Easy Air Fryer Guinness Chocolate Cake (Printable version)
A rich chocolate cake infused with Guinness stout, air-fried to perfection for a moist, decadent dessert ready in 40 minutes.
# Ingredient list:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
04 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
06 - 1/2 cup Guinness stout, room temperature
07 - 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
09 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Optional Topping
11 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar for dusting
12 - Whipped cream or chocolate ganache for serving
# Directions:
01 - Preheat air fryer to 320°F for 5 minutes to ensure even baking temperature.
02 - Grease and line a 7-inch round cake pan that fits comfortably in your air fryer basket to prevent sticking.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly blended.
04 - In a separate bowl, combine Guinness, buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and fully incorporated.
05 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Avoid overmixing to prevent dense texture.
06 - Pour batter into prepared cake pan and smooth the top evenly with a spatula.
07 - Place pan in preheated air fryer basket and cook for 23 to 27 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
08 - Remove cake from air fryer and let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Dust with powdered sugar before serving, or top with whipped cream or chocolate ganache if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The stout creates an incredibly moist crumb without any beer aftertaste
- Air fryer baking means no heating up the entire kitchen
- Ready in under an hour with pantry staples you probably have
02 -
- Every air fryer heats differently, so start checking at 23 minutes
- Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake tough, stop as soon as flour disappears
- The cake will continue cooking slightly as it cools in the pan
03 -
- Place a folded square of foil under your pan if your air fryer has exposed heating elements
- Rotate the pan halfway through cooking for even browning