I've seen so many tips and suggestions about how long a cakes can stay room temp, refrigerated, etc.

But I was wondering something, how long can a decorated cake stay? Reason I ask if I'm doing a golf theme 1/2 sheet cake for a co-worker that I will bring to work Wednesday morning. I have issues with time all weekend & week so I'm trying to figure out when I could decorate it...and possibly keep in the fridge (not room temp?!) Of course I don't want the cake to suffer b/c of this!
I had already planned on baking and mixing colors ahead of time, but with this cake, the decorating part will probably take longer than all of that!

What do you guys think??
As ALWAYS, thanks!!

I was taught that if you seal the cake with simple syrup then ice, it should last at room temp for 3-5 days as long as it is not cut into. I have done this before and the cake tasted fine. The simple syrup helps the cake stay moist and it adds a little extra flavor.

I use cake mix that contains pudding and have been able to bake the cake and ice it 3-5 days ahead of time and everyone always compliments on how moist the cake is. I have also left the scraps on the counter un-iced and eaten them up to 3 days later and didn't have any hard pieces.

I would say 3-4 days if kept in the fridge. After it crusts well, you could cover it in saran wrap.


Here's my experience...long...

I baked my daughter' birthday cake on a Thursday, wrapped it in saran wrap overnight, kept at room temp. Then I crumb-coated it in the morning and left it out uncovered until Friday night to decorate. (could crumbcoat when cooled, but I really need to break steps down b/c two little ones) I then decorated it Friday night and served it at the party Saturday. (left out on counter uncovered until party)

I then covered the leftovers in saran wrap, and put it in the fridge. It was delicious on Monday when I served it to people who couldn't make the party. (I did waste the cut edge, a little crispy) Tuesday it was still good, but I wouldn't wait that long to serve it for the big event. I'm picky about leftovers, so I threw it out Wednesday. Probably still good for leftovers, but we were sick of cake by then!

fyi, This was a DH butter recipe golden cake mix with strawberry jam filling.

Due to circumstances which I won't go into here (long story), I baked, iced and decorated a cake 7 days before the event. Customer kept cake unrefrigerated (my advice to her) and just draped Saran Wrap over it very loosely. She told me she had lots and lots of compliments on the great taste and how moist it was. When I'm pressed for time, I don't hesitate to bake and ice 2 and 3 days in advance and just do the Saran Wrap trick

I guess I'm just wierd about leftovers and stuff like that. If I have a cake here for us, I usually put it in the fridge just in case. I just feel funny leaving stuff out at room temp...but I'm just strange
Thanks for the advice and I think I will work my schedule out to do a few things early then!!
Thanks!

mamafrog, I too worry about leaving things at room temp. I guess it all depends upon what filling you're using and whether or not your icing needs refrigeration, etc.

I would worry about making/decorating too far in advance if it were for someone else, because I would want it to be as fresh as possible and you don't know how long it'll take for them to consume it. The last thing you'd want is for the cake to go bad!

I routinely bake cakes when i have time and freeze them. I work full time, so I'll take the cake out to thaw in the morning, decorate in the evening and bring to work the next day. If you're using a crisco-based icing, you can make & tint that in advance also - it generally keeps a few weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.

Well, if you are using a cake mix, saints alive, there are enough chemicals in it to preserve it! But still, personally, even with a simple syrup and such, I wouldn't go more than 3 days ahead mainly because I think if there are leftovers, you would want to serve those within 5 days. I find that things get a funny taste that some of us are more prone to notice than others. Butter cakes tend to dry out when refrigerated so that is another consideration.
I have a thing about things being as fresh as possible. According to Wilton, the time limit for icing on a cake is 2-3 days regardless of whether or not it is the all shortening with water, or the half butter with milk or cream. I find that the half butter and milk and cream recipe holds up just fine for up to 5 days, but I wouldn't ice a cake 5 days ahead of the event not would I keep a cake that long before the event because to me, it isn't fresh.
Not saying it won't hold up, but to me, things get a certain taste that bothers me.
Just my opinion.
Hugs Squirrely Cakes