Keeping A Cake Fresh

Decorating By dugan625 Updated 29 Oct 2014 , 12:40am by NanHolland

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dugan625 Posted 27 Oct 2014 , 6:24pm
post #1 of 7

I need to keep non-iced cakes fresh.  I used to wrap in Saran Wrap and but in the freezer, but now I have no freezer space. I've done a search but haven't found whether I can wrap and put in the fridge for a few days.  How long will a cake stay fresh in the refrigerator without any crumb coating, fondant or icing covering it?  I've tried to "search" for this answer, but everything I'm reading is about keeping fresh after decorating instead of before.

6 replies
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Apti Posted 27 Oct 2014 , 6:50pm
post #2 of 7

Putting a cake (or bread, or pastry) in the refrigerator makes them go stale faster, not slower.  Putting  a cake (or bread, or pastry) in the Freezer stops the process of going stale entirely until the item is thawed, then the normal "going stale" starts again.

 

Un-iced cakes MUST be frozen.  I suggest you re-pack your freezer and take out anything that is non-essential or old/expired/freezer-burned in order to make space for the cakes.

 

“staling proceeds most rapidly at temperatures just above freezing, and very slowly below freezing.” Refrigerated bread may stale up to six times faster in the refrigerator than it would if left on the counter in a paper bag."

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-19/what-makes-bread-go-stale-.html

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dugan625 Posted 27 Oct 2014 , 6:55pm
post #3 of 7

Ok, thank you.  Unfortunately, I just have a tiny freezer so it's not a case of "re-packing."  Sounds like I'll just be baking all night to get what I need for that day. 

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Apti Posted 28 Oct 2014 , 3:22pm
post #4 of 7

Dugan~~I understand your pain.  I hobby bake, but finally purchased a used (ancient, actually....) upright, manual defrost freezer for $100 that I have on my porch.  I use it only for cake stuff.  I LOVE making a huge batch of buttercream and freezing it.  I love making fully decorated and filled cupcakes and freezing them in pretty clamshell containers to hand out as gifts whenever I wish.  I also put all sorts of cake supplies in there so they will keep longer:  high ratio shortening, pecans, butter, etc.

 

My favorite part is being able to make four or five tiers (8 or 10 layers) of cake and having the room to freeze them flat on the shelves. 

 

Can you tell I love my cake freezer?

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NanHolland Posted 28 Oct 2014 , 3:35pm
post #5 of 7

Apti - Do you really freeze your high ratio shortening? I didn't think you could do that I was told it would break it down.  That would be a great if you really can.

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Apti Posted 28 Oct 2014 , 9:22pm
post #6 of 7

Quote:

Originally Posted by NanHolland 
 

Apti - Do you really freeze your high ratio shortening? I didn't think you could do that I was told it would break it down.  That would be a great if you really can.


Yes.  I've been doing that for 2 years now.   Once you freeze something, it pretty much stops the process of aging.  I purchased a MANUAL defrost upright freezer for several reasons:  1.  There are shelves to place the baked cake layers flat, with nothing on top of them until they are frozen solid.  2. A manual defrost freezer does not have an automatic "defrost" cycle like most freezers used in homes.  With a manual defrost, freezer burn is significantly reduced.  3.  I only use it for cake stuff, so there are no obnoxious odors to be acquired from other non-cake foods in the freezer.

 

I freeze all sorts of stuff to prolong the "shelf" life.   There is a member on cakecentral with a great signature line (I think it is Cazzi___).  It says:

One baker's never-ever do this is another baker's I always do this.

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NanHolland Posted 29 Oct 2014 , 12:40am
post #7 of 7

AThank you for the reply back I am going to give it a try.

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