This single-serving chocolate cake is so easy to make and uses boxed cake mix but doesn’t require any oil or eggs. It cooks in the air fryer which gives the cake a crispy exterior and a very moist and chocolatey interior.
One of the questions I get asked most often when I share a recipe is if it can be cooked in the air fryer. And while I don’t always have time to test out all of my recipes in the air fryer, recently I wanted to try making desserts in the air fryer.
What does air fryer cake taste like?
Just like a baked cake doesn’t have quite the same texture as a microwave cake, a cake cooked in the air fryer has its own uniqueness to it as well. The outside develops a slightly crispy exterior. The cake also doesn’t rise quite as much, but is incredibly moist and fudgy.
Choosing a cake mix
Most standard boxed chocolate cake mixes will work in this recipe. You can choose your favorite brand like Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Duncan Hines, etc. For this recipe, I used Pillsbury™ Purely Simple® Chocolate Cake. I really like this line of baking mixes because it doesn’t have a lot of unnecessary ingredients added.
Ingredients for Air Fryer Chocolate Mug Cake
- chocolate cake mix
- unsweetened applesauce
- water
These 3 ingredients are all you need to make this recipe! No need to add eggs or oil. Since this is a mug cake, you don’t need an egg as the binding agent and the applesauce keeps the cake moist enough that you also don’t need oil.
How to Make Air Fryer Chocolate Cake
- All the ingredients are mixed together directly in the mug with a small whisk. This is a small cake, so it will fit inside an 8 oz mug and most 8 oz mugs should fit inside your air fryer. Just make sure to choose a mug that is safe to heat up.
- The cake is then cooked for about 12-13 minutes at 350F. Some air fryers run hotter than others, so your cooking time may vary slightly. At 12 minutes, my cake was mostly cooked but still a bit gooey like a lava cake. At 13 minutes, my cake was fully cooked.
Mug Cake Texture
This cake is designed to be eaten in the mug it is cooked in, so the cake crumbs are a bit looser than your traditional cake. The crumbs will be very moist and fudgy but the cake will likely fall apart if you try to remove it from the mug in one piece. Instead, you should just eat it directly from the mug with a spoon.
Don’t own an air fryer? You can also make this cake in the microwave.
Air Fryer Chocolate Cake Mix Mug Cake
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp chocolate cake mix
- 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into an 8 oz mug that is safe for cooking at high heat. Mix with a mini whisk until batter is completely smooth.
- Place mug into air fryer basket. Close air fryer and set cooking temperature to 350°F. Cook for about 12-13 minutes or until cake is cooked. Remove mug from air fryer and let cake cool a few minutes at room temperature.
- If desired, top with frosting or chocolate syrup. Eat directly from mug with a spoon once cake is cool enough to eat.
Notes
- Most standard boxed chocolate cake mixes will work in this recipe. You can choose your favorite brand like Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Duncan Hines, etc. For this recipe, I used Pillsbury™ Purely Simple® Chocolate Cake.
- At 12 minutes, my cake was mostly cooked but still gooey like a lava cake. At 13 minutes, my cake was fully cooked. Some air fryers run hotter than others so your cooking time may vary slightly.
- This cake is designed to be eaten in the mug it is cooked in, so the cake crumbs are looser than your traditional cake. The crumbs will be very moist and fudgy but the cake will likely fall apart if you try to remove it from the mug.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
