How Long is Cake Safe to Eat? Here's What to Know
Whether you’ve made a cake at home for a celebration or event or you ordered a professionally baked and decorated cake from your favorite bakery, chances are pretty good that you’ll have at least some leftover cake when the night is over. For the cake lovers among us, that’s no big deal (and is maybe even a perk), but it might leave you wondering, “how long is cake safe to eat?”
Understanding how long you’re able to safely store and eat leftover cake is important, even if you’re only planning to eat any leftovers yourself. For what we know about how long you can safely eat your leftover cake, how to store it to keep it fresh longer, and what to look for to tell if your cake has gone bad, keep reading.
So, How Long Is Cake Safe to Eat?
Although you probably wish it were, cake isn’t good forever. Just how long cake is safe to eat, however, can vary based on the way you store any leftovers, the type of cake it is, the type of frosting, and even the ingredients used for the cake and filling. Here’s what you need to know:
Freshly Baked Cake (Unfrosted Cake): Kept at room temperature, it’ll stay good for about 2-3 days (it's best to put it under a cake dome or wrap it with aluminum foil or a few layers of cling film). If you store it in the fridge, however, you can get it to last up to about a week. Just be sure that you store it properly in the fridge. If you wrap it up well or store it in a cake saver, it should last, but because refrigerating your cake can dry it out more quickly, if you don’t prep it well, it won’t last nearly as long.
Frosted Cake: How long your frosted cake will last is partially going to depend on what it’s been frosted with. Buttercream, cream cheese, or ganache should keep well in the fridge for 4-5 days. If your frosting is dairy-heavy (like buttercream cakes) or contains other perishable ingredients, don’t keep it out for extended periods. It can only stay out for about 2-3 hours.
Fondant or Decorated Cakes: Fondant can help to protect your cakes a bit, making them more stable than some other cakes. Stored properly, these cakes can keep for about 3-4 days, but they may not look quite as good by that last day.
Specialty Cakes (Cheesecake, Mousse): These kinds of cakes are made with a lot of dairy, eggs, or custards, and, as a result, have a shorter lifespan than other cakes. These cakes are best eaten within the first 3 days. Make sure you store them in the fridge and don’t let them sit out at room temperature for too long!
How to Store Cakes Like a Pro
Proper storage techniques are critical, whether you made and frosted your cake yourself or you love bakery cakes because you probably want to do your best to keep your frosting from going stale. Here are the storage methods you need to know about for how to best keep your cake fresh and how to extend the shelf life of cake:
If you’re storing your cake at room temperature: Wrap unfrosted cakes in plastic wrap or store in an air-tight container, cake carrier, under a cake cover, or in a cake box. Frosted cakes should sit under a dome or inside a box.
If you’re storing your cake in the refrigerator: Cover frosted cakes with plastic wrap or store in a tightly sealed container to help keep it from taking on the smells and tastes of other foods in your fridge.
If you’re storing your cake in the freezer: For long-term storage, wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then pop them in a freezer bag. Your cake should last in the freezer for up to 3 months as long as you properly prepped it first. Thaw frozen cake in the fridge overnight or briefly at room temperature when you're ready to eat.
Signs Your Cake Has Gone Bad and Needs to Be Tossed
Even if you do everything right, you can still sometimes end up with cake that’s gone bad and needs to be thrown away instead of eaten because there are just so many different factors that can influence a cake's shelf life. Here’s how to look for signs of spoilage to help you figure out if it's a good idea to go ahead and toss it:
It has a dry texture: If the texture of the cake itself is dry and crumbly, it’s gone stale. It may not hurt you to eat it, but it’s best to toss it.
It smells a little… off: If it smells like anything other than sweet cake, you should definitely throw it away because something has gone wrong here. Off-putting smells are a great way to tell if your cake's freshness has run out. You’re better off throwing out the funky-smelling cake instead of risking getting sick from eating it.
It looks a bit moldy: Of course, if you can see visible mold on the cake, it’s time for it to go. Don’t ever eat moldy cake—it can make you sick. You absolutely do not want to risk food poisoning.
Can You Revive Slightly Stale Cake?
If you’re pretty sure the cake is still okay, it’s just not quite as good as it was the first day, there are a few ways to help save it. Dry cakes can be saved by popping it in the microwave for about 10 seconds (you don’t want to heat it up and melt the frosting, but a few seconds can help soften it). You could also serve it with ice cream or whipped cream, which can add needed moisture.
So, how long is cake safe to eat? Not forever. But with proper storage and a little savvy, you can stretch your leftover cake for weeks (or months, if you freeze it). Cake is more than a dessert—it’s a centerpiece for special occasions and a moment of celebration, comfort, or sheer indulgence.
Whether you’re savoring a leftover slice from your bestie’s wedding or clinging to the last bite of your birthday cake, taking care of your cake ensures it’s just as delicious as the day it was baked.
And hey, if you discover your cake has passed its prime, don’t be too hard on yourself. It happens to the best of us. Next time, you’ll know what to do to help keep your cake as fresh and gorgeous as possible (and avoid eating any cake that isn’t safe to eat any longer).
