Air Fryer Chocolate Cake with Nectarines

Airfryer cake

Since I was given a Landmann Fryton Barbecue in August 2023, I have been itching to try out the built-in air fryer.  Of course, being me, I couldn’t just air fry some French fries like a normal person, I had to make it more creative.  Once I decided on a chocolate cake, I concluded that I ought to serve it warm with chocolate sauce since I’d be baking it during a barbecue.

It did take me 5 attempts at baking in my air fryer before felt it was good enough to publish, but my wife didn’t complain!

airfryer closeup

Ingredients for 7inch x 3 deep cake tin (6-8 portions)

250 grams self raising white flour

180 grams soft brown sugar

2 large eggs

100 grams soften unsalted butter

2 Tbsp veg oil

60 grams good quality unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2Tbsp rice vinegar*

1teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon of instant coffee (optional)

125 ml semi skimmed milk

1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 Tbsp water

Cake Batter

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 320°F (160°C). Rub butter on a 7-inch 3 inch deep cake pan. Then line the bottom with baking paper/greaseproof paper.
  2. Sift the flour, baking soda, and cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer). Now stir in your brown sugar
  3. Pour the milk into a measuring jug, cut open the vanilla pod and scrape the vanilla seeds into the milk, then stir in the tsp of instant coffee.
  4. Add the butter, eggs, rice vinegar and milk to the dry ingredients and start beating on a low speed to combine the ingredients. Once smooth, add the vegetable oil and water, then increase the speed to high to get some air into the mix. From time to time stop the mixer and use a spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.  Mix for a total of 5 minutes (too long and the cake texture will be tough).
  5. Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan and level with a wet spatula.
  6. To help the cake bake evenly either use a cake collar securing it tightly to the sides of the tin or cover the top of the pan with aluminum foil (poke a few holes on the foil to allow for air circulation). The cake collar must be soaked in cold water before wrapping around the cake tin.
  7. Place the cake pan into the air fryer basket. Bake for 40 minutes at 160 C and lower the temperature to 155 C and bake for another 14 minutes.
  8. *Whilst the cake is baking make the chocolate sauce and grilled nectarines.
  9. Use a toothpick inserted in the center to make use the cake is cooked (it should come out clean).
  10. Remove the cake from the air fryer and turn onto a cake wire rack (upside down). Leave the cake pan this way for 15 minutes to begin to cool.
  11. Gently lift the cake tin off the cake and carefully remove the paper circle before cutting into portions.

Chocolate Sauce

200ml whipping cream

125g best quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces

50ml water

80g unsalted butter, cubed

caster sugar (superfine sugar), as required

Method

  1. Pour the cream into a shallow saucepan and bring it to the boil.
  2. Reduce the temperature all the way down to a low flame, then add in the broken-up chocolate.
  3. Whisk the ingredients until the chocolate has melted into the cream. Gradually whisk in the water, followed by the butter a little at a time.
  4. Taste your sauce and if you wish whisk in a little caster sugar.

Grilling the Nectarines

3 large ripe nectarines cut in half

½ teaspoon Mixed Spice (similar to All Spice)

3 Tbsp Peach Schnapps

Fresh Raspberries to decorate

juice and zest from 1 large lemon

Vegetable Oil

3 Tbsp Caster Sugar

Sour cream

Method:

  1. Remove the stones from your nectarines and brush lightly with vegetable oil.
  2. Heat the sugar in a non stick frying pan until begins to turn lightly brown at the edges.
  3. Add the  juice and zest of the lemon and the peach schnapps, stir well and cook making sure the sugar has completely melted, then remove from the heat.
  4. Heat the grill up to a medium heat and grill the nectarines 3 minutes cut side down.
  5. Turn the nectarines over and cook them 2 more minutes then transfer them to the frying pan. Keep warm on a low heat and baste with the peach syrup, then sprinkle with mixed spice.

To Serve:

Cut the cake into 6 even portions and place into bowls or plates. Drizzle with the warm chocolate sauce and serve with half a nectarine and a dollop of sour cream

Chefs Notes

The purpose of the collar is help even the heat during the cooking process so the cake rises evenly. *Vinegar in the cake batter helps to make the cake batter rise more which is particularly helpful in air fryers.

Air Fryer Chocolate Cake with Nectarines©KevinAshton2024

44 thoughts on “Air Fryer Chocolate Cake with Nectarines”

  1. This looks incredible Chef! This might sound a silly question but does the recipe for the cake work just as well in the oven? I don’t have an air fryer you see.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Hi Sailorfusion and thank you for your continued support. And thank you for this great question!

      Yes the recipe does work equally well in the oven as in an air fryer.
      Best Wishes
      Kevin 🙂

      Like

      Reply

  4. Bonjour je suis là pour te souhaiter une agréable semaine ET MERCI POUR LA RECETTE

    A une personne que j’apprécie
    Que tout, en ce jour te soit joie de grande beauté

    Ce matin au levé du jour sera une journée pour venir saluer tous mes amis amis 
    Que ce beau jour vous soit d’une douceur infinie 
    Beau comme un beau poème 
    Une belle journée qui a pour thème L’amitié 

    Bise amicale Bernard

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

  10. I wanna b the best cook in my city n a specialist in what i do; Pie( homè made).
    What’s can i do- and to simultaneously generate income (unemployment rate in South a
    Africa is high)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Learning to cook in any country is first about learning techniques. Try to find someone who is a very good cook and learn from them. As you cooking skills grown you develop your own cooking style to make your recipes the best.

      I can’t really give you advice about generating an income because I don’t know enough about the culinary scene in South Africa.

      But, being a good cook can be very helpful in finding work even when unemployment is high because people still need to eat.

      Best Of Luck
      Kevin

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      Reply

  17. A pleasure visit your blog Kevin.
    Cheers to a chocolate cake 🙂
    Thank’s it was so fun, hope yours as well.🎃
    Agree this year is running and sure it will be a wonderful close of it.
    All the best!
    Elvira x

    Liked by 2 people

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