Making a cake can be delicious and rewarding. But what if you want to make your batter beforehand? How long does cake batter last in the fridge?
Whether you make your cakes from scratch or use a cake mix, the secret to a great cake is the batter. You want it to have structure, but don’t want it too dense. So it’s important to know how storing your cake batter can affect its texture.
In fact, you can safely refrigerate cake batter for up to 2 days in most cases, but there are some things to be aware of that could affect that timeline.
Here we’ll cover what those issues are, how best to refrigerate cake batter, how to freeze it, how to know if your batter may have gone bad, and more.
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Can you put cake batter in the fridge?
For the most part, you can store cake batter in the fridge for up to 48 hours before you use it.
But if you don’t need to store it, you’ll get better results by using your cake batter soon after you make it.
That’s because letting it rest for too long — by keeping it in the fridge for several hours, for example — can affect the texture and rise of the cake.
Cake volume is related to the air that’s incorporated into the batter while you’re making it. The more air that’s retained, the more height your cake will achieve during the baking process.
Letting it rest for too long can let that air escape over time. So instead of a light fluffy cake, you can be left with a denser, flatter one. This is especially true for sponge cake which relies on beaten eggs for leavening.
So for the best quality and a delicious cake, it’s best to not store your cake batter for too long if possible. Anything past a couple of days will allow too much air to escape. And in most cases, a leavening agent like baking soda or baking powder will start to lose its effectiveness much sooner than that.
How to refrigerate cake batter properly
Now that we know that the retention of air in your batter is key to creating a cake with good rise, it’s important to store it properly so less of that air escapes.
Once you’ve made your batter, the best option is to transfer it to an airtight container. That will trap more of the air and result in the best rise when you’re ready to bake it.
If necessary, you can keep it in the original mixing bowl you used, but be sure to cover it well with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. This won’t be as effective as using an airtight container, however. So you may want to use your batter as soon as possible if stored this way to get the best final product.
⭐️ You can also store your finished cakes in the refrigerator. Find out how long cake can last in the fridge, and how you can extend its shelf life.
How to work with refrigerated cake batter
Ok, you’ve stored your cake batter in the refrigerator for a while and now you’re ready to bake it. Here are 2 ways to do it.
Option 1: Bring to room temperature
If you don’t want to extend your actual baking time, remove the batter from the fridge for about 15-20 minutes. Just until it comes to room temperature. This will warm up the batter and make it easier to transfer your cake mixture to the baking pan. And you won’t need to add any bake time. This is the best way to work with refrigerated cake batter.
Option 2: Bake right away
Another option is to simply pour the cake mix batter into your cake pans and bake right away. Since the batter will be cold, you’ll likely need to add a few minutes to your baking time.
How to freeze cake batter
If you need to freeze cake batter, the good news is you can store it safely in the freezer for up to 3 months. But as with refrigerating, freezing your batter can also affect the density and rise of your finished cake.
And research suggests that it’s the freezing process itself, more than how you store your batter in the freezer, that is the main reason.
Simply put, freezing batter decreases the amount of air bubbles in it. This can result in a cake with less volume that’s also less fluffy. In some cases, your cake may also turn out somewhat hard and darker in color.
But if you need to freeze your batter for later use, your best option is to seal in as much of that air as possible by storing it in an airtight freezer-safe container.
This will also help prevent freezer burn and keep odors from other food items in the freezer from transferring to your batter. No one wants a cake that tastes like fish fingers!
If you’ve made a lot of batter in bulk or have leftover cake batter and don’t have a container large enough for it all, you can portion it out in Ziploc freezer bags and store it that way.
How to work with frozen cake batter
When you’re ready to use your frozen batter, it’s a good idea to transfer it to the fridge and let it thaw for a few hours or even overnight, and use it the next day.
Avoid leaving it on a kitchen counter to thaw out. Leaving it for too long at room temperature can lead to the formation of harmful bacteria. This is especially true for batters with eggs or egg whites in them, or dairy like sour cream.
Once it’s thawed out, you’re ready to start baking!
How long can cake batter be left at room temperature?
As we just touched on, it’s best not to leave cake batter at room temperature for too long. It’s ok to let it warm up for 15-20 minutes after removing it from the fridge. But don’t leave cake batter out for more than 1-2 hours.
If you live in a hot humid climate, this time frame can shorten even more as harmful bacteria can thrive in warmer environments.
To be on the safe side, if you aren’t able to use your batter shortly after making it, store it in the fridge or freezer.
Signs your cake batter may have spoiled
If you’ve inadvertently left your batter out for too long, here are some signs to look out for to help determine if it’s gone bad.
- The first indication of spoiled cake batter is the smell. If it smells sour or rotten or simply off, then it’s probably spoiled.
- Mold is another sign. If you notice any mold spots on the top of the batter, it is not safe to use anymore.
- If the batter color has changed significantly, that could also mean it is starting to turn bad.
- Changes in the batter texture such as unusual hardening can be another sign. This can happen if it’s stored too long in the fridge. It may not have spoiled, but your cake likely won’t have a good rise or texture when baked.
- Lastly, if you’re still not sure, you can taste a little bit of it. If the batter tastes off or sour and not sweet and sugary, it may be going bad.
Each of these is a food safety concern, so in any of these cases, it’s best to simply discard the batter and make a fresh batch.
FAQ
It’s important not to overmix cake batter, as it can become dense and heavy. Stop mixing after you can no longer see traces of the ingredients you’ve added. So if you’re adding chunks of butter to your batter, stop mixing as soon as any butter pieces are no longer visible. The consistency should be thick and fluffy, not runny or too dense.
The key is to cream the butter properly with the sugar. Butter will trap air when it’s mixed in the cake batter. That air will expand during baking and help make the cake soft and fluffy. Make sure your butter is at room temperature when you mix it so it incorporates more evenly and traps air more effectively.
Bottom line
Whether you use homemade cake batter or cake mixes, for best results use them when they’re fresh. That said, you can still store it for up to 48 hours in the fridge without having too much of a detrimental effect on your finished cake. Any longer than that and your cake will likely be flat and dense.
And if you make batter in bulk or have extra batter, you can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
But avoid leaving it out at room temperature for more than a couple hours as it can spoil quickly.
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