How Long Can You Leave A Cake In The Refrigerator?
Decorating By Bettyviolet101 Updated 26 Jul 2017 , 4:22pm by Levana91
Hello,
I have 2 cakes due this weekend but have to go out of town thursday and friday so I will need to do most everything ahead of time. I would rather not freeze the cakes if I don't have to. How long will they last in the refrigerator? The cakes are due on saturday. I figure if I have to back them today they would only be frozen for a couple of days because I start my cakes a few days before they are due. Tips are appreciated! thanks! 
I know that some will disagree with me, but I never put my cakes in the fridge. I find that it draws out the moisture and makes them dry. Just my experience....
I know that some will disagree with me, but I never put my cakes in the fridge. I find that it draws out the moisture and makes them dry. Just my experience....
I don't know many who would disagree. It's a scientific fact (and somewhere someone has posted a link to it) that the fridge will dry out a cake. It's much better to freeze or leave on the counter. Freezing stops the "going stale" process, refrigeration speeds it up. If you're worried about it thawing out in time to decorate, cakes only take 30-60 mins (depending on size and thickness) to thaw to an appropriate temperature to decorate.
I know that I am just a newbie and have been doing cakes for about a year now but in my research on how to freeze cakes (I am a full time teacher who does not have the time to make/decorate in 1 or 2 days) I found an article where professional bakers did taste tests over fresh vs. frozen and the frozen cakes were deemed better. Wish I had that link now....
I freeze and they are alwaysalwaysalways rave reviews on how moist my cakes are. I usually make 1-2 weeks ahead and then thaw in the wrapper. Just my 2 bits......
I freeze my cakes then let them thaw slowly in the fridge (after being covered with buttercream.) It doesn't dry them out. The buttercream is solid (I use real butter) and it keeps the moisture in. I don't keep them in the refrigerator more than a day or two at the most. If I have a lot of fondant decor on it and it must stay in the refrigerator I will put in a box and wrap in clear plastic wrap to keep the moisture out. I honestly have not ever had a problem with dry cakes in the refrigerator--even the cut ones--as long as they are wrapped properly. I do find that cold cake seems drier but when let come to room temp they are pretty moist--as long as they start out that way!
I worked at a store bakery many yrs ago. I will say that all of the cakes came pre-made and frozen from the bakery warehouse. Once decorated in buttercream they are put in the refrigerated case with a sell by date of three days. The reason was the cake was fresh for 5 days, so purchased date and two days to enjoy at home. As a home baker I like to bake and freeze my crumb coated cakes and I have never refrigerated.
I once worked in a bakery, all cakes came in frozen, we decorated them,(i almost got fired because my boss told me i couldn't decorate "their" way) anyway, after we decorated, back into the freezer they went, uncovered. I didn't know if it was the cakes that always tasted like nastiness, or the cakes being frozen 2 times that made them taste horrible.
Hello,
I have 2 cakes due this weekend but have to go out of town thursday and friday so I will need to do most everything ahead of time. I would rather not freeze the cakes if I don't have to. How long will they last in the refrigerator? The cakes are due on saturday. I figure if I have to back them today they would only be frozen for a couple of days because I start my cakes a few days before they are due. Tips are appreciated! thanks!
I would crumb coat and leave it sitting on the counter. I agree with everyone else, no fridge for my cakes with few exceptions.
And they don't need to be frozen between today and Saturday. They just need to be crumbcoated. IMO. Go ahead - blast me.
just reading this i am wondering if i am doing the right thing. I also have to cakes due this weekend.
I baked all of the cakes and then put them in the fridge since i don't have room in my freezer. (it is very small).
I crumb coated the first cake since that one will be delivered first on friday.and it is a going to be a 3d R2D2.
Buttercream frosting with fondant details. and the other is going to be a building for a lego batman cake.
of course the water company has to do their spring flushing and who know's when the water will be off.
and i couldn't keep them out on the counter due to animals. so that is my delma.
My fridge does keep them cold and i haven't had any one complain about them stale.
Okay, so heres my predicament for this week that relates to this topic.....
I have a cake due to be picked up on friday for a party on Saturday. I wont be able to do any decorating on Thursday since I have work and class all day that day. Therefore, if I baked the cake tonight (tuesday night), and frosted and decorated the cake tomorrow (wednesday), will it still be fresh for saturdays party?? and what will be the best way to store it after being covered and decorated in MMF (with MMF bow and flowers)???
AOkay, perfect. Thank you for your replies!!! I wish it wasn't due until Saturday, I'd feel better about it and itd be fresher. But oh well. So I'll store it on the counter in the box. Thanks!
AAre you guys talking about SMB frost cakes sitting on the counter for 3 days is that possible?
AWow. I must have affix fridge or extremely great cake. I bake Monday the fridge, torte & crumb Tuesday, final coat wed, decorate Thursday & Friday. My cakes are in the fridge a total of 6 days. All the reviews have been wonderful including how delicious my cakes are.
I will say my fridge has never seen anything but cake.
I have been baking cakes for years, & I will freeze on occasion, but I always decorate them 2-3 days in advance so the buttercream can meld. My cakes are always super moist with no issues. I NEVER refrigerate because doing that draws the moisture out. I just leave them on the counter, decorated, until the customer comes to pick up.
This is from Toba Garrett's book The Well Decorated Cake talking about her recipe for Moist Yellow Cake: "Storage: Double wrap the cake in plastic wrap. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 2 months."
Over the years I've learned that no one does cake the same way. One person may say "never do ... " while the next person says "always do.... " I've never kept a cake in the fridge for 2 weeks but I have for a couple of days when I've found myself in a situation similar to yours. I use extra large zip lock bags to store my cakes. I also use a simple syrup moistening syrup on my cakes.
For future reference and peace of mind, you may want to try a taste test. Make 3 of the same cake in the same size. Leave one on the counter, one in the fridge and one in the freezer. Assemble them how you normally would, let them sit overnight and see if you can taste a difference. I've left a fully decorated cake in the fridge (fondant covered) for 2 days for my daughter's birthday because we had a lot of other things to get done. Honestly, I thought it tasted great and couldn't taste the difference. It was Toba Garret's Moist yellow cake with Italian meringue buttercream on one tier and her chocolate fudge cake with german chocolate filling on the other tier. My husband is very picky about flavor as am I. I asked him if he thought it tasted ok and he said it was great! Good luck Betty!
Oh, where you live makes a big difference too! I'm in South Texas - very hot and humid and things get stale quickly! An open bag of chips will get stale within 24 hours if not closed tightly and sealed. In contrast my parents live in Colorado and things take forever to get stale there - no humidity. A bag of chips can just be lightly closed without a clip and be good for a week.
It's just an extra fridge we had from a rental property we sold! Nothing fancy. It's a Kenmore but I don't know what model it is.
I too have done this, worried over it and when eaten have had the same comments back! Delicious. I freeze my cakes if have to lots to do. And also made cakes a few days ahead, carved and covered in ganache and fondant. Never had a problem.
I have been using samsung large counter depth refrigerator for over almost 3 year. All this time I transfer my buttercream and fondant topped cakes to the refrigerator so their thaw can be done gradually, then to an air conditioned space. This can help in avoiding damaging condensation which forms when the cake changes heat environments.
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