How to make air fryer birthday cake - this easy vanilla birthday cake recipe is simple, delicious and moist, and all made in your air fryer. Now there’s no need to turn your oven on to bake a cake! The vanilla cake recipe is designed to work perfectly in an air fryer. I’ve used a pink buttercream frosting for this birthday cake, but you can use whatever your favorite frosting is and what ever color you prefer.

How to make Air Fryer Birthday Cake

Scroll down for amounts of ingredients

Step 1

In a large bowl cream butter, oil, white sugar and vanilla.

Add the eggs and yogurt.

Add the dry ingredients and milk and mix to combine. Do not over mix.

Step 2

Divide the batter in half, and pour into two 8 inch cake pans, greased and lined with parchment paper.

Step 3

Bake the cakes in a preheated air fryer at 110 °C (240 °F) for around 25 - 28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Please be aware that cook timing MAY VARY based on your air fryer. At the 25 minute mark check the cake.

As soon as the cakes come out of the air fryer LIGHTLY brush the top with some milk. Don't go overboard, a light brush is more than enough.

Step 4

Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then turn the cakes over and allow cakes to cool completely before frosting and adding sprinkles.

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Pro Tips

Remember cooking time will vary depending on your air fryer. So keep checking the cake after 25 minutes to see when it’s done. In my air fryer, in testing, it took up to 28 minutes to bake.

If you’re using the buttercream frosting DO NOT refrigerate this cake, otherwise the frosting will harden. Store at room temperature.

Watch the video tutorial

Ingredients

For the vanilla cake

110 g (1 stick) Softened butter

40 g (3 tbsp) Coconut oil

160 g (¾ cup) Sugar

1½ tbsp Vanilla extract

2 Large eggs

270 g (1¾ cups flour) All purpose flour

3 tsp Baking powder

120 g (½ cup) Unsweetened full fat yogurt

60 g (¼ cup) Milk

½ tsp Salt

For the frosting

350 g (3 sticks) Softened butter

350 g (3 cups) Powdered sugar

2 tsp Vanilla extract

Splash of milk (or heavy cream) for a looser frosting

Pinch of salt ( Don’t skip the salt!)

A few drops of pink food coloring

Sprinkles

Instructions

For the vanilla cake

In a large bowl cream butter, oil, white sugar and vanilla.

Add the eggs and yogurt.

Add the dry ingredients and milk and mix to combine. Do not over mix.

Divide the batter in half, and pour into two 8 inch cake pans, greased and lined with parchment paper.

Bake the cakes in a preheated air fryer at 110 °C (240 °F) for around 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Please be aware that cook timing MAY VARY based on your air fryer. At the 25 minute mark check the cake. The cake should spring back, if it doesn’t cook for another 3-5 minutes.

As soon as the cakes come out of the air fryer LIGHTLY brush the top with some milk. Don't go overboard, a light brush is more than enough.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then turn the cakes over and allow cakes to cool completely before frosting and adding sprinkles.

For the buttercream frosting

In a bowl beat the butter and vanilla extract for 2 minutes until fluffy and softened.

Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue to beat this mixture until smooth, creamy and well-combined.

For a looser frosting add room temp milk or a splash of heavy cream.

Buttercream frosting can be made up to a week in advance. If making this frosting in advance, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to use bring it to room temperature before re-whipping and using it.

Once the cake is frosted, cover the cake and store it at room temp.

About EmmaFontanella.com

Thanks so much for visiting! I’m Emma Fontanella, a pastry chef based in Rome, Italy and New York in the United States. You might know me from my YouTube channel, Emma’s Goodies. I really believe the best baking is done at home, so this site is where I share my recipes designed for home bakers - from beginners to the most advanced.

Here you’ll find written step-by-step instructions for hundreds of my recipes, along with full video tutorials.

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