Air Fryer Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream swirled on top.

4.52 from 66 votes

Air Fryer Chocolate Cupcakes are a small-batch dessert with moist chocolate cake and rich chocolate buttercream. This recipe is sized for the air fryer and walks you through the timing, temperature, and frosting so the cupcakes bake up tender without turning on the oven.

Prep Time10

Cook Time12

Total Time22

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Air Fryer, air fryer chocolate cupcakes, air fryer desserts, baking, chocolate, cupcakes, desserts, sweets

Servings: cupcakes

Author: Joshua Boquist

Equipment

Ninja Crispi Pro

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup hot water
1 cup sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
¾ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt

For the chocolate buttercream

8 tbsp butter softened
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 pinch salt
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1 to 4 tbsp milk or cream

Instructions

Make the cupcakes

Preheat the air fryer to 310°F.
Spray 12 silicone cupcake holders with non-stick spray. Optionally, line the silicone cupcake holders with paper cupcake liners.
Whisk the cocoa and hot water together until the cocoa powder is completely dissolved.
Add the sugar, oil, milk, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk well.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the wet ingredients and stir well.
Divide the batter into the cupcake holders and place them in the air fryer.
Set the timer for 10 to 12 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick. The toothpick should come out clean after you stick it into the center of a cupcake.
Remove from the air fryer and let cool completely.

Make the chocolate buttercream

Beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Beat until combined.
Add the salt and vanilla extract and beat well. Slowly add the milk or cream until you have the consistency you like.
Spread or pipe the buttercream on the cooled cupcakes.

Video

Notes

Different models of air fryers will bake at different rates. Start at the lowest time recommended in the recipe. Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
If the cupcakes rise unevenly, lower the temperature by 10 to 15 degrees.
Paper cupcake liners will give you a standard size cupcake. Some silicone cupcake holders are slightly smaller than traditional cupcakes. If you use a smaller silicone cupcake holder, you may need to reduce the baking time by a couple of minutes.

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