An unexpected slice of decadent cake is one of the most pleasant surprises someone can have. With just a few simple clicks, one can now order cake online and have their favourite baked delight delivered to them in less than an hour.
A slice is usually never enough, but an entire cake is also too much to finish in one sitting. Most of the time, we’ll spread out our servings across a span of a few days or even a week. Naturally, properly storing your remaining cake becomes crucial as you’ll want to keep it fresh and retain its original flavour. Here’s how you should store your cake to preserve its flavour profile and texture.
Storage Basics: Refrigerating And Freezing Your Cake
Wet ingredients such as fresh fruit, custard, and compote are hard to preserve, so do your best to share and enjoy the cake in the next 24 hours. If you’re unable to finish it, you can either refrigerate or freeze your cake, but these methods do come with their own problems.
Some cakes have to be refrigerated. For example, mousse cakes and frosting are especially vulnerable to heat. If they’re not chilled immediately, they’ll melt and result in a sticky mess. The frosting is also important in preserving the moisture of your sponge cake, so take special care to ensure your frosting remains in shape. Chill the frosting to ensure it hardens slightly.
Refrigerating your cake for the long run will pose problems to its freshness. Every cake is made with some sort of flour. The starch molecules in flour will absorb water in the early stages of the baking process to form the batter. Once the cake is baked and starts to cool, these molecules will harden and force out the water within them to result in a moist cake.
If not stored properly, leaving your cakes in the fridge further cools the cake, leaving it to harden as the water moves up to the surface of the cake. As the texture of your cake changes, the composition of the remaining molecules will also change.
At the same time, storing your cake in the freezer to keep it ‘fresh’ may also cause more problems down the road. Contrary to popular belief, freezing your cake is not that simple. Incorrectly freezing your cake will result in the opposite of preserving its original flavour profile; your cake will turn stale at a faster rate if you don’t wrap it properly.
As you can tell, keeping your cake cool isn’t all there is to a fresh cake. Here are some ways you can properly store your cakes, be it in the short or long term.
Storing Your Cakes For The Short-Term:
If you plan on finishing off your sponge cake within the next few days, you’re in luck! There’s not much you need to do, you’ll only need to keep it at room temperature away from heat and direct sunlight. It’s always recommended to enclose the cake box in a layer of plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out quickly. An acrylic cake lid is an excellent alternative if the box is flimsy, or you can always leave it in an air-tight container.
For frosted cakes or cakes with wet components, do the same, but leave it in the fridge instead!
Storing Your Cakes For The Long-Term:
Freezing is the best way to keep your cakes fresh for any time longer than three days. When done right, you can even freeze your cake for up to a year. Many couples have resorted to this method to safely consume their wedding cake on their anniversaries.
Freezing is the best way to keep your cakes fresh for any time longer than three days. When done right, you can even freeze your cake for up to a year. Many couples have resorted to this method to safely consume their wedding cake on their anniversaries.
When serving the cake, you should defrost and thaw the layers before reassembling them. You can also whip the frosting with an additional splash of milk to make it smoother and fluffier.
Properly storing your cake will help you get the most out of your purchase and enjoy it for a much longer time. With the tips provided above, you’ll no longer have to deal with stale cake due to improper storage!
If you need additional advice on storing your cake, feel free to ask our friendly staff here at Polar Puffs & Cakes. With a wide selection of halal-certified cakes that spoils you for choice, sharing and finishing your cakes will no longer be a difficult task! Order your cake online and opt for our convenient delivery services, such as our birthday cake delivery service, to satiate the cravings of you and your loved ones anytime and anywhere.
