How to store cake layers before frosting

Nothing says "celebration" better than a batch of cupcakes or a beautifully iced cake. But if you know you have a busy week ahead of you and won't be able to make and decorate a cake or set of cupcakes, use your time wisely and make your treat a few days ahead of time to keep your schedule balanced. With the proper storage methods, you can hold your freshly made baked goods for several days or store them for a couple of months in a freezer before adding frosting them.

Storing Cakes

Let your cake cool completely on a baking rack before storing.

Tightly wrap each cake layer in plastic wrap and store for up to five days in a cool, dark area, such as a refrigerator or pantry area.

Freeze your unfrosted cake for up to two months by wrapping each layer separately in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped cake layers in a gallon-sized freezer bag, squeeze out the extra air and seal thoroughly. Put the sealed cake in the freezer, taking care not to place anything which could crush the cake on top.

Defrost the cake by removing it from the freezer and taking it out of the freezer bag. Allow it to come to room temperature on a glass dish in a dry area, such as a counter or kitchen table. Once defrosted, unwrap the cake layers from the plastic wrap to prepare them for frosting.

Storing Cupcakes

Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a baking rack after baking.

Place the cupcakes in an airtight plastic container and store in the refrigerator for three or four days. Before frosting, remove the cupcakes from the fridge and place them in a dry area on a counter or table to bring them to room temperature.

Freeze the cupcakes by placing them in an airtight container and storing them in the freezer for up to two months. Allow the frozen cupcakes to thaw at room temperature for several hours before frosting them.

Tip

Cover chiffon cake in a glass dome or with foil to preserve its moistness for five days. Do not refrigerate the cake; allow it to stay at room temperature to help keep it moist.

Make sure you thoroughly cover cake layers with plastic wrap without leaving any of the cake's surface area exposed.

Part of my job as a pastry cook involves wrapping and labeling large sheet trays of cake to store in the fridge for later. At the restaurant where I work, there’s a lot of strategy involved. Those sheets of chocolate einkorn sponge need to be handy for building wedding cakes, but they’re also competing with a week’s worth of produce for space in the walk-in refrigerator. It’s a delicate balance of trying to plan ahead but also wanting the cake to taste as fresh and delicious as possible.

What’s the best way to store a cake—in the fridge or in the freezer? Does it matter if the cake is fully decorated? I reached out to a few experts in search of the best storage advice for any cake situation.

When is it okay to freeze cake?

If done properly, freezing is one of the best ways to preserve the freshness of a cake so that you’re not scrambling to bake, cool, frost, and decorate someone’s birthday cake the morning of a big party. I’ve been there before, and trust me, it’s not a fun way to get in the celebratory mood.

Freezing a cake after it’s been baked and cooled to room temperature is akin to freezing fresh berries at peak ripeness, according to cookbook author and recipe developer Jessie Sheehan. Sheehan, who got her start baking professionally at Baked in Red Hook, Brooklyn, says that freezing cake is “a brilliant move as it locks in all of the freshness.” Trung Vu, pastry chef instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education and former executive pastry chef at Upland in New York City, agrees, saying that, “if wrapped properly, [freezing] is the best way to extend the shelf life of a cake.”

Once a cake is baked, it should be completely cooled. This is crucial since any moisture could trap steam in the cake, possibly changing the texture of the cake, or worse, leading to unwanted bacterial growth. A hot cake placed immediately in the freezer also raises the temperature inside the freezer, which can be a safety risk for food already inside. Once cooled, individual cake layers can each be wrapped twice in food-service-grade plastic wrap. With a piece of tape, make sure to label what type of cake it is and the date that you’re freezing it. The cake can go straight in the freezer and should be used within three to four months.

If freezing cake layers, transfer the wrapped cakes from the freezer to the refrigerator one day before you want to decorate the cake. Rather than going straight to room temperature, transferring the cake from the freezer to the refrigerator allows the cake to thaw at a slower rate, which helps keep the texture even, from the center of the cake to the exterior.

Freezing is also a great way to store leftover cake slices. Those last few slices might not look so appealing when you’re sleepily cleaning up from a party, but wrap them individually to freeze, and your future self will thank you.

When is it a good idea to refrigerate cake?

It depends. Most cakes—the butter-based cakes, oil-based cakes, chiffon cakes, and sponge cakes of the world—keep well at room temperature for at least one to two days. However, there are exceptions: If the temperature of your kitchen is hot, or if there’s fresh fruit, fruit compote, or fresh dairy in the cake, such as cream cheese, whipped cream, or mascarpone, it’s best not to keep the cake out at room temperature.

Kelly Miao, cofounder of Kemi Dessert Bar, who previously worked in the pastry kitchens at Bar Boulud and Dominique Ansel Kitchen, says she refrigerates her cakes “only if the filling requires refrigeration—for example a custard, curd, compote, etc. I always keep my frosted cakes refrigerated up until delivery just to ensure that the buttercream stays hard and won’t collapse during transport. However, I do instruct my customers to let the cakes sit out at room temperature for two hours before consumption for the best texture.”

Erika Kwee of the award-winning, data-driven baking blog The Pancake Princess, agrees: “Generally, I try to avoid refrigerating cake because the fridge will draw moisture out of the cake and quickly dry the cake out. However, if you're looking to store an entirely frosted cake for up to one day, the fridge is fine as the frosting will help preserve the interior.”

Kwee recommends wrapping carefully if you're storing a fully assembled cake in the fridge, "so fridge odors don’t sink in. If you have extra frosting, you can also frost cut edges to keep the exposed cake from drying out.”

What if the cake is already frosted?

Frosting tastes great with cake, but it also has practical uses. Cakes encased in frosting will last much longer than unfrosted cakes, helping to seal in a cake’s moisture and acting as a protective barrier. When held at room temperature, fully frosted cakes will stay moist longer, and most buttercream-style icings are completely fine when kept at room temperature for two to three days.

Frosting is a-okay in the freezer too. If you have enough freezer space, Sheehan says, “you can even freeze a fully frosted cake! Frost it, place in the freezer on a cookie sheet for at least 20 minutes, and once frozen solid, wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.” On the day before you want to eat it, begin defrosting the cake in the refrigerator for two hours, remove the wrapping, and let it come to room temp for an hour before serving.

If you’re making a cake in advance of a party or special event, it’s best to leave any final decorating—such as intricate piping, fresh fruit, or fresh flowers—until after the cake has been defrosted, ideally right before the cake is served.

What’s the best way to store cake at room temperature?

Of course, fresh tastes best, but it’s not always convenient to eat an entire cake in one sitting. Miao says that a cake dome is generally sufficient if you’re storing a fully frosted uncut cake at room temperature for up to three days. (If you don’t have a cake dome, put your biggest mixing bowl to use.)

However, once a cake is cut, the exposed side of the cake will begin to dry out, at which point it’s recommended to press a piece of plastic wrap up against the exposed, cut area and then cover it with the cake dome.

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