You can (and you should) cook your carrot cake in the air fryer - here's the recipe

Name: You can (and you should) cook your carrot cake in the air fryer - here's the recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 8 serving(s)
Ingredients: 100 mL oil, plus extra to grease; 125 g dark brown soft sugar; 2 medium eggs; Finely grated zest 1/2 orange, plus 1tbsp; 1 1/2 tsp. mixed spice; 125 g self-raising flour; 1/2 tsp. bicarbonate of soda; 100 g coarsely grated carrot; 50 g raisins; 40 g chopped mixed nuts, optional; 100 g icing sugar sifted; 75 g full-fat cream cheese, we used Philadelphia; 25 g unsalted butter, softened; Finely grated zest of ½ orange; 15 g chopped mixed nuts, optional

This classic carrot cake is super-speedy because it’s made in an aifryer - perfect when you want a small, quick bake. If your airfryer can’t take two cake tins, you can bake the cake in one deep 15cm tin for 35min or until cooked through, then split the sponge to fill it.

By Monaz DumasiaUpdated: 20 May 2025

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It doesn't get much better than a carrot cake with a cream cheese frosting and we've completely turned it on its head and cooked the entire thing in an air fryer. Yep - we aren't over using our air fryer yet, and cooking it in the device keeps it incredibly moist AND super speedy to make.

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Yields:

8 serving(s)

Prep Time:

15 mins

Cook Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

35 mins

Cal/Serv:

377

Ingredients

100 ml
oil, plus extra to grease
125 g
dark brown soft sugar
2
medium eggs
Finely grated zest 1/2 orange, plus 1tbsp
1 1/2 tsp.
mixed spice
125 g
self-raising flour
1/2 tsp.
bicarbonate of soda
100 g
coarsely grated carrot
50 g
raisins
40 g
chopped mixed nuts, optional

For the cream cheese icing

100 g
icing sugar sifted
75 g
full-fat cream cheese, we used Philadelphia
25 g
unsalted butter, softened
Finely grated zest of ½ orange
15 g
chopped mixed nuts, optional

Directions

1. Step 1Preheat airfryer to 150°C. Lightly grease and line the base of two 15cm round sandwich cake tins with baking parchment.
2. Step 2For the cake, whisk oil, sugar, eggs, orange zest, juice and mixed spice in a large bowl until combined. Sift over flour and bicarbonate of soda and mix until smooth. Stir in the carrots, raisins and chopped nuts, if using, until combined.
3. Step 3Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins, smoothing to level. Bake for 20min or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (if your airfryer has shelves, you may need to swop the cakes around on the shelves halfway through the cooking time so that both cook evenly). Leave to cool in tin for 10min, then lift on to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
4. Step 4To make the cream cheese icing, beat icing sugar, cream cheese, butter and zest in a large bowl with a handheld electric whisk until smooth. Use half the icing to sandwich the cakes together and place cake on a cake stand/plate. Spread remaining icing over top of the cake and sprinkle with the nuts, if using. Serve in slices.

GH TIPS:

Cooking this cake in the air fryer keeps it incredibly moist and speedy, but you will need a silicone baking tray to bake the cake in it.

Looking for an easier carrot cake recipe to serve? We love our carrot cake loaf cake recipe for that!

If you're a fan of this air fryer carrot cake, then we have more air fryer recipes for you to try. If you're yet to invest in an air fryer, then the GHI have done a round-up of the best ones to buy.