This Gluten Free Air Fryer Chocolate Cake is rich, tender, and incredibly easy to make. It’s a simple, small batch dessert made with just a handful of pantry ingredients, and bakes up perfectly in the air fryer. It's warm, rich, and just what you need when that chocolate craving hits.

Jump to:
- Recipe Ingredient Notes
- What is an Air Fryer?
- Baking in a Mircrowave vs an Air Fryer
- How to make Gluten Free Air Fryer Chocolate Cake
- How to check doneness
- Serving Ideas
- What to do with Leftovers
- Join my Gluten Free Community!
- Note about Salt in my Recipes
- Baking in grams
- Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures
- Substitutions and Modifications
- More Quick & Easy Gluten Free Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Recipe Ingredient Notes
Gluten Free Flour: I’ve tested this Gluten Free Air Fryer Chocolate Cake with my homemade gluten free flour blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, and King Arthur Measure for Measure - all with great results. Each one creates a light, tender crumb that bakes beautifully in the air fryer. Other gluten-free blends may work just fine too, but I haven’t tested them in this specific recipe.
Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder: I highly recommend using Dutch-processed cocoa in this recipe. It creates a richer, fudgier flavor and gives the cake a deeper color. Using natural cocoa may result in a drier texture and a lighter crumb. Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder.
Neutral Oil: Oil helps create a lighter, softer texture in chocolate cake compared to butter. Since it stays liquid at room temperature, it coats the flour more evenly, resulting in a tender, delicate crumb. Use a neutral oil like vegetable or grapeseed oil. I don’t recommend coconut oil.
Hot Coffee: Adding hot coffee to chocolate cake brings out the rich, deep flavor of the chocolate. The slight bitterness of the coffee also helps balance the sweetness. If you'd rather skip the coffee, you can use hot water instead - it will still turn out delicious.
Add-Ins: These are completely optional, but a great way to customize your air fryer chocolate cake. Fold chocolate chips, toffee, nuts, or candy pieces into the batter before baking. For a gooey center, add a spoonful of peanut or nut butter before baking.

What is an Air Fryer?
An air fryer is a compact countertop appliance that cooks food by rapidly circulating hot air - kind of like a small but powerful convection oven. It’s known for making crispy foods without deep frying, but it’s also surprisingly great for baking.
Like any kitchen tool, air fryers vary from model to model. Some come with large baskets, digital screens, preset cooking modes, or even baking trays and rotisserie features.
Mine? It’s as basic as it gets - just a temperature dial and a timer. No digital presets or fancy extras, which honestly makes it super easy to use. You set the temp, turn the timer, and let it go. For straightforward recipes (like this gluten free chocolate cake), it’s all you really need.
Baking in a Mircrowave vs an Air Fryer
A while back, I shared a recipe for a gluten free chocolate mug cake - quick, cozy, and made in the microwave. What I didn’t expect was how many of you wrote in saying, “I don’t own a microwave - can I make this in an air fryer?”
It turns out, you can - and the results might be even better.
Baking a cake in the microwave and one in the air fryer can yield very different results. Microwave cakes, like traditional mug cakes, cook in just a minute or two and have a soft, steamy texture - more like a sponge or pudding than a classic cake. They're great for speed but can turn rubbery or dry if slightly overcooked.
Air fryer cakes, on the other hand, take a bit longer (usually around 15 minutes), but the texture is much closer to oven-baked cake. You get a tender, even crumb with a slightly crisp or browned top, depending on how you cover it. If you’re looking for a quick treat that still feels like a "real" cake, the air fryer gives you the best of both worlds - convenience and great texture.

How to make Gluten Free Air Fryer Chocolate Cake
The batter for this air fryer chocolate cake comes together quickly - I just use a small bowl and a whisk. Be sure to use oven-safe ramekins or mugs that fit comfortably in your air fryer basket. I like using 6-ounce coffee mugs I picked up at a thrift store, but 6-ounce ramekins work just as well.
I have not tried baking this Gluten Free Air Fryer Chocolate Cake in an actual cake pan. If you do, please share the results in the comments.
My air fryer fits four 6-ounce ramekins at once. If yours is smaller, no problem - you can bake the chocolate cakes in batches.

- Step 1: In a small bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. If the cocoa powder is lumpy, be sure to sift it together. Set aside.

- Step 2: In a separate mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, oil and room temperature egg. Add a splash of vanilla extract if you like. Mix together until combined.

- Step 3: Retrieve the bowl of dry ingredients and add them to the wet mixture. Stir with a whisk or spatula until the batter is smooth and fully combined, with no streaks of flour remaining. The batter will be very thick.

- Step 4: Gradually pour the hot coffee (or hot water) into the batter, stirring continuously as you go. The batter will thin out - that’s completely normal.

- Step 5: The gluten free air fryer batter should be smooth. At this point preheat the Air Fryer to 300F.

- Step 6: Retrieve your ramekins and divide the cake batter between them. I aim for approximately 75 grams of cake batter per ramekin.

- Step 7: Place the ramekins in the fully preheated air fryer.

- Step 8: Cover the ramekins loosely with a large piece of foil to prevent the tops from baking too quickly and giving the illusion that the cakes are done while the centers remain undercooked. To keep the foil from flying around in the air fryer, I like to place two butter knives on top to weigh it down. Bake the covered cakes for 10 minutes.

- Step 9: After 10 minutes, carefully open your air fryer basket and use tongs to remove the foil. If you used knives to weigh it down, be cautious - they’ll be very hot.

- Step 10: Place the basket back into the air fryer and continue baking the air fryer chocolate cake for another 7-8 minutes for a total of 18 minutes. Insert a toothpick or cake tester into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, the cake is done. Baking times can vary if you use larger or smaller ramekins! Please keep this in mind.
How to check doneness
To test if your air fryer cake is done, insert a toothpick or cake tester into the center. If it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, the cake is ready. You can also gently press the top with your fingertip; if it springs back, that’s a good sign it’s fully baked. The edges may start to pull away slightly from the ramekin or mug, and the top should look set and matte, not shiny or wet. If the center isn’t done but the top is browning too quickly, cover the cake with foil and continue baking in 1–2 minute increments until fully cooked.
Once the cakes are done, carefully open the air fryer basket and use tongs or oven mitts to remove the hot ramekins. Place them on a wire rack and let them cool for about 5 minutes before serving - keep in mind, the ramekins will be very hot. It’s normal for the cakes to settle slightly as they cool.
Serving Ideas
There is no wrong way to serve this delicious gluten free air fryer cake. Here are a few great ways to serve it, depending on what you are in the mood for:
- Simple & Warm (Straight from the Air Fryer): Let the cake cool for about 5 minutes, then serve it warm in the ramekin with a dusting of powdered sugar. It’s cozy, fuss-free, and perfect for a casual treat.
- With Ice Cream (Highly Recommended): Top the warm cake with a scoop of vanilla or coffee ice cream. The contrast between warm cake and melting ice cream is unbeatable, especially for a rich chocolate cake.
- With Fresh Berries or Whipped Cream: Add a dollop of whipped cream and a few fresh berries (like raspberries or strawberries).
- Frosted (Once Cooled): Let the gluten free air fryer chocolate cakes cool completely, then top with a layer of your favorite frosting. This is a great option if you unmold the cakes and want to serve them more like traditional mini layer cakes.
What to do with Leftovers
To store any leftover air fryer chocolate cake you may have, let it cool completely, then cover the ramekins tightly with plastic wrap or transfer the cake to an airtight container. Keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days. Before serving, you can warm individual portions briefly in the air fryer or microwave to bring back that fresh-baked softness. (If you topped your cakes with frosting I don't recommend heating them up because the frosting will melt)

Join my Gluten Free Community!
Note about Salt in my Recipes
I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.
Baking in grams
I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.
Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures
All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.
If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Convection oven can cause baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Since takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.
Substitutions and Modifications
Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.
More Quick & Easy Gluten Free Recipes
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Air Fryer Chocolate Cake
This Gluten Free Air Fryer Chocolate Cake is rich, tender, and surprisingly easy to make. It’s a simple, small-batch dessert that comes together with just a handful of pantry staples and bakes up beautifully in the air fryer. Warm, fudgy, and full of deep chocolate flavor, it’s exactly what you need when a craving hits.
Ingredients
Gluten Free Air Fryer Cake
- 75 grams gluten free flour (containing xanthan gum)
- 20 grams dutch processed cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 80 grams granulated sugar
- 35 grams oil
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 70 grams hot coffee (hot, not boiling!)
Instructions
Gluten Free Air Fryer Chocolate Cake
My air fryer fits four 6-ounce ramekins at once. If yours is smaller, no problem - you can bake the chocolate cakes in batches.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. If the cocoa powder is lumpy, be sure to sift it together. Set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, oil and room temperature egg. Add a splash of vanilla extract if you like. Mix together until combined.
- Retrieve the bowl of dry ingredients and add them to the wet mixture. Stir with a whisk or spatula until the batter is smooth and fully combined, with no streaks of flour remaining. The batter will be very thick.
- Gradually pour the hot coffee (or hot water) into the batter, stirring continuously as you go. The batter will thin out - that’s completely normal.
- Preheat your Air Fryer to 300F.
- Retrieve your ramekins and divide the cake batter between them. I aim for approximately 75 grams of cake batter per ramekin.
- Place the ramekins in the fully preheated air fryer.
- Cover the ramekins loosely with a large piece of foil to prevent the tops from baking too quickly and giving the illusion that the cakes are done while the centers remain undercooked. To keep the foil from flying around in the air fryer, I like to place two butter knives on top to weigh it down. Bake the covered cakes for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, carefully open your air fryer basket and use tongs to remove the foil. If you used knives to weigh it down, be cautious - they’ll be very hot.
- Place the basket back into the air fryer and continue baking the air fryer chocolate cake for another 7-8 minutes for a total of 18 minutes. Insert a toothpick or cake tester into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, the cake is done. Baking times can vary if you use larger or smaller ramekins! Please keep this in mind.
- Once the cakes are done, carefully open the air fryer basket and use tongs or oven mitts to remove the hot ramekins.
- Place them on a wire rack and let them cool for about 5 minutes before serving - keep in mind, the ramekins will be very hot. It’s normal for the cakes to settle slightly as they cool.
- Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
Notes
I have not tried baking this Gluten Free Air Fryer Chocolate Cake in an actual cake pan. If you do, please share the results in the comments.
Air Fryer: Just like any other kitchen appliance, air fryers can vary quite a bit from model to model. Please keep this in mind when it comes to the baking time.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Instant Pot Vortex 6QT XL Air Fryer, 4-in-1 Functions that Crisps, Roasts, Reheats, Bakes for Quick Easy Meals, 100+ In-App Recipes, is Dishwasher-Safe, from the Makers of Instant Pot, Black
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MALACASA Ramekins 6 oz Oven Safe, Porcelain Creme Brulee Ramekins Pudding Custard Cups Small Ceramic Souffle Dishes Ramakan Ramiken Ramicans Baking Bowls Set of 6, White, Series RAMEKIN-DISH
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 263
Calories are a guestimate and randomly generated.










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