple to make! It's a homemade chocolate cake recipe that's conveniently made in the air fryer and almost as easy as a boxed cake mix. It's dairy-free and vegan, made without butter, eggs or dairy milk, and requires mostly pantry staples. It comes together in one bowl and no electric mixer is needed!
We love to top this cake with this vegan chocolate avocado frosting but you can use your favorite frosting recipe!
Quick Look: Air Fryer Cake
- ⏱ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 👩🏻🍳 Bake Time: 55 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 65 minutes
- 🍰 Serving: 8 slices
- ⚡ Calories: 256 per slice (without frosting)
- 🍽 Diet: dairy-free and vegan
- 🔥 Flavor/texture: rich, decadent and indulgent cocoa flavor with a moist and tender texture.
- 👌 Difficulty: easy, one bowl, no electric mixer required.
- ❤️ Why you'll love: perfect if you have limited oven space.
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My experience with baking a cake in the air fryer
While the air fryer is usually a time saver, I'll be honest with you - baking this cake in the air fryer does not save you time compared to the oven. The oven is still my first choice for baking cakes (like this almond flour chocolate cake). But, the air fryer has many benefits and it's a convenient alternative to oven baking. If you have limited oven space, no oven or just don't want to turn on your oven (hello, hot summer days!), this air fryer cake is a great option!
This cake is a spin on my easy vegan chocolate sheet cake. I tested it a number of times at different temperature settings in the air fryer, ranging from 250F to 350F degrees. At higher temperatures, the outside of the cake baked faster than the middle, so it browned too much on the outside while the middle was underbaked. A lower temperature takes longer, but the cake bakes more evenly. It will still crack a bit on top, but that's unavoidable with the air fryer, in my experience.
If you'd like to explore more recipes for your sweet tooth made in the air fryer, check out these air fryer chocolate chip cookies, air fryer chocolate chip oatmeal muffins or these no rise air fryer cinnamon rolls!
Table of Contents
Ingredient and substitution notes
The ingredients for this cake are pretty simple. It's essentially a cocoa cake made without eggs, butter and milk and a twist on a depression cake (or wacky cake).
- Flour - You'll need 1 ½ cups of all-purpose white flour. I haven't tested this cake with another type of flour.
- Sugar - The cake is sweetened with cane sugar, but you can substitute with granulated sugar. (I often use them interchangeably, like in this gluten-free marble cake recipe).
- Cocoa - While you can use natural cocoa, I prefer dutch-processed cocoa for this cake as it adds a deeper and more intense chocolate flavor (like it does for these chocolate zucchini cupcakes). Even though natural cocoa is normally used to react with baking soda and vinegar, I promise, this cake rises perfectly with dutch-processed.
- Almond milk - While you could just use water, I used almond milk for an extra tender and moist cake. You can use any type of non-dairy milk, just make sure it's unsweetened. If you don't need this cake to be dairy-free or vegan, you can use dairy milk.
- Oil - I used extra virgin olive oil but you can use another type of oil like olive, vegetable or avocado oil.
- Vinegar - This cake doesn't contain any eggs to help it rise, so the vinegar is needed to react with the baking soda to help create leavening. The recipe calls for apple cider vinegar but white vinegar works too.
How to make this air fryer cake
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. (Sifting is important to evenly incorporate the cocoa).
Step 2: Add in the almond milk, oil, vinegar and vanilla and whisk until the dry ingredients are mixed in. (Be careful not to overmix).
Step 3: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and tap the bottom of the pan on a hard surface to help release some air bubbles.
Step 4: Place the pan in the air fryer basket and air fry at 250F for 55-60 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Measuring your ingredients
For convenience, US cup measurements are included in the recipe card for this recipe. To ensure greater accuracy, however, weight and volume measurements are also provided. So, if you see grams (g), you'll want to use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients, and if you see milliliters (ml), you'll want to use a liquid measuring cup. Smaller quantities of ingredients are provided in teaspoons and tablespoons.
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Storage instructions
- Unfrosted: The unfrosted cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
- Frosted: This depends on the type of frosting used, but I recommend refrigerating it and it will stay moist and tender for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze the unfrosted cake. Just let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place in a resealable freezer bag. It will last for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw before frosting.
Expert tips for making this cake
- Parchment paper. Grease and line the bottom and sides of the cake pan with parchment so the cake releases easily and doesn't brown too much on the sides. You just need the parchment paper about 2 inches up the sides of the pan. If there is too much parchment exposed, the air circulation may blow it around and it will stick to the top of the cake.
- Air frying time. The precise time depends on the size, brand and model of your air fryer. It also depends on the size of your cake pan. For instance, if you use a larger pan, it will bake quicker. As air fryers can differ, I suggest checking on the cake after 45 minutes.
- Once the cake is baked. After the cake comes out of the air fryer, the top may be a little crispy. That's okay. It will soften once covered and stored or topped with frosting. Let the cake cool for just 10 minutes in the pan and then turn out onto a wire rack. If it sits in the pan too long, the bottom will get soggy.
Air fryer cake FAQs
While you don't need to use a special air fryer cake pan, you'll need to make sure the pan fits your air fryer basket. I made this cake in a 5.8 quart air fryer, and the basket easily fit a 7-inch round cake pan. It will also fit some 8-inch round pans but it's a tight squeeze. If you have a smaller air fryer, you can try using a 6-inch round pan. (I would just make sure your cake pan is 3-inches high on the sides so it's large enough to hold the amount of cake batter). If you change the size of the pan, just be sure to adjust the air frying time.
It's normal for the cake to be slightly domed with a few cracks. In my experience, the cracks are unavoidable for a cake baked in the air fryer due to the heating element being so close to the top of the cake. If you want the cake level, just trim the top before frosting.
If you don't need this cake to be vegan, you can try this chocolate sour cream frosting recipe. Or, my peanut butter cream cheese frosting and chocolate peanut butter frosting can easily be made vegan by using plant-based butter and cream cheese. If you're craving a vanilla frosting on your chocolate cake, this vanilla sour cream frosting is a must-try!
Yes, you can bake it in the oven at 350F for 30-35 minutes.
More recommended chocolate cake recipes
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If you make this recipe, please leave a review and rating below to let me know what you think. If you have a question, drop that below too!
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (190 g) all-purpose white flour, spooned and leveled
- ¾ cup (165 g) cane sugar, (or granulated sugar)
- ¼ cup (24 g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) unsweetened almond milk, (or another non-dairy milk or water)
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil, (or olive, vegetable or avocado oil)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, (or white vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Grease a 7-inch round cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper (*see notes).
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. (Sifting is important to evenly incorporate the cocoa).
- Add in the almond milk, oil, vinegar and vanilla and whisk until the dry ingredients are just mixed in. Be careful not to overmix.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and tap the bottom of the pan off a hard surface to help release any air bubbles.
- Place the cake in the air fryer basket and air fry on 250F for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. (Start checking on the cake after 45 minutes).
- Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Top with your favorite frosting and serve.
Notes
- Your 7-inch round pan should be at least 2 - 3 inches high.
- It's important to grease and line the bottom and sides of the cake pan with parchment paper so the cake releases easily and doesn't brown too much on the sides.
- You just need the parchment paper about 2 inches up the side of your pan. If there is too much parchment paper exposed, the air circulation may blow it around and it will stick to the top of the cake.
- After the cake comes out of the air fryer, the top may be a little crispy. That's okay. It will soften once covered and stored or topped with frosting.
- Only let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. If it stays in the pan for too long, the bottom will get soggy.
- The cake will be slightly domed with a few cracks. In my experience, the cracks are unavoidable for a cake baked in the air fryer due to the heating element being so close to the top of the cake. If you want the cake level, just trim the top before frosting
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Nutrition Facts per Serving
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is an estimate only and will vary depending on the substitutions made and the brands used.
Did you make this recipe or have any questions?
I love reading your comments and addressing your questions, so please leave your comments and ratings or questions below!
Leanne Combden says
I just made this cake again so I could weigh the ingredients and include gram measurements in the recipe card above. I was reminded how easy this cake is to make! One bowl and a whisk is pretty much all you need. It's one of the reasons it's a go-to chocolate cake recipe for me, especially in the summer when I don't want to turn the oven on!
Sav says
How would I substitute if using self rising.? If possible
Leanne says
Hi there! I don't recommend substituting self rising flour for all purpose flour in this recipe. Self rising flour contains baking powder. As the leavening agent in this cake is baking soda, using self rising flour will affect the rise, texture and taste of the cake.
HaimWisley says
i m so glad ! turned out really nice
Leanne says
That's great! Thanks for letting me know!
Sally says
Hi Leanne
I made the chocolate cake for the first time.
I baked it for 45 mins.
It is so good, and fudgy.
I picture chopped nuts, the cake, vanilla ice cream, and a little
fudge topping
Leanne says
Hi Sally! I'm so glad you enjoyed the cake. Adding some ice cream sounds like a great idea!
Sally says
I want to make this cake.
I have the instant pot 6 quart.
Can I make the cake in it?
If so, where could I find a pan that size.
Leanne says
Hi Sally! I've only made this cake in a Cosori 5.8 quart air fryer. I'm not familiar with the Instant Pot air fryer. I bought my 7-inch round pan at Winners Homesense but they're available on Amazon too!