Air Fryer Lemon Drizzle Cake

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Lemon Drizzle is always wonderful. Tangy, moist, and incredibly delightful, it’s the ideal treat! This Air Fryer Lemon Drizzle Cake is an outstanding interpretation of a beautiful classic!

I adore lemon drizzle cake.

Just as much as I appreciate chocolate, zesty fruit cakes like lemon, lime, or orange drizzle are consistently my top picks.

Although I prefer baking in the oven over the air fryer, it’s an excellent alternative and a suitable choice if, for any reason, baking in the oven isn’t possible.

If you’ve successfully created an air fryer Victoria sponge, this air fryer lemon drizzle cake recipe is the next perfect step!

Reasons I Adore Air Fryer Lemon Drizzle Cake

Lemon Drizzle Cake in the Air Fryer is fantastic because:

• Once you master this air fryer cake, you can begin making other fruity drizzles.
• It works! I’ve encountered some air fryer cake recipes that turn out terribly dense, uneven, and disappointing. While the air fryer may not create a perfectly uniform cake, this one is remarkably close, and the sponge is delightfully springy and soft.
• Lemon Cake in the air fryer is scrumptious!
• It’s a simple recipe.
• You can modify the flavor or skip some of the lemony layers if you prefer. I favor a quite lemony air fryer lemon cake.

Ingredients For Air Fryer Lemon Drizzle Cake

The ingredients for my lemon drizzle in the air fryer are nearly identical to my lemon drizzle loaf cake (made in a 2lb loaf tin), with a couple of slight alterations and the inclusion of a buttercream filling.

I utilize:

For the Air Fryer Lemon Sponge

Margarine – Room-temperature unsalted butter can also be used. However, resist the temptation to use margarine for the buttercream.

Caster Sugar

Eggs

Lemons – Incorporate the lemon zest and juice.

Self-Raising Flour – Self-raising flour is preferred. If you only have plain, add an additional teaspoon of baking powder.

Baking Powder – I usually don’t add baking powder when using self-raising flour. But I believe some air fryer cakes require a bit of additional assistance.

For the Lemon Syrup

Caster Sugar

Fresh Lemon Juice

For the Lemon Buttercream Icing

Unsalted Butter

Icing Sugar

Fresh Lemon Juice – I use only a small amount, resulting in a relatively mild flavor. For a more intense flavor, I suggest using lemon essence, as you’ll need less quantity, which won’t impact the texture of the

Add buttercream judiciously. Begin with a teaspoon and taste prior to incorporating additional amounts.

For the Lemon Drizzle Topping

Confectioners’ Sugar

Lemon Juice

This component is not mandatory, but it appears and tastes fantastic!

You Will Also Require

When preparing lemon drizzle cakes in my air fryer, in addition to the air fryer itself, I utilize:

• Large mixing bowl – or two, if you prefer not to clean it for the buttercream.
• Small bowl – For the drizzle.
• Small saucepan
• Wooden Spoon
• Electric handheld whisk. I make use of this one(affiliate link).
• Silicone cake moulds(affiliate link).
• Cover for saucepan
• Spatula
• Small grater – For zest.
• Wooden Skewer – To verify the bake and poke the cake.

Steps to Craft Lemon Drizzle Cake in an Air Fryer – Detailed Instructions

Complete, easy-to-follow directions and measurements are found in the recipe card at the end of this entry.

Step One

Preheat your air fryer to 160 degrees C, scheduled for 25 minutes.

If your air fryer lacks a pre-heat option, adjust it to 160 degrees C for 27 minutes, placing the cakes in after 2.

Step Two

Prepare two cake pans that fit well into your air fryer. I utilize two 6-inch round silicone moulds.

If your air fryer differs in size or shape and you’re using other size pans, you might need to modify cooking times and amounts.

When using metal pans, either grease or line them.

Step Three

Beat the margarine and caster sugar until homogeneous. I employ an electric whisk, but it can also be done manually.

Step Four

Incorporate the eggs, one by one.

Step Five

Introduce the lemon juice and zest, and combine thoroughly. It may appear to be separated, but it will unify once you integrate the flour.

Step Six

Sift in the flour and baking powder.

Step Seven

Whisk until uniform.

Step Eight

Distribute evenly into the two cake pans.

Step Nine

Insert the first cake in the air fryer and bake for 15 minutes.

Step Ten

After 15 minutes, open the air fryer and carefully cover the cake pan with foil or an appropriate heatproof lid.

I utilize a heat-resistant metal saucepan lid that I just quickly position on.

If you opt for foil, you can’t simply place it lightly like in an oven. It will blow off and make contact with the element. You’ll have to scrunch it down to hold it in place, meaning the drawer will be open longer, and the temperature will not be consistent.

A lid is preferable, but only if you possess one that fits your pan and is appropriate for air fryer use.

Step Eleven

Close the air fryer and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.

Step Twelve

Carefully lift the cover and utilize a skewer to ensure the cake is thoroughly baked. Return, covered, if required, monitoring every five minutes.

Step Thirteen

Once the cake is baked, take it out of the air fryer and allow it to cool in the pan.

Step Fourteen

Do the same with the second cake. If the first required more time, keep in mind, this one will as well.

Step Fifteen

The first cake should still be warm when the second emerges from the air fryer. Leave both in their pans and poke all over with a wooden skewer.

Step Sixteen

Combine the caster sugar and lemon juice for the syrup in a small saucepan and gently heat over low temperature for a few minutes, stirring frequently while ensuring it does not simmer, until the sugar dissolves. This doesn’t require much time.

Avoid the temptation to thicken it. It will harden rock solid on the cake. It’s fine that it is thin.

Step Seventeen

Remove the syrup from the heat and pour it over the still warm cake.

Step Eighteen

Allow to cool completely in the pans.

Step Nineteen

Once the cakes are cool, deftly transfer them from the pans onto a wire rack.

Step Twenty

Carefully level them with a sharp knife or cake leveller if they have risen significantly.

I occasionally level the bottom one but usually don’t bother with the top. Keep in mind, air fryer baking isn’t as delicate as oven baking, so having an uneven or cracked top is standard.

Step Twenty-One

Soften the butter by mixing it with a wooden spoon or whisking it gently. Only employ an electric whisk for this if it is robust. I have broken one attempting to blend buttercream.

Step Twenty-Two

Incorporate the confectioners’ sugar and whisk or beat until the mixture is smooth.

Step Twenty-Three

Gradually add the lemon juice, tablespoon by tablespoon, and whisk or mix until the mixture is consistent. Taste and incorporate more lemon for a bolder flavor or a more spreadable texture.

Liquid significantly affects icing, so be sure to add only a little at a time.

If a stronger flavor is desired, use lemon essence, again adding only a little at a time.

Step Twenty-Four

Pipe or spread onto the surface of one of the cakes.

Step Twenty-Five

Gently place the other cake on top.

Step Twenty-Six

Blend the confectioners’ sugar with a splash of lemon juice, adding a bit at a time until it reaches a thick but pourable texture.

You can include a splash of water as well, for a softer flavor.

Step Twenty-Seven

Drizzle generously over the cake, or utilize a spoon to cascade over the top.

Key Recommendations

This air-fried lemon drizzle cake is quite straightforward, and the majority of my advice pertains to all air fryer baked goods:

• Don’t anticipate it to be flawless. Air frying isn’t a delicate operation; you may encounter fissures, domes, and an inconsistent rise. Don’t fret about it.
• If you possess a lid that fits, use it. Aluminum foil will suffice, but you’ll need to secure it tightly to prevent it from blowing off, which means the drawer will remain open for some time and the temperature will fluctuate.
• If you have two air fryer drawers or baskets, bake them both at the same time.
• Check the center with a skewer and continue baking if necessary.
• Pierce generously so the syrup can penetrate.
• We refer to it as syrup, but it’s genuinely very thin. If you attempt to thicken it, it will solidify like stone. You should only simmer until the sugar has dissolved.
• I favor using silicone molds in the air fryer.

Serving Ideas

This lemon drizzle cake in the air fryer is complemented with buttercream and a lemon glaze, so it’s essentially perfect as it is.

You could top it with some cream or ice cream, although it isn’t necessary.

Alterations

There are several variations you might consider when preparing an air fryer lemon drizzle cake.

Utilize Lemon Essence

I suggest using essence if you desire a more intense flavor in the buttercream. However, if you’re short on fresh lemons, you could also incorporate it into your sponge. Begin with one teaspoon.

I don’t recommend anything other than fresh lemon for the syrup or glaze.

Top with Buttercream

This buttercream recipe provides enough to spread or pipe on the top as well, if desired.

Incorporate Lemon Curd

Including a layer of lemon curd in the center of the cake, along with the buttercream, or drizzling some on top of the cake, introduces another dimension of sweet lemony flavor.

I do this if we happen to have some on hand, but I wouldn’t purchase it specifically for the cake.

Remaining Cake

There is no such thing as leftover cake. Just consume it until it’s finished.

Preservation

I keep my air fryer lemon drizzle cake in a covered cake stand on my kitchen countertop.

It won’t require refrigeration unless your kitchen is excessively warm.

Being a relatively moist cake, it remains fresh for about three days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Additional Recipes

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Recipe Card

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