How to Store a Birthday Cake Correctly

How you store a cake depends mostly on what is inside and on top of it. A plain sponge with buttercream is forgiving; a cake filled with fresh cream, custard or cream cheese is not. Decoration matters too, because the fridge can affect fondant and some finishes.

This is general guidance. Safe storage depends on the ingredients, your kitchen and how warm the weather is, so when in doubt, follow local food-safety advice and err on the side of caution.

The basic rule

If a cake contains fresh cream, custard, cream cheese, mousse or a similar perishable filling or frosting, it should be kept in the fridge and not left at room temperature for long. General food-safety guidance for perishable foods is no more than about two hours at room temperature, and less in hot weather. Appearance is never a reason to take a food-safety risk.

Storage by frosting or filling

Cake covering or filling	Where to keep it	Notes
Buttercream (butter and icing sugar)	A cool spot out of sun and heat, or the fridge in warm weather	Buttercream softens in heat. Chill if your kitchen is warm
Whipped cream	Fridge	Perishable. Serve soon after taking it out
Custard or pastry cream	Fridge	Perishable
Cream cheese frosting or filling	Fridge	Perishable, even though it looks firm
Ganache	A cool spot, or the fridge if warm	Depends on the recipe; chill in hot weather
Jam, curd or compote filling	Check the other components first	Homemade fruit fillings may need chilling
Fondant-covered cake	Cool, dry place; ask the maker about the filling	Fridge condensation can make fondant sticky or colours bleed

If your cake has more than one component, store it according to the most perishable one.

Before the party

• Keep it cool. A cool, shaded room is better than a warm kitchen. Avoid direct sun, windowsills and next to the oven.
• Cover it. A cake box or a large upturned container protects it from dust and drying out.
• If it needs the fridge, make space beforehand. A decorated cake is large, and you don’t want to be rearranging shelves on the day.
• Take it out in good time. A chilled sponge tastes firmer and drier. Letting the cake come toward room temperature before serving improves the texture, but don’t leave perishable fillings out longer than advised.

Fridge and decoration

Refrigeration can affect how a cake looks:

• Condensation. When a cold cake goes into a warm room, moisture can form on the surface. This can make some finishes sticky or cause colours to run.
• Firmness. Buttercream and sponge firm up when cold. Allow the cake to soften before serving.
• Cake boxes. A box helps protect the cake from fridge odours and some of the condensation.

If you aren’t sure how a particular decoration reacts, ask the person who made it.

After the party

• Cut a portion off and put the rest away, rather than leaving the whole cake out.
• Wrap the cut side with cling film or store slices in an airtight container to keep the crumb from drying out.
• Refrigerate leftovers if the cake contains perishable fillings, and, in warm weather, even with buttercream.
• Eat leftovers within a few days. If a cake with a perishable filling has been out for hours, or you aren’t sure how long, it is safest to throw it away.

Freezing

Un-decorated sponge layers freeze well when wrapped airtight; thaw them while still wrapped so condensation forms on the wrapping, not the cake. Freezing decorated or filled cakes is riskier, because of condensation and texture changes on thawing.

Home-baked or bought

If you bought the cake from a baker, ask what the filling is and how to store it. Our flavours and fillings differ in how they should be kept, so please ask us if you are unsure. For more on keeping a cake soft, see how to keep a cake moist without making it dense, and if you are moving one, read how to transport a decorated cake safely.