Cupcakes are an evergreen treat enjoyed by kids and adults alike. They are easy to make for any occasion like birthday parties, potlucks, get-togethers, or just for no special reason.
If you are looking for an air fryer cupcakes recipe, this one is a must-try. The cupcakes come out moist and delicious. These chocolate cupcakes are made from scratch without using a boxed cake mix.
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Ingredients
Only a few basic ingredients are needed to make these eggless air fryer chocolate cupcakes. You will need all-purpose flour, cacao powder, olive oil, water, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract.
As this is a no-eggs recipe, vinegar, baking powder, and baking soda are added.
If you don't have cacao powder, you can use Dutch-processed cocoa powder. You can also substitute olive oil with butter or vegan butter.
Once the cupcakes are baked icing is optional. You will need either cream cheese or butter cream for this. I used the cream cheese frosting and topped it with some sprinkles and grated chocolate.
Instructions
Making cupcakes in the air fryer is easy. It is really useful when you want to make a small batch or if the oven is busy.
The most crucial part of getting the cupcakes right is to weigh the dry ingredients like flour and cacao powder with a digital food scale. A packed cup can have much more flour than needed and can end up in a thicker batter and dry cupcakes.
Add all the wet and dry ingredients into the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. You can use any other bowl if using a hand blender or a hand mixer. Now with the help of the wire attachment, blend all the ingredients into a smooth batter, increasing the speed from 1 to 6. This can take about 3-5 minutes.
Pour the batter into silicone cupcake molds till about ¾th its capacity. Place them in the air fryer basket. There is no need to preheat the air fryer, it can be difficult to place the molds after preheating as the air fryer basket will be very hot.
Air fry the cupcakes for 12 minutes at 320°F. Once done, insert a toothpick or a butter knife to check for doneness. If it comes out clean then the cupcakes are done, else you can air fry them for another minute or two.
You may notice that the texture of the top of the cupcake is a little dry compared to when they are baked in the oven. Don't worry, once the cupcakes cool down completely, they will become moist from the top.
Also, you will notice that the shape of the cupcakes is a little lopsided. That is because of the airflow in the air fryer. Allow them to cool down completely on a cooling rack before icing or serving them.
Depending on the capacity of your air fryer, you may need to bake the cupcakes in multiple batches.
Substitutions
These air fryer cupcakes are made with basic ingredients found in the pantry. They are vegan and you can substitute a few ingredients if you like.
- Butter - instead of olive oil, you can use butter or vegan butter, however, they will turn out a little more dense.
- Cocoa powder - if you do not have cacao powder, you can replace it with cocoa powder, just ensure you use a good quality Dutch processed one.
Serving suggestions
This is a vegan chocolate cupcake made in the air fryer. You can enjoy it as is or apply some buttercream or cream cheese frosting. You can also drizzle some caramel sauce or chocolate sauce over it.
A chocolate ganache made with heavy cream and chocolate chips is also a quick and easy topping for this delicious cupcake.
These cupcakes are easy to make for kids' birthday parties. They can decorate their cupcakes with their favorite frostings, icing, and sprinkles, and be as creative as they can. They will surely enjoy the cupcakes more!
Equipment
I have made these chocolate cupcakes in the Instant Vortex Plus air fryer and they can be made in any air fryer, basket style, or with a tray. Depending on the capacity of your air fryer, you may have to bake the cupcakes in multiple batches.
Also, I have used silicone cupcakes with tabs which make it very easy to place and remove the cupcakes from the air fryer basket. If you have a muffin tray that fits in the air fryer, you can use it by lining it with paper cupcake liners.
A stand mixer comes in very handy to mix all the ingredients into a smooth batter. You can also use a hand blender or a hand mixer. I have used the 5 qt. KitchenAid bowl lift stand mixer.
Storage
Chocolate cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days. Putting the cupcakes in the refrigerator can make them a little dry.
It can also be frozen once they cool down completely, for a month. You can thaw them at room temperature and then apply your favorite frosting.
Top tip
These chocolate cupcakes can also be baked in the preheated oven at 350°F for about 15-18 minutes.
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📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Cupcakes
Ingredients
Wet ingredients
- 1 cup Water
- ⅓ cup Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Vinegar
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup All purpose flour (180 grams)
- 1 cup Organic cane sugar
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ⅓ cup Cacao Powder (30 grams, or cocoa powder)
Instructions
- Preferably, sift the all-purpose flour and cacao powder.
- Place all the wet and dry ingredients in the stand mixer bowl and mix well on medium speed using the wire attachment.
- Push any flour on the sides of the bowl using a silicone spatula while mixing the ingredients.
- Fill silicone cupcake holders with the cupcake batter to about ¾th its capacity.
- Air fry the cupcakes for 12 minutes at 320°F.
- Insert a toothpick in the center of the cupcake. If it comes out clean, it is done. Else air fry it for 1-2 minutes until done.
- Allow the cupcake to completely cool down before applying any frosting.
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Notes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake the cupcakes for about 15-18 minutes until the toothpick comes out clean.
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