An air fryer is not just for chips and crumbed chicken. It bakes beautifully , and a birthday cake is one of the best things you can make in it.
It heats up faster than an oven, uses less electricity , and delivers an evenly baked, golden brown sponge without you having to switch on a full oven for one cake.
Here is how to get it right, along with a simple recipe worth keeping.
What You Will Find in This Guide
- Why an air fryer works so well for baking
- How to prep your tin and your batter
- The right settings for an even bake
- An easy birthday cake recipe
- How to tell when your cake is done
Why an Air Fryer Bakes So Well
An air fryer works by circulating hot air rapidly around the drawer, which is exactly what a fan oven does, only in a much smaller space.
That compact space is the advantage. It heats up in minutes, holds temperature well, and bakes a cake through evenly.
For a single birthday cake, it is faster and far more economical than heating a full-sized oven.
Prep: Getting Set Up Properly
Tin size is the one thing people get wrong. Your tin has to fit inside the drawer with room for air to circulate around it, so measure before you buy.
A 15cm to 18cm round tin is the sweet spot for a 10L air fryer like the Bennett Read 10L Digital Air Fryer . Anything larger will block airflow and bake unevenly.
Grease the tin well and line the base with baking paper.
Bring your butter and eggs to room temperature before you start, as cold ingredients do not cream together properly and you will end up with a dense sponge.
The Right Settings
Bake low and slow.
Set your air fryer to 160°C, which is lower than you would use for an oven cake, because the circulating air is more intense at close range.
Preheat for three to five minutes so the cake starts baking the moment it goes in. Most air fryer cake recipes need 25 to 30 minutes at this temperature.
If the top is browning too quickly before the middle is set, lay a piece of foil loosely over the tin and carry on baking. This is normal and easily managed.
Easy Air Fryer Birthday Cake Recipe
You Will Need
- 125g butter, softened
- 150g castor sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 180g self-raising flour
- 4 tbsp milk
Method
- Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla.
- Fold in the flour gently, then loosen the batter with the milk until it drops easily off a spoon.
- Pour into your greased, lined tin and level the top.
- Preheat the air fryer to 160°C, then bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Check at 25 minutes. The cake is done when it is golden brown, springs back when pressed, and a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool completely in the tin before turning out and icing.
For a simple buttercream, beat 100g softened butter with 200g icing sugar and a splash of milk until smooth. Decorate however the birthday deserves.
Baking a birthday cake in an air fryer is easier than most people expect.
Get the tin size right, drop the temperature, preheat properly, and you will get a light, evenly baked sponge every time.
Once you have made one cake this way, you will start reaching for the air fryer instead of the oven far more often.
Explore the full Bennett Read air fryer range and find the right one for your kitchen.
FAQs
Can you bake in an air fryer?
Yes. An air fryer circulates hot air in the same way a fan oven does, so it bakes cakes, muffins, scones and bread very well.
The main differences are that you bake at a slightly lower temperature, usually around 160°C, and you need a tin small enough to let air circulate around it inside the drawer.
How to bake in an air fryer for beginners?
Start simple. Use a tin that fits your drawer with space around it, grease and line it, and preheat the air fryer for three to five minutes.
Drop the temperature by about 20°C from what an oven recipe calls for, and check your bake a few minutes early.
If the top browns too fast, cover it loosely with foil.
What is the best air fryer for baking cakes in South Africa?
Look for capacity, accurate temperature control and a preheat function.
The Bennett Read 10L Digital Air Fryer ticks all three, with a 10L drawer that takes an 18cm tin comfortably, adjustable temperature from 30°C to 200°C, and preheat, keep-warm and reheat settings.
It also comes with a 5-year warranty when you register online.
