Air Fryer Chocolate Cake

Air Fryer Chocolate Cake – bake my delicious chocolate cake in your Air Fryer and you will be thrilled with the results! This easy chocolate cake recipe is foolproof and perfect for beginners. Add your favorite frosting and prepare to swoon!

This Air Fryer Chocolate Cake is my latest obsession – a beautifully soft, rich, from-scratch chocolate cake that’s super-easy and foolproof.

My recipe makes an eight inch full-sized cake that can be sliced in half and filled with chocolate buttercream or any frosting! Perfect for birthdays and celebrations or simply as a treat with a cup of coffee

This chocolate sponge cake can be frozen whole or in slices. Wrap well with plastic wrap and place in a suitable container. Thaw overnight in the fridge then serve.

HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER CHOCOLATE CAKE

PREPARE THE CAKE BATTER

Preheat the air fryer to 320°F (160°C).  Mist an 8-inch cake pan with cake release and line the bottom with baking paper or a reusable liner.

Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer). Add the butter, eggs, milk, lemon juice and vanilla.

Start beating on a low speed setting to combine the ingredients then increase the speed to maximum. Stop the mixer and use a spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.

Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan and level. Cover the top of the pan with aluminum foil, securing it tightly to the sides of the tin. Poke a few holes on the foil to allow for air circulation.

BAKE IN THE AIR FRYER

Place the cake pan into the air fryer basket. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes – the cake will be mostly baked through but still slightly damp in the middle.

Carefully remove the foil cover and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the cake feels springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Depending on the brand of your air fryer you might need to adjust the cooking time by a few minutes.

Leave the cake in the pan for five minutes then invert onto a wire rack. Allow the cake to cool completely before adding any frosting.

FILL AND FROST YOUR CHOCOLATE CAKE

Slice your air fryer chocolate sponge in half and fill with whatever frosting takes your fancy! I love using my rich chocolate buttercream which will transform this chocolate sponge into the chocolate cake of your dreams!

Use a cake leveler to split the cake in half. Spoon frosting over the bottom layer and level. Top with the second layer and cover the entire cake in buttercream.

Decorate with sprinkles or chocolate truffles or chocolate shavings. Cut into thin slices – it is VERY RICH – and enjoy!

Air Fryer Chocolate Cake

Print Recipe

Air Fryer Chocolate Cake – bake my delicious chocolate cake in your Air Fryer and you will be thrilled with the results!

• Author: Julia
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 10 1x
• Category: Cake
• Cuisine: British

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Cake

• ¼ cups (260g) flour all-purpose / plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ cup (60g) cocoa powder
• 1 ¼ cups ( 250g) light brown sugar or caster sugar
• ½ cup (115g) softened unsalted butter or margarine
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup (120ml) milk semi skimmed
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Chocolate Frosting

• 1 cup (175g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ cup (115ml) cream pouring / single cream
• 2 cups (260g) sugar powdered / icing sugar
• ⅔ cup (150g) softened unsalted butter do not use margarine
• 2 tbsp hot coffee optional
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

To decorate (optional)

• chocolate shavings

Instructions

MAKE THE CAKE BATTER

1. Preheat the air fryer to 320°F (160°C). Mist an 8-inch cake pan with cake release and line the bottom with baking paper or a reusable liner.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer).
3. Add the butter, eggs, milk, lemon juice and vanilla. Start beating on a low speed setting to combine the ingredients then increase the speed to maximum. Stop the mixer and use a spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan and level. Cover the top of the pan with aluminum foil, securing it tightly to the sides of the tin. Poke a few holes on the foil to allow for air circulation.

BAKE IN THE AIR FRYER

1. Place the cake pan into the air fryer basket. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes. Carefully remove the foil cover and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the cake feels springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Depending on the brand of your air fryer you might need to adjust the cooking time by a few minutes.
2. Leave the cake in the pan for five minutes then invert onto a wire rack. Leave the cake to cool completely before adding any frosting.

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1. Put the chocolate and cream in a bowl and heat in the microwave, for 40-50 seconds. Leave for a couple of minutes then stir together to combine.
2. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder in a mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer).

1. Add the softened butter and some of the chocolate ganache and start mixing on low speed.Gradually add all of the ganache and beat together until the frosting holds peaks.

FILL AND FROST YOUR CHOCOLATE CAKE

1. Use a cake leveler to split the cake in half. Spoon frosting over the bottom layer and level. Top with the second layer and cover the entire cake in frosting..
2. Decorate with sprinkles or chocolate truffles or chocolate shavings. Cut into thin slices – it is VERY RICH – and enjoy!

Notes

• You can make the chocolate sponge up to a day ahead. Leave it to cool then wrap with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.
• The cake will stay lovely and moist for a few days. Store at room temperature away from direct sunlight in a covered cake container.
• If you have used fresh cream as a filling it will need to be consumed straight away and kept chilled.
• Can I bake it in the oven? You can use the oven to bake the cake if you prefer. Bake (uncovered!) at 350°F (175°C) for 28-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, the top of the cake is springy to the touch and slightly comes away from the edges of the pan.
• Can I use self raising flour? Yes but if you do you will need to leave out the baking powder.
• Use a potato peeler to make chocolate shavings be scraping against the side of a chocolate bar.