Air Fryer Banana Cake Recipe

1. Banana – Use very ripe, heavily speckled bananas for intense caramelly fruitiness.
2. All purpose flour – Gives a stable structure.
3. Sugar – It compliments the caramel notes in bananas and is always my go to, like in almond flour cake.
4. Leavening – A good dose of baking soda, along with baking powder, was necessary to make the hefty batter rise.
5. Egg –  Eggs gives crucial structural support, and also makes the cake tender with a light texture.
6. Yogurt – It adds moisture, a slight tanginess and the acid needed to work with baking soda.
7. Walnuts – For crunch and texture contrast.

How to store?

Cooled air fryer banana cake can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for about 3 days.

To freeze – Wrap cooled cake in plastic wrap, place in a large zip lock bag and seal well. Freeze for up to 2 months. Let it thaw overnight at room temperature.

Helpful tips

• Mash the bananas thoroughly. I like to use a potato masher, but a fork would also do the trick.
• Use greek yogurt – Use ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons plain greek yogurt along with 2 tablespoons water instead of the regular yogurt in the recipe.
• Cake pan – A 6-inch round baking pan.
• Air Fryer used – This recipe was tested in Instant Pot 6qt Vortex Air Fryer, cooking time may vary for other brands.
• Baking time – This air fryer banana cake will have a darker top, when compared to an oven baked cake. So, cake might look done on the top but still be undercooked inside. Insert a tooth pick or a thin knife into the cake after 35 minutes and it should come out clean or with a few crumbs attached to it. Else, bake the cake 5 to 10 minutes longer.

Air Fryer Banana Cake Recipe

Print Recipe

This Air Fryer Banana Cake is wonderfully soft and fluffy with the perfect texture and flavor. With just takes 5 minutes prep time, this is a fool proof recipe.

• Author: Julia
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x
• Category: Cake
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dry ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients

• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons mashed banana about 1 very large
• ½ cup packed golden brown sugar
• ½ cup plain yogurt refer notes to use greek yogurt
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Additional ingredients

• Chopped Walnuts as needed

Instructions

• Pre heat air fryer to 340°F for 6 minutes (the air fryer will run empty during this time, this helps to kick start the baking process). Prepare cake batter in the mean time.
• Grease a 6-inch round cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
• Add all dry ingredients into a small bowl and whisk until combined.
• Add all wet ingredients into a larger bowl, whisk until smooth and combined. Stir in the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula, until just combined.

  Tip: Over mixing will create gluten development, and might make the air fryer banana cake dense and tough, instead of the soft and fluffy texture you are aiming for.

• Transfer batter to the prepared pan, smooth top and sprinkle chopped walnuts on top.

  (The air fryer would have done pre heating by now). Set air fryer to 330°F for 35 minutes. When ready, place the cake pan into the air fryer basket and bake until done and brown.

• Check by inserting a knife into the middle of the cake and it needs to come out clean.

  Pro tip: Baking time – This air fryer banana cake will have a darker top, when compared to an oven baked cake. So, cake might look done on the top but still be undercooked inside. Insert a tooth pick or a thin knife into the cake after 35 minutes and it should come out clean or with a few crumbs attached to it. Else, bake the cake 5 to 10 minutes longer.

• Place the cake pan on a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Mash the bananas thoroughly. I like to use a potato masher, but a fork would also do the trick.

Use greek yogurt – Use ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons plain greek yogurt along with 2 tablespoons water instead of the regular yogurt in the recipe.

Cake pan – A 6-inch round baking pan.

Air Fryer used – This recipe was tested in Instant Pot 6qt Vortex Air Fryer, cooking time may vary for other brands.