A perfectly moist cake can quickly become a thing of the past if it’s not stored properly. The good news? You can easily avoid a dry, crumbly mess without any fancy tricks. All you need to keep your cake from going stale is a slice of bread and some toothpicks.
The main reason your cake goes stale so fast — especially when already cut — is moisture loss (drying out from exposure to air) and starch molecules recrystallizing and hardening. The key, then, is to keep the cake covered, which can be done by placing a slice or two of bread upwards against the cut portion of the cake. Not only is this an easy way to cover your cake (no need to make a mess with plastic wrap), but the bread contains moisture that is absorbed into the cake sponge, keeping it moist. This trick works best with plain, soft, white bread, as it won’t affect flavor of the cake. If your bread slices don’t seem to stand upright, use a few toothpicks to gently secure them to the cake.
Don’t forget: The next time you return to dig into your cake, the bread slices will likely be dry. If you need to store it for another day, simply discard the old bread and repeat the process using two fresh bread slices.
Other simple ways to keep your cake fresh for days
If you were planning to use those last couple bread slices for your avocado toast tomorrow morning instead, that doesn’t mean your half-eaten cake is doomed. While using bread is a handy trick, there are still lots of other ways to keep your cake from going stale. Wondering what to do with the bowl of leftover frosting you made earlier? Similar to using slices of bread, frosting over the open edges creates a wall between the moist sponge and air. Plus, who doesn’t love a cake slice with extra frosting? To re-soften your frosting and frost your cake in seconds, try this microwave hack to help the process. Besides bread and frosting, you can also use plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Once the open section is covered, place your cake under a cake dome or wrap it fully in foil to keep it extra protected from air. And, unless it has dairy (like cream cheese or custard) or fresh fruit, think twice before putting your cake creation in the fridge. Instead, store it in a cool, dry place at room temperature.
You can also freeze the rest of your cake if you want to extend the deliciousness into the upcoming weeks (or months). For best results, let your cake fully cool before slicing, wrapping, and freezing. Then, when you’re craving a slice, simply take it out to thaw at room temperature for a couple hours.
