Quick answer: Most air fryer baking problems come from one thing: the heating element sits right above the food. So tops burn before centres cook. The core fixes are to drop the temperature about 25°F, use a shallow pan, tent the top with foil, preheat, and check early. The table below maps each symptom to its fix.
Baking in an air fryer is quick and energy-saving, but it does not always go smoothly. Muffins burn on top and stay raw in the middle, cookies spread too far, cakes collapse. The good news: these are all fixable once you know what is going wrong. If you are new to it, start with our how to bake in an air fryer guide, then use this page to fix specific problems.
Quick diagnosis table
| Symptom | Likely cause | Quick fix |
|---|---|---|
| Burnt top, raw centre | Heat too high, element close to the top | Lower 25°F, tent with foil, use a shallow pan |
| Uneven baking, hot spots | Airflow not reaching evenly | Rotate halfway, bake smaller batches |
| Dry, tough texture | Intense heat, overbaked | Reduce time, add moisture to batter, check early |
| Soggy bottom | No bottom element, moisture trapped | Preheat, perforated liner, cool out of the pan |
| Cookies spread too much | Fat melts before the dough sets | Chill the dough, lower temp, leave space |
| Cake sunken or collapsed | Overmixed, opened too soon, too much batter | Mix gently, keep it closed, fill halfway |
| Batter all over the basket | Wet batter poured straight in | Always use a tin, mould, or ramekin |
| Cracked top | Element close to top (often unavoidable) | Lower temp slightly, or trim level for frosting |
Why air fryer baking sometimes fails
An air fryer is essentially a small convection oven, circulating hot air with a powerful fan. That fan is great for crispy fries but harsh on delicate bakes. The key differences from oven baking: faster cooking, higher heat concentration on top, a smaller space with less room for even airflow, and no bottom heating element, which is what causes soggy bottoms. Understanding those is the first step to fixing any problem.
Common problems and fixes
1. Burnt tops, undercooked centres
Why: air fryers heat from the top, so if the temperature is too high or the fan too strong, the surface cooks too fast. Fix: lower the temperature by 25°F (15°C), tent the top with foil, use shallow pans so heat reaches the centre, and do not overfill pans or liners. More on this in how to prevent burning.
2. Uneven baking or hot spots
Why: the airflow may not reach every part equally. Fix: rotate the pan halfway through, avoid stacking unless you use a rack, bake smaller batches, and use bakeware that fits snugly but not tightly.
3. Dry or tough texture
Why: intense heat in a small space dries bakes quickly. Fix: reduce the time slightly, add moisture to the batter (yogurt or applesauce), place a heat-safe cup of water inside for humidity, and cool under a damp cloth. See how to avoid dry air fryer bakes.
4. Soggy bottom or undercooked layer
Why: with no bottom element, moisture has nowhere to escape. Fix: preheat before adding batter, use perforated parchment or a mesh rack for airflow, avoid bakeware that traps too much heat, and bake longer at a lower temperature to drive off moisture. One more: turn the bake out of the pan after about 10 minutes, since leaving it to cool in the pan steams the base soggy.
5. Cookies and pastries spread too much
Why: high heat melts the fat before the dough sets. Fix: chill the dough before baking, use a parchment liner or air fryer-safe sheet, try a slightly lower temperature for a bit longer, and leave space between cookies.
The wet batter mistake
One of the most common beginner errors, and a safety issue too: never pour cake or other wet batter straight into the basket. Air fryers blow air around hard, so loose batter splatters, drips onto the element, and can stop the appliance working properly. Always bake wet batters in a proper container, a silicone tin, an oven-safe dish, a cake pan, or muffin moulds that fit with airflow around them. If you want crisp coatings on savoury items like onion rings, thicken the batter and dredge in breadcrumbs or cornflour instead of using a thin wet batter.
Fewer baking fails
Get our one-page times & temps cheat sheet, plus a new tested recipe each week.
No spam · unsubscribe anytime
Factors that affect baking results
- Size and capacity. Smaller air fryers can overbake or cook too fast in tight spaces.
- Fan strength and heat. High-powered models brown the top fast, so lower temps work better for baking.
- Bakeware material. Metal conducts heat best, glass heats slowly and is less ideal, and silicone is non-stick but insulates, which can leave centres underbaked.
- Food positioning. Items too close to the fan cook faster, so centre your bakeware and keep it off the walls. See our accessories for bakers guide for the right pans.
Oven to air fryer conversion
When adapting oven recipes, reduce the temperature by 25°F (15°C), cut the time by 20 to 25%, and always check early. For example, an oven bake at 350°F for 20 minutes becomes about 325°F for 15 to 16 minutes in the air fryer. Our conversion chart and calculator handle this for you.
Troubleshooting by baked item
Cookies: spreading means chill the dough, burnt bottoms means use parchment or a silicone mat, uneven browning means rotate halfway. Muffins and cupcakes: a sunken centre points to too much moisture or overmixing, an uneven top means the airflow is too strong, so use a foil tent. Cakes: a cracked top usually means the temp is too high, though some cracking is unavoidable since the element sits close to the top, so just trim it level before frosting; a raw centre means too much batter or too high a temp, so use a shallower pan. Bread: dense or gummy needs longer at a lower heat, and a crust that is too hard wants foil or a lower temp toward the end. Pastries: soggy means lighter fillings, overbaked edges mean lower the temp and check early.
Maintenance issues that affect baking
Sometimes it is the machine, not your method. A dirty fan causes a burnt smell or smoke, a misaligned basket bakes unevenly, overused foil blocks airflow, and an inaccurate temperature sensor throws off the heat. A clean, well-maintained air fryer bakes far more predictably. See our bakeware cleaning guide.
When to use accessories (and when not to)
- Foil: use it to protect tops from burning, but do not block airflow.
- Parchment paper: great for cookies and cakes, kept weighed down. See our foil and parchment guide.
- Racks: let you bake multiple items, but reduce airflow.
- Glass or ceramic: works for low-moisture items, less ideal for dense cakes.
Frequently asked questions
QCan I bake a cake in an air fryer?
Yes. Lower the temperature, use a shallow pan, and rotate halfway through for even baking.
QWhy do my cookies burn in the air fryer?
Usually high heat or thin dough. Chill the dough and lower the temperature, and use a liner so the bottoms do not scorch.
QDo I need to preheat the air fryer before baking?
Yes. Preheating helps even baking from the start and supports a better rise on cakes and muffins.
QWhat type of pan should I use in an air fryer?
Metal pans or air fryer-safe cake tins work best for even baking. Make sure the pan fits with room for air to circulate.
QWhy is my cake raw in the middle?
The pan may be too deep or the temperature too high. Use a shallower tin and reduce the heat so the centre has time to cook.
QIs silicone bakeware good for air fryer baking?
It works and releases easily, but silicone insulates heat and can leave centres underbaked. Metal pans bake more evenly.
QCan I use foil in my air fryer?
Yes, but do not block the airflow or cover the basket completely, and keep it weighed down so it cannot lift into the element.
QWhy is my baked food dry in the air fryer?
Bake at a lower temperature and check earlier, and add a little moisture to the batter, such as yogurt or applesauce.
QWhy do muffins sink in the middle?
Usually overmixing or opening the basket too soon. Mix gently and leave it closed until the muffins have set.
QHow do I fix soggy pastries in the air fryer?
Use less filling, increase the bake time slightly, and skip silicone liners, which can trap moisture underneath.
With a few small tweaks, burnt cookies, collapsed cakes, and soggy muffins become a thing of the past. For more, see air fryer chocolate chip cookies, air fryer carrot cake, and the what you can and cannot bake guide.
You can also follow us on Instagram and Pinterest for more air fryer baking tips and recipes.