This air fryer vanilla cake is a mushy, buttery little cake that comes collectively in a single bowl and bakes with out turning the oven on. It’s a small batch recipe baked in a 6 inch spherical cake pan, which is precisely the fitting measurement for a weeknight deal with or a small birthday.
About this air fryer vanilla cake
It is a basic creamed butter vanilla cake, scaled down to suit an air fryer basket. The cake is baked at a decrease temperature than what’s customary as a result of air fryers prepare dinner with fast-moving sizzling air, so the highest of a cake units and hues a lot faster than the center can catch up. Baking at 160°C (320°F) as an alternative of the same old 180°C provides the centre time to prepare dinner via earlier than the floor goes too darkish.
The batter makes use of each butter and oil, together with pure yoghurt. The butter is creamed with the sugar to deliver air into the batter and offers all of the flavour, whereas the oil stays liquid at room temperature and retains the crumb mushy for days fairly than firming up within the fridge. The yoghurt brings acidity, which tenderises the crumb and reacts with the small quantity of baking soda for a bit of additional raise.
It’s baked in a 6 inch (15cm) spherical pan, so it fits smaller air fryers, and it makes a plain vanilla cake which you can ice nonetheless you want. I normally preserve it easy and dirt it with icing sugar, however it takes frosting, whipped cream or contemporary fruit simply as nicely!
Key substances and why
Plain flour (all function flour). A normal plain flour with not an excessive amount of gluten content material.
Butter, salted or unsalted. The butter must be correctly at room temperature so it lotions nicely with the sugar. If it’s nonetheless chilly and agency it received’t maintain air, and also you’ll find yourself with a denser cake.
A bit impartial oil. Rice bran, canola or sunflower all work. Not like butter, oil stays liquid at room temperature, which is why the cake nonetheless feels mushy and moist on day three.
Caster or granulated sugar.
Pure yoghurt or bitter cream. This provides moisture and acidity. The acid softens the gluten strands barely and works with the baking soda, so that you get a young cake that isn’t in any respect dry.
Massive eggs, at room temperature. Chilly eggs added to creamed butter will make the combination break up and look curdled, so take them out of the fridge together with the butter and yoghurt.
Vanilla bean paste or extract. That is the entire flavour of the cake, so it’s price utilizing one thing good. Vanilla bean paste provides you the little flecks via the crumb as nicely.
Gear
An air fryer. Mine is a 5.3L basket model air fryer, and this recipe is designed for a smaller air fryer fairly than a big oven model one.
A 6 inch (15cm) spherical cake tin.
An electrical hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for creaming the butter and sugar.
Technique
Grease the cake pan with a little bit oil or butter and line the bottom with baking paper.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt collectively in a small bowl and set it apart.
Cream the room temperature butter, sugar and oil along with an electrical mixer till the combination is noticeably paler and appears mild and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla and yoghurt.
Beat till easy. If it appears to be like barely break up at this stage, don’t fear, it would come again collectively as soon as the flour goes in.
Add the dry substances and blend on low velocity, or fold them via with a spatula. Spoon the batter into the ready pan and place within the air fryer.
Bake at 160°C (320°F) for 25 minutes, then take a look at the center with a skewer. If it comes out clear, it’s performed. If there’s nonetheless moist batter clinging to it, drop the temperature to 150°C (300°F) and bake in 5 minute increments, testing every time.
Let the cake sit within the pan for five minutes, then flip it out onto a wire rack to chill fully.
Mud with icing sugar or frost how you want.
Ideas for making vanilla cake within the air fryer
Take the butter, eggs and yoghurt out of the fridge not less than half an hour earlier than you begin. Room temperature substances emulsify correctly.
Air fryers differ lots in how sizzling they really run, so the primary time you make this, begin checking at round 22 minutes fairly than ready for the timer.
The highest of an air fryer cake will normally be a little bit extra uneven and lumpy trying than an oven baked one, as a result of the recent air hits the floor straight.
If the highest is colouring sooner than you’d like earlier than the center is cooked, lay a bit of foil loosely over the tin and tuck the perimeters below so it doesn’t blow round within the basket.
Serving and adorning
Let the cake cool fully earlier than you slice it, and use a pointy knife so the slices keep neat. It’s really easy dusted with simply icing sugar, however it’s additionally pretty with softly whipped cream and berries. If you wish to gown it up correctly, unfold it with a small batch of buttercream or cream cheese frosting, or drizzle it with thick caramel sauce.
Storing and freezing
As soon as the cake is totally cool, preserve it in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as 3 days, or within the fridge for as much as 4 days. The oil within the batter means it stays mushy even when chilled, although it’s at all times nicest at room temperature.
To freeze it, wrap the cooled cake (or particular person slices) tightly in plastic wrap, then put it into an hermetic container or freezer bag. It retains nicely for as much as 3 months. Thaw it at room temperature nonetheless wrapped, so the condensation kinds on the wrap fairly than on the cake.
Variations
Lemon. Add the zest of 1 lemon to the butter and sugar as you cream them, so the oils within the zest disperse via the batter, then drizzle a easy lemon glaze over the cooled cake.
Funfetti. Fold a few tablespoons of sprinkles via on the very finish, after the flour is blended in, so the colors don’t bleed.
Almond. Swap half a teaspoon of the vanilla for almond extract for a barely marzipan flavour that goes superbly with cherries or berries on high.
Extra air fryer and cake recipes
Air Fryer Vanilla Cake
Elien Lewis
A mushy and fluffy small batch vanilla cake baked within the air fryer. It is made in a 6 inch spherical pan and wishes no oven, which makes it excellent for a fast deal with or a small birthday cake.
Prep Time 10 minutes minsCook Time 25 minutes minsTotal Time 35 minutes minutes
Course cake, DessertCuisine American, New Zealand
Servings 8 slicesCalories 203 kcal
155 g all function flour1 tsp baking powder0.125 tsp baking soda0.5 tsp salt55 g butter room temperature, salted or unsalted28 g impartial oil comparable to rice bran, canola or sunflower135 g caster sugar2 massive eggs room temperature1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract120 g pure yoghurt room temperature, or bitter cream
Grease a 6 inch (15cm) spherical cake pan with a little bit oil or butter and line the bottom with baking paper.In a small bowl, whisk collectively the plain flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Put aside.In a separate bowl, cream the butter, caster sugar and oil along with an electrical hand mixer, or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, till the combination is pale and fluffy. This takes round 3 minutes.Add the eggs, vanilla and yoghurt and beat till easy and mixed. If the combination appears to be like barely break up at this stage, it would come again collectively as soon as the flour is added.Add the dry substances to the moist combination and blend on low velocity, or fold them via with a spatula, till simply mixed with no dry flour seen. Don’t overmix.Spoon the batter into the ready pan and easy the highest. Place the pan into the air fryer basket, leaving a little bit room round it so the air can flow into.Bake at 160°C (320°F) for 25 minutes. Insert a skewer into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clear, the cake is finished. If it isn’t clear, decrease the temperature to 150°C (300°F), bake for an additional 5 minutes and verify once more, repeating till the skewer comes out clear.Let the cake cool within the pan for five minutes, then flip it out onto a wire rack to chill fully.Mud with icing sugar, or frost and enhance as you want.
Each metric and US customary measurements are supplied. Use the toggle on the recipe card to change between the 2. Observe that US customary cups are smaller in measurement than NZ cups. For finest outcomes use grams.
Air fryer measurement: This recipe was examined in a 5.3L basket model air fryer. Air fryers differ in how sizzling they run, so verify the cake from round 22 minutes the primary time you make it.
Room temperature substances: The butter, eggs and yoghurt must be at room temperature so the batter emulsifies correctly. Chilly substances give a denser cake.
If the highest browns too quick: Lay a bit of foil loosely over the tin and tuck the perimeters beneath so it doesn’t blow round within the basket.
The look of the highest: The highest of an air fryer cake is normally a little bit uneven as a result of the recent air hits it straight. It doesn’t have an effect on the feel, and a dusting of icing sugar or a layer of frosting hides it fully.
Oven technique: To bake this in a standard oven as an alternative, bake at 180°C (350°F) and begin checking at 25 minutes.
Storage: Retailer in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as 3 days, or within the fridge for as much as 4 days. To freeze, wrap the cooled cake tightly and freeze for as much as 3 months.
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 203kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 4gFat: 6gSaturated Fats: 1gPolyunsaturated Fats: 1gMonounsaturated Fats: 3gTrans Fats: 0.02gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 248mgPotassium: 71mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 94IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 1mg
Key phrase 6 inch vanilla cake, air fryer cake, air fryer vanilla cake, small batch vanilla cake, vanilla cake no oven
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