How to Bake Cake in an Air Fryer Without Parchment Paper

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Baking a cake in an air fryer without parchment paper sounds like a small improvisation, until you try it and realize how quickly things can stick, scorch, or bake unevenly. I’ve spent years testing air fryer recipes in both commercial and home kitchens, and one of the most persistent challenges is adapting traditional oven techniques to the compact, high-airflow environment of an air fryer.

The issue most people run into isn’t just the lack of parchment paper, it’s that air fryers circulate heat differently than ovens, concentrating heat from all angles and dehydrating surfaces more quickly. Parchment paper typically buffers that heat and prevents sticking, but when you remove it, your preparation, batter consistency, and vessel choice all matter much more.

Most online advice glosses over the science: a cake doesn’t fail because you skipped parchment; it fails because the surface, fat distribution, and insulation aren’t balanced for that intense air flow. Once you understand why, baking a perfect, evenly risen cake without parchment paper becomes straightforward.

How to bake cake in air fryer without parchment paper

1. Prepare Your Pan

• What to do: Coat your pan thoroughly with softened butter or neutral oil, reaching every corner. Dust evenly with flour or cocoa powder.
• Why it matters: This dual coating forms a fine, dry film that allows the cake to release once the internal steam has cooled.
• If skipped: The cake will weld itself to the pan bottom, tearing when removed.

2. Mix Your Batter with Air Fryer Baking in Mind

• What to do: Beat eggs and sugar until pale and thick, then fold in dry ingredients gently to prevent overaeration.
• Why it matters: Air fryers cook faster; too much trapped air expands violently, creating cracks or dome tops. A denser, more stable batter bakes evenly.
• If skipped: Overmixed batter rises rapidly then collapses, leading to a gummy texture.

3. Fill the Pan Correctly

• What to do: Fill only halfway or two-thirds full.
• Why it matters: Air fryers have limited space and direct fan exposure. Overfilling leads to overflow or a burned top.
• If skipped: Batter touches the heating element and burns before the center cooks.

4. Set the Temperature Lower Than Oven Standards

• What to do: Bake at 320°F (160°C) for 20–25 minutes for small cakes, or 300°F (150°C) for larger ones.
• Why it matters: Air circulation causes faster browning; lowering temperature ensures the interior cooks before the crust overhardens.
• If skipped: The outside will darken too fast while the middle stays raw.

5. Rotate Midway (If Possible)

• What to do: At the halfway point, gently turn the pan 180°.
• Why it matters: Some air fryers have uneven airflow. Rotation ensures uniform color and texture.
• If skipped: One side may rise higher or brown excessively.

6. Check for Doneness Early

• What to do: Insert a toothpick 5 minutes before expected completion.
• Why it matters: Air fryers bake 30–40% faster than ovens.
• If skipped: You’ll overbake, leading to dry and brittle edges.

7. Cool Properly Before Removing

• What to do: Let the cake rest in the pan for 10–15 minutes before loosening edges with a silicone spatula.
• Why it matters: Cooling allows steam to detach the crust from the pan surface naturally.
• If skipped: The cake will tear or leave a thick residue behind.

The Real Reasons Behind Sticky or Uneven Air Fryer Cakes

When people try to bake in an air fryer without parchment paper, several predictable issues arise. Here’s what’s actually going on behind each one:

• High Air Velocity and Close Heat Source Air fryers use a small chamber with intense convection. This means the top of your cake is exposed to higher radiant heat and dry air, often causing early crusting or cracking. Parchment paper normally acts as a moisture shield under the batter. Without it, the sides and bottom lose moisture faster, which can cause sticking and uneven browning.
• Thin Baking Vessel Walls Many use the included air fryer basket or a thin aluminum pan. These heat faster than traditional cake tins, causing the batter near the edges to set too soon. If you don’t grease and flour the surface properly, the cake bonds tightly to the metal.
• Fat-to-Flour Ratio and Sugar Crystallization Air fryers amplify caramelization. If your recipe has a high sugar content or insufficient fat, the edges caramelize too quickly, and sugar acts like glue on a hot surface.
• Insufficient Cooling Time Before Removal Because of the smaller vessel, cakes retain more steam at the bottom. If you try to remove the cake immediately after baking, the sticky bottom will tear. This is one of the most common mistakes I see when people skip parchment.

What Actually Matters Before You Start

When baking a cake in an air fryer without parchment paper, your materials and preparation steps are more critical than usual.

1. Choose the Right Pan

Opt for a heavy, nonstick, oven-safe pan that fits comfortably inside your air fryer basket. Silicone molds work exceptionally well because they naturally release the cake without parchment. If using metal, pick one with a dark nonstick coating to ensure even heating but avoid scratched pans—those will stick no matter how well you grease them.

2. Proper Greasing Technique

You can’t rely on a quick spritz of oil. You need a layered release barrier:

• First, brush a thin coat of butter or shortening over every surface.
• Then, dust lightly with flour or fine semolina.
• Tap out the excess.

This creates a thin, dry film between batter and pan that mimics parchment’s function. For chocolate cakes, use cocoa powder instead of flour to avoid white streaks.

3. Manage Batter Moisture and Density

A slightly thicker batter works better in an air fryer. If the mixture is too liquid, it will bubble and cling to the sides during convection. If you’re adapting a traditional oven recipe, reduce liquid (milk or water) by about 10%.

4. Preheat the Air Fryer

Never skip preheating. Without parchment, the initial blast of hot air starts setting the outer layer immediately, and if the fryer isn’t up to temperature, it’ll stick and bake unevenly. A stable 320°F (160°C) preheat for 3–4 minutes is ideal.

Techniques That Separate Average Results from Excellent Ones

• Use a Silicone Pan or Liner Silicone maintains flexibility and releases cakes cleanly, even without parchment. It also moderates heat transfer, giving a gentler crust.
• Add a Moisture Buffer During long bakes, place a small, oven-safe cup of water in the corner of the fryer basket. The added humidity prevents excessive crusting and mimics the moisture-retaining effect parchment usually provides.
• Apply a Light Sugar Film After greasing, dust the pan with a spoonful of fine sugar instead of flour for sponge cakes. The sugar caramelizes to a delicate golden shell that releases naturally once cooled.
• Use Temperature Control by Phases Start at a slightly lower temperature (300°F/150°C) for the first 10 minutes, then raise it by 20°F (10°C). This prevents crust overdevelopment and allows the internal crumb to expand smoothly.
• Never Overload the Basket Unlike an oven, air fryers need space around the pan for airflow. If you block it, the top burns before the sides cook. Always leave at least ½ inch clearance around the vessel.

Common Mistakes (And Why They Cause Problems)

• Skipping the Flour Dusting Even with greasing, direct batter contact with metal locks in caramelized sugar. The flour layer is what makes the release smooth.
• Using Aerosol Spray Directly on Nonstick Surfaces Sprays build residue that becomes sticky at high air fryer temperatures. Always use a brush or paper towel to apply fat evenly.
• Opening the Air Fryer Too Often Every interruption drops the chamber temperature dramatically. The cake’s center collapses when heat isn’t steady.
• Using Too High a Temperature Many online recipes recommend 350°F, but that’s excessive for most air fryers. You end up with a dry crust and raw center.
• Removing Before Cooling Cakes baked without parchment need more resting time to release their grip naturally. Impatience is the number-one cause of broken layers.

Variations, Adjustments, and Real-World Scenarios

1. Different Air Fryer Models

• Basket-style: Direct airflow from top; reduce temperature by 10°F and shield the top with foil halfway through if it browns too fast.
• Oven-style: More even heat distribution; similar results to a toaster oven but still faster.

2. Ingredient Substitutions

• Dairy-Free: Coconut oil or vegan butter works fine for greasing; just ensure they’re solidified at room temperature for better coating.
• Gluten-Free: These batters tend to be more delicate; line pan with a greased silicone mat or increase fat slightly to aid release.

3. Small Batch or Cupcake Adaptations

Muffin molds or ramekins work beautifully in air fryers. Reduce baking time to about 12–15 minutes at 320°F. The principle stays the same, grease well, don’t overfill, and let cool before removing.

4. Altitude or Humidity Adjustments

At high altitude or low humidity, air fryer cakes dry faster. Add a tablespoon of extra liquid or lower temperature slightly to retain moisture.

Troubleshooting Guide

Problem	Likely Cause	Fix
Cake sticks to bottom	Inadequate greasing or no flour barrier	Re-coat pan with butter + flour; allow longer cooling before removal
Cake burns on top	Temperature too high or cake too close to heating element	Lower rack position or cover loosely with foil halfway
Center remains raw	Overfilled pan or insufficient bake time	Reduce batter amount; extend baking by 5 minutes at lower temp
Cake too dry	Overbaked or insufficient fat	Shorten bake time, or add 10–15 g more butter next batch
Uneven browning	Poor air circulation or no rotation	Rotate halfway or use smaller pan
Cracked surface	Batter too airy or temperature spike	Mix gently, preheat consistently

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I bake any cake recipe in an air fryer without parchment paper? Yes, but it’s easier with denser batters, like pound or butter cakes. Very light sponges or angel food cakes rely heavily on parchment for structure and are trickier.

2. Is silicone better than metal for air fryer cakes? Absolutely. Silicone naturally resists sticking and distributes heat more slowly, which suits the concentrated heat of an air fryer.

3. How do I clean up if the cake sticks anyway? Soak the pan in warm water for 15 minutes, then use a nylon scraper. Never use metal; you’ll damage the nonstick surface.

4. Can I use foil instead of parchment paper? You can, but foil reflects heat aggressively and may overbrown the edges. If you use it, grease it very well and reduce temperature by about 10%.

5. Why does my cake dome too much in the air fryer? The top cooks faster than the inside. Lower the temperature slightly and avoid opening the basket early.

6. Can I line the bottom with a silicone mat cut to size? Yes—it’s the best long-term alternative to parchment. It provides release and insulation without burning.

7. How long should I let the cake cool before removing? At least 10–15 minutes, depending on size. The smaller the cake, the faster it sets, but resist rushing—it’s the difference between a clean edge and crumbs everywhere.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to bake cake in an air fryer without parchment paper teaches you more than just an alternative technique, it forces you to understand how heat, fat, and moisture interact in confined convection. Once you adjust for that, results can actually surpass an oven’s: finer crumb, deeper caramelization, and faster bake times.

The essential lessons are simple but non-negotiable: prepare your pan meticulously, respect the air fryer’s speed, and let the cake rest before handling. The absence of parchment doesn’t have to mean compromise, just precision.

After years of experimenting, the best cakes I’ve made in my air fryer weren’t the ones protected by paper; they were the ones where I understood exactly how to create that perfect release and crumb without shortcuts. Get those details right, and you’ll never miss the parchment again.