by Elisabeth Duckeck
My mother was an expert when it came to apple cake. She always made it in a traditional springform tin, using butter for the batter. The whole house would fill with the wonderful smell of freshly baked apple cake.
My mother’s traditional apple cake
She always made a classic sponge cake and prepared the apples differently from the way I do in this recipe. Instead of cutting them into thin slices, she simply quartered them and made a few lengthwise cuts in each quarter, just deep enough to keep the pieces intact. She then arranged the apples on top of the batter and generously sprinkled them with sugar and cinnamon. As the cake baked, the slits opened up slightly, allowing the cinnamon-sugar mixture to seep into the apples. I absolutely love this combination of apples and cinnamon!
Unfortunately, my daughter has a fructose intolerance, so cakes containing fruit are rarely served at our house for afternoon coffee.
A small apple cake from the air fryer
Since I hadn’t eaten apple cake in ages, and I recently came across a silicone cake tin while tidying up – one I had bought for my very first small air fryer – I came up with the idea of putting it to good use. Why not bake a little cake for my husband and me in the air fryer?
Switching on the large oven for such a small cake would be a waste of energy. The batter is quick to prepare, requires only a handful of ingredients and takes almost half the time to bake, as there is no need to preheat a conventional oven.
The quantities are ideal for one or two people, or when you spontaneously fancy baking something for an afternoon coffee visit.
Admittedly, this is my first time baking a cake in an air fryer, but I have to say the result is really quite impressive!
Tips for the success of your baking:
For this recipe, I use a round silicone cake tin (17 cm / 6.7 inches) that fits into my air fryer. If you have a baking function on your air fryer, use it. Otherwise, the regular air fryer setting works too.
The consistency of the batter is important. It should be soft and fluffy but not too runny. Add the milk gradually until the batter falls slowly from the beaters in thick ribbons.
For the best result, use a large apple that holds its shape during baking. Cut it into thin, evenly sized slices so that they cook at the same rate.
One little kitchen hack: I’m often too lazy to sift flour, so I simply use a whisk instead. Put the flour and baking powder (and cocoa powder too, if the recipe calls for it) into a bowl and whisk them together vigorously. It has pretty much the same effect as sifting, without the extra washing up!
Cooking tip:
To create the attractive fan-shaped apple topping, arrange the apple slices upright next to each other first. Then gently tilt them all in the same direction. This creates a more even and uniform pattern.
I also recommend placing a piece of suitably sized baking parchment in the silicone mould if you are using margarine. The cake becomes particularly light and fluffy, and the parchment makes it easier to lift it out of the mould.
Always check whether the cake is fully baked before removing it from the air fryer. Insert a wooden skewer or toothpick into the centre. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready.
Last but not least:
You can use either butter or margarine for this apple cake, but the results are slightly different.
With margarine, the cake becomes particularly light, fluffy and airy. Depending on the type of margarine, its fat and water composition, as well as its emulsifiers, can help incorporate air into the batter during creaming. The cake also tends to stay soft for longer, even after cooling.
As the cake is very delicate, I recommend using an additional layer of baking parchment in the silicone mould. This makes it easier to remove the cake without breaking it. You can simply peel the paper away before serving.
With butter, the cake has a slightly denser, moister texture and a finer crumb. You also get that lovely, characteristic buttery flavour with subtle caramel notes. When using butter, I find that baking parchment in the silicone mould is not necessary.
Margarine has a more neutral flavour, allowing the apples and vanilla to take centre stage. Butter, on the other hand, gives the cake a richer, more traditional flavour. Since fat is an important carrier of flavour, the choice really comes down to personal preference.
Air Fryer Apple Cake
Equipment
- air-fryer
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- mixing bowl
- Kitchen sieve
- Measuring spoons
- Kitchen scale
- Silicone cake tin (17 cm / 6.7 inches)
- Baking parchment (optional)
- Knife and chopping board
- Wooden skewer or toothpick
What you need
For the cake batter:
- 70 gr (5 Tbsp) softened butter or margarine
- 60 gr (¼ cup + 1 Tbsp) sugar
- 1 large egg size L
- 1 packet vanilla sugar approximately 2 tsp
- 110 gr (⅞ cup) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1-2 Tbsp milk or more if needed
For the topping:
- 1 large apple
- A little lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
How to prepare
- Quarter, peel and core the apple. Cut it into thin slices and drizzle with a little lemon juice to prevent browning. Set aside.
- Place the softened butter or margarine, sugar and vanilla sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and continue beating on high speed for another 2–3 minutes.
- Mix the flour with the baking powder and salt, then sift. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two portions. Mix briefly on low speed, then increase the speed until just combined.
- Gradually add enough milk until the batter falls slowly from the beaters in thick ribbons.
- Transfer the batter to a round silicone cake tin (17 cm / 6.7 inches in diameter) and smooth the surface.
- Arrange the apple slices in a fan shape on top of the batter.
- Mix the sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the apple slices.
- Bake in the air fryer at 160°C (320°F) for 25–30 minutes, using the bake function if available. Check for doneness by inserting a wooden skewer or toothpick into the centre. The cake is ready when it comes out clean.
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