How to Store Cake: 7 Cake Storage Tips to Preserve Freshness

Cake is usually a sugary, floury dessert; it is popular at times of celebration. There are many different types of cakes that represent a wide array of cooking styles. The term “cake” typically refers to a baked good, although ice cream cakes, frozen cakes, and other no-bake cakes don’t always fall under that definition. While cakes are extremely diverse, tips for storing them well remain fairly straightforward across the board.

You should avoid refrigeration in most cases. Unless your cake features perishable materials that could spoil—like cream frosting, fresh fruit, ice cream, mascarpone, or whipped cream—it’s actually better off at room temperature. The humidity of refrigerators strips cakes of their moisture, leading them to lose their trademark softness. For example, you should refrigerate a pound cake with strawberries and cream cheese frosting, but you will want to store a cake with fondant icing, peanut butter, and pecans outside the fridge.

Keep in mind that how hot and humid your kitchen gets can be a factor in how you store cake. If your kitchen is routinely above 75 degrees Fahrenheit or so, your cake would be better off in the refrigerator than in the heat. You should also place warm cake in the refrigerator for twenty minutes or so before you wrap and store it at room temperature. This helps solidify the frosting so it remains intact throughout the wrapping process.

Preserving cake properly can help you enjoy this treat for days past its initial serving.

1. 1. Analyze the cake recipe. Before you decide how to store your cake, you need to know what’s in it to settle on the best method. A ganache-covered chocolate cake with buttercream frosting can remain at room temperature, but a cream cake with a fresh fruit filling should stay in the refrigerator. The main thing you’re looking for is whether any ingredients are perishable. Cheesecakes should also remain in the refrigerator since they include different ingredients than regular cake.
2. 2. Fortify with frosting. Frosting serves as a natural preservative so long as it does not include perishable dairy or fruit materials. Once you cut cake open, simply cover the sliced edges with more frosting to help it last longer. This retains the moisture without you having to resort to plastic or aluminum wrapping. Don’t rely on the bits of frosting inside a layer cake to do the job, though—you must lather the entire exposed area with new frosting.
3. 3. Freeze for longer periods. You can always freeze cake if you don’t plan to eat it for a long period of time. If you place an uncut whole cake in the freezer, you can easily get this dessert to last up to three months. Make sure to wrap the cake before putting it in the freezer.
4. 4. Improvise if necessary. You don’t need a specifically manufactured cake stand to store your dessert well. Place the cake on a plate or baking sheet, wrap it with aluminum foil, and place an overturned bowl on top of it for a makeshift storage container. This will keep your cake fresh for three to seven days.
5. 5. Protect the frosting. Place your cake in the refrigerator for twenty minutes or so to harden the frosting before you wrap it for storage. Insert toothpicks on the top and sides of the cake so that the wrapping doesn’t touch the frosting itself.
6. 6. Rely on room temperature. You can leave out your covered cake overnight without even wrapping it, and it should be fine in the morning. For any amount of time longer than that, make sure to wrap it in something. Rely on room temperature to maximize its shelf life—up to about three to seven days—unless specific ingredients require that it remains refrigerated.
7. 7. Wrap the cake. Use aluminum foil or plastic wrap to protect your cake if you’re planning to eat it over several days. If you choose to place the wrapped cake in an airtight container for added security, make sure to leave a tiny portion open. Protect sheet cakes from dust and other dirty elements fluttering around your kitchen, but they still need air to retain their texture.

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