Air Fryer Lemon Cake
Air fryer lemon cake gives you a small, moist sponge with a tangy lemon glaze, baked in a 15cm tin without heating the oven. The batter uses a classic all-in-one sponge ratio of butter, sugar, eggs and flour, scaled to suit a standard basket. It bakes in 30 minutes at 160°C, and the glaze goes on while the cake is still warm. Allow about an hour and a half from start to slice, including cooling.
- Total
- 1 h 25 min
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Serves
- 6
- Per serving
- 345kcal
Choosing the ingredients for air fryer lemon cake
Use an unwaxed lemon, because the zest goes straight into the batter. A single lemon provides everything: the zest and a spoonful of juice for the sponge, with the rest for the glaze. Room-temperature butter and eggs blend smoothly, and sifted flour gives a lighter crumb.
The quantities here are deliberately smaller than a classic 18cm lemon cake. A full-size batter will not fit a basket and will overbrown before the centre is cooked.
Air fryer lemon cake: the method
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Get ready Heat the air fryer to 160°C while you prepare the batter. Grease the cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.
- Cream the butter and sugar Beat the butter and caster sugar together for , until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour with the second egg if the mixture looks like it is curdling.
- Add the lemon and flour Stir in the lemon zest and 1 tbsp of the lemon juice. Sift in the flour and add the milk, then fold gently with a metal spoon until just combined. Spoon the batter into the tin and level the top.
- Bake Put the tin in the basket and bake at 160°C for . If the top is browning before the middle is set, lay a piece of foil loosely over it for the rest of the bake. The cake is done when a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.
- Glaze Leave the cake in the tin for . Stir the icing sugar with 2 tbsp of lemon juice. Prick the top of the cake all over with the skewer, then spoon over the glaze so it soaks in.
- Cool Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and leave for , until the glaze has set and the cake is completely cool.
Serving and ideas
Slice it with a cup of tea, or serve warm with a spoonful of cream for pudding. For a lemon-heavy dessert, lemon mousse is a light follow-up, and if you want a plainer cake in the same basket, try air fryer pound cake.
To make it more of a drizzle cake, brush the sponge with the glaze while it is still hot, and add a few poppy seeds to the batter if you like.
Common problems and fixes for Air Fryer Lemon Cake
- The top is dark but the middle is raw.
- Basket heat is more direct than in an oven. Keep to 160°C, cover the cake loosely with foil once it is well browned and test with a skewer before taking it out.
- The baking paper lifts and touches the heating element.
- Always weigh the paper down with the tin or cut it to fit inside the tin. Never preheat the basket with loose paper in it.
- The batter splits when the eggs go in.
- Cold eggs cause curdling. Use room-temperature eggs and beat in a spoonful of the flour with the second egg to bring the mixture back together.
Frequently asked questions about Air Fryer Lemon Cake
What size tin fits in the air fryer?
A 15cm round tin suits most 4–5.5 litre baskets. Check that there is at least 2cm of space around the sides so the air can circulate, and use a deep tin so the batter does not rise over the rim.
How do I store lemon cake?
Keep it in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 3 days. Without the glaze, it freezes well for up to 3 months.
Can I double the recipe?
Not in one tin; a bigger cake will not cook through before the top burns. Bake two separate 15cm cakes one after the other instead.
What can I use instead of self-raising flour?
Use plain flour and add 2 tsp baking powder for every 150g. Mix it through the flour before sifting.
How did you like the recipe?
4.9 / 5 · 64 ratings
