2 Reasons Why Your Cake/ Bread Remains Raw From Bottom in Airfryer #shortsfeed
The Science of Uneven Baking in Air Fryers
When a cake or loaf of bread remains undercooked at the base while the top is finished, it is usually a result of poor heat distribution and rate-of-cooking disparities. Here is the technical explanation for the two common errors you identified.
1. The Impact of Omitting the Preheat Cycle
Technical Issue: Delayed Heat Transfer and Thermal Lag.
Air fryers operate on rapid air technology (convection), relying on circulating hot air to cook food. When you skip preheating, you place the batter into a “cold” chamber.
The Problem: The heating element is located at the top. As the device ramps up to temperature, the top of your batter is exposed to direct radiant heat immediately, while the bottom of the pan—which relies on conductive heat from the surrounding air—remains cool.
The Result: By the time the heavy baking vessel absorbs enough heat to start cooking the bottom of the cake, the top has already begun to set. Preheating ensures the chamber and the basket are at thermal saturation, allowing conductive heat to penetrate the bottom of the pan the moment the batter is inserted.
2. The Consequence of Excessive Baking Temperatures
Technical Issue: Rapid Crust Formation vs. Thermal Conductivity.
Baking is a balance between the time it takes for heat to travel to the center of the product (conduction) and the time it takes for the surface to brown (Maillard reaction).
The Problem: Air fryers are significantly more efficient than standard ovens due to the high-velocity fan. If you bake at standard oven temperatures (e.g., 180^circtext{C} or 350^circtext{F}), the convective heat transfer is too aggressive.
The Result: The top surface dehydrates and forms a crust (Maillard reaction) too quickly. This crust acts as a thermal barrier, trapping moisture inside and preventing heat from effectively reaching the bottom layers. The exterior appears finished, but the internal thermal mass has not reached the temperature required for starch gelatinization and protein coagulation at the base