Air Fryer Carrot Cake

Did you know you can bake really well in an air fryer? I made a carrot cake in the air fryer and it turned out delicious! Even better, it was ready in no time. This air fryer carrot cake recipe will show you how!

Recipe Ingredients

This air fryer carrot cake uses pretty much the same ingredients as my more traditional carrot cake recipe. It’s just a little bit faster, but if you do not have an air fryer the oven will work too. Read on for more tips and be sure to check the full details and ingredients in the recipe card below.

• eggs – the eggs provide lift and airiness into the carrot cake. I use medium sized eggs
• butter – while most carrot cakes use oil instead of butter, I went with melted butter for this recipe. Make sure to use unsalted butter
• sugar – I used light brown sugar since that gives extra flavor and moistness to the cake. Regular white sugar is an option too but I do prefer brown sugar
• vanilla extract – use store-bought or make your own vanilla extract
• flour – this recipe is made using all-purpose flour
• spices – I used a combination of cinnamon, ginger and cloves, but you can also use a spice blend like my recipe for speculaas spices or gingerbread spices.
• carrots – you can use both ready bought grated carrots or freshly grate them yourself. Keep in mind that ready bought tend to be slightly dryer, but both will work
• walnuts – I love adding some walnuts to the batter and some more on top, although it’s optional. You can also leave them out. I also use a few extra for decoration
• cream cheese – a carrot cake is not complete without that lovely cream cheese topping. Use your favorite brand of cream cheese and make sure it’s softened
• powdered sugar – for sweetening the cream cheese frosting

While not included in this recipe, I sometimes also use a bit of orange zest to add even more flavor.

How To Make Air Fryer Carrot Cake

You might be wondering: why would you even want to bake a cake in an air fryer? Well, I found that it’s much faster. The air fryer heats up quicker (even though my oven is already pretty fast), and the baking time is slightly shorter compared to making carrot cake in the oven. Win-win!

If I had to mention a downside compared to the oven, it’s that you can only bake one layer of carrot cake at a time in the air fryer. But considering how quick it is, I didn’t find that a problem.

So it’s up to you whether you go for carrot cake in the air fryer or stick with the traditional oven method. Both work and will give you a delicious result.

To make the carrot cake in the air fryer you start by taking a large mixing bowl and whisk eggs, melted butter and vanilla together. Mix the sugar into it. Now add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and the spices. You don’t need to mix for very long. Stop mixing as soon as it comes together.

Once the batter is done, add the grated carrot and the walnuts.

​Baking pan size

I used two round 6-inch/15 cm baking pans as they needed to fit into the air fryer basket. Make sure to double check the size of your specific air fryer as measurements might vary. Make sure to line the bottom of the cake pan with parchment paper so they will release easier.

Divide the batter over both pans and bake the cakes one by one for about 18 minutes at 350˚F/175˚C (conventional oven). Check with a skewer in the center of the cake to make sure that they are completely cooked and let it cool down on a wire rack.

Carrot cake frosting

An air-fryer carrot cake is already delicious without the frosting but I added frosting in between the layers as well as on top of the cake. It gives it that tangy finish that works so well with the cake itself.

Start by taking a large bowl and beat the butter until light and creamy. Add the cream cheese and vanilla and mix until smooth.

Add the powdered sugar and mix until creamy. It’s best to chill until ready to use.

Of course, make sure that both cake halves are completely cooled down before you add the frosting on top. You can use a piping bag like I did on the top of the cake or go for a more rustic look and just use a spatula. Both work fine.

BAKING TIP: For decoration, you can make little carrots out of fondant or marzipan. They look perfect on this cake. Or keep it easy and use ready-made sugar carrot decorations.

Storing Air Fryer Carrot Cake

Stored well covered in the refrigerator, the carrot cake will keep for 4-5 days. For the best taste, take it out about 30 minutes before serving so it can come to room temperature.

Can I freeze carrot cake?

Yes, you can freeze carrot cake (well wrapped). It will keep for about 3 months.

More Delicious Carrot Cake Recipes

Are you as much a fan of carrot cake as I am? Make sure to check out the recipes below as well:

• Carrot cake cheesecake
• Carrot cake truffles
• Carrot cake muffins