My daughter's 1st b-day party is on a Sunday. I would like to make the cake the week of the party. I don't have enough room in my freezer to store a sheet cake. Can I refrigerate my cake after it's made and if so, for how long? Also, how long can I keep a decorated cake refrigerated for and still stay moist. I will be bcf to ice the cake. Thanks so much for the help!

Hi!!

First, off, WELCOME to CC!!! I hope you enjoy it here as much as I do!

I've never actually experimented with this with cake--but I know that the fastest way to make bread stale besides leaving it open on the counter is to refrigerate it. Personally, I would not refrigerate the cake. I would just make it on Thursday night or Friday and the ice and decorate it Saturday.

Also--I'm not sure what "bcf" is, so I can't answer your refrigeration question specifically. I never refrigerate my cakes unless the filling makes it necessary--then, I only refrigerate the left-overs. I don't care for cakes that have been refrigerated. As long as the filling doesn't require refrigeration, I would just decorate and box it until the party.

HTH!

Lisa

Lisa - thanks so much! I appreciate the advice! I used BCF as an acronym for Butter Cream Frosting - sorry. It contains butter and milk so I wasn't sure about leaving it unrefrigerated. But I'm sure it will be ok for a day or two. And thanks for the welcome! I'm looking forward to joining the CC crowd!

Thanks Again!
Kristy

Your welcome!! I'm glad you joined us!

Lisa

I made a cake on a tuesday, it was left out all night, the person picked it up on wednesday, but they didn't eat it until saturday!!!!!!!! they said it was the best tasting cake they'd ever had!!! The cake was too big to refrigerate so I know for a fact they left it out....my experience with refrigerating them is the same after a few days it seems to dry them out and even quicker if they're not frosted.

This thread is making me doubt my methods! I almost always refrigerate cakes primarily to keep little hands out of them. I have two young kids and leaving a cake on a counter isn't smart. Maybe I need to find another way to store them. Perhaps on a table in the basement?

I will say that anytime I use milk or any other dairy products in the frosting I tell the customer to keep it in the fridge. I just don't feel safe about having dairy products sit out. Anyone else?

I have the same problem with little hands. I have done two things. 1. threatened the kids within an inch of their lives if they so much as BREATHE on a cake. and 2. I store them in the basement (it's finished) on the pool table with a rubber maid container that I have specially for them over the top.

I generally don't refrigerate any cakes unless they have cream cheese icing. I make my bc with butter and whipping cream and haven't had a problem with it at all even up to 3 days. Cakes don't last much longer than that there--so it's not an issue. If I use butter and no cream--I don't get nervous at ALL. My home is relatively cool (thanks to the high gas prices) and when I was little, my grandma ALWAYS stored her butter on the counter. No problemo.

Lisa

i refridgerate just about everything. As long as it fits in it goes. I would rather refridgerate and be on the safe side. I do let cake come to room temp for serving. Oh and i haven't had any complaints about stale cake

Thanks to all of you for your advice! I really appreciate it!

If you use milk in your icing it should be refridgerated or it may go bad, you could subsitute water instead... I would rather be safe than sour icing if your going to leave it out for any time.