How long does a cake keep? Two to seven days, depending on the cake.
Cream two days, buttercream four, Sachertorte a week. That is in the fridge, in the box, on the bottom shelf. Every cake tastes best on the day of collection or the day after.
- 2 days: cream, yoghurt, fresh fruit
- 2 to 3 days: photo cake
- 3 to 4 days: buttercream, fondant
- 7 days: Schokoladenmädchentorte
- In the fridge, in the box, on the bottom shelf
The most common question after handover is not how the cake tastes, but how long it keeps. The honest answer: it keeps for longer than it stays good. A cream gateau is still fine on the second day, but it was better on the first. The sponge has drawn moisture, the fruit has let out juice. Buttercream is more patient, chocolate glaze the most patient of all.
Two things matter more than any number: where it sits in the fridge, and the box. Right at the bottom the cold is most even. And the box keeps away what spoils a cake fastest: not bacteria, but smells. Cream soaks them up like butter.
The days to scale
In the fridge at 4 to 7 degrees, in the box. The solid bar means “best”, the pale one “still good”. After that, it's over. With cream, really.
| Cake | In the fridge |
|---|---|
| Cream gateauyoghurt, quark and fruit gateaux | 2 days |
| Buttercream cakealso with fondant | 3–4 days |
| Photo cakewafer paper on buttercream | 2–3 days |
| SchokoladenmädchentorteSachertorte, chocolate glaze | up to 7 days |
The Sachertorte can even come out of the fridge. Cool and dry in its box, in the pantry for example, it keeps just as long and tastes better at room temperature. Anything with cream or buttercream stays cold, without exception.
Freezing: what works, what doesn't
Freezing rescues what is left over, but not everything survives it. The rule: fat freezes well, water freezes badly.
Can be frozen
- Buttercream cakeup to 2 months, in slices or whole
- Schokoladenmädchentorteup to 3 months; the glaze may turn matt
- Fondant cake without sugar decorationsthe fondant turns soft and shiny after thawing
- Cake layers without fillingsponge and Sacher layers up to 3 months
Better not
- Cream gateaugoes watery when thawed, the sponge goes soggy
- Cakes with fresh fruitstrawberries and raspberries fall apart
- Photo cakethe wafer paper comes away from the surface
- Sugar flowers, marzipan figuresdraw moisture and go cloudy
- First freeze it unwrapped for an hour, so the buttercream sets and the film does not stick.
- Then wrap it in cling film, with a freezer bag or a container over that. Write the date on it.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge, not at room temperature. Otherwise the buttercream sweats and the layers go mushy.
Leftovers that stay fresh until tomorrow
Cover the cut surface. That is where the cake dries out. Press a piece of cling film or baking paper straight onto the open side, then put it in the box or a container. Leave the decoration free.
Slices side by side, not stacked. Next to each other in a flat container. If you stack slices of cake on top of each other, the next day you have cream on the sponge and sponge on the cream.
Not next to onion, cheese or cold meats. Buttercream and cream pick up smells within hours. Anything that smells lives at the top of the fridge; the cake right at the bottom.
If you still enjoy the cake on the second day, you ordered the right size. If you still have some on the fourth day, a smaller one will do next time.
FAQ
How long does a cake keep in the fridge?
Cream gateaux about two days, buttercream cakes three to four days, a Sachertorte with chocolate glaze up to a week. They all taste best on the day of collection or the day after.
Can you freeze a cream gateau?
Better not. Cream and fresh fruit go watery when thawed and the sponge goes soggy. Buttercream cakes and Sachertorte, on the other hand, freeze well.
How do I freeze a buttercream cake properly?
First freeze it unwrapped for an hour so the buttercream sets, then wrap it in cling film and put it in a freezer bag or a container. It keeps for up to two months. To thaw, put it in the fridge overnight, not on the worktop.
Does a fondant cake belong in the fridge?
Yes, because of the filling underneath. But in its box, so the fondant does not draw moisture. When you take it out, condensation forms briefly and dries by itself if you leave the cake alone.
How do I keep leftover cake fresh until the next day?
Cover the cut surface with cling film or press baking paper against it, then put it in a container or the box on the bottom shelf. Not next to onions, cheese or cold meats, because creamy fillings pick up smells.
Can I collect the cake two days before the celebration?
With buttercream and Sachertorte, yes, they cope well with that in the fridge. Cream gateaux are better collected on the day itself or the evening before. We only bake them shortly before collection anyway.
Read on: Transporting a cake: footwell, not seat · How much cake per person? · Our regular cakes · Fondant, cream or buttercream?