The question that often arises in baking is, how long can cake batter last in the fridge? The answer depends on how you store the batter. A basic rule of thumb is 48 hours, which can be extended easily. If you store your batter for longer, you should bring it to room temperature and stir it before baking. You can even refrigerate the batter for several days and then bake it. Remember that a cake will rise better when it is fresh.
How Long can Cake Batter Last in the Fridge?
Cake batter keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours and in the freezer for up to 2 months. However, the leavening chemicals that make the cake rise may lose efficacy, resulting in a flat cake.
When you anticipate that your batter won’t be baked right away, it’s useful to understand what makes a cake rise. The cake batter can only rise for 1 to 2 hours after it has been combined, depending on the cake mixture. You can try a few different things if you need to keep the batter for a while before baking.
- Room Temperature: One to two hours
- Refrigerator: 48 to 120 hours
- Freezer: 2–3 months
What are the Factors that Help in Rising of Cakes?
A flawlessly risen cake results from several factors throughout the baking process. However, the raising agents, commonly referred to as the leavening ingredients, are the most critical component. Baking soda and baking powder are the two most popular leaveners.
Leavening Agent
Cake leaveners help cakes rise and add to their texture and aesthetic appeal. When baking soda or baking powder is in contact with liquid, a chemical reaction takes place. Due to this, little air bubbles are produced in the batter.
Just a friendly reminder that baking powder and soda are not the same. One cannot be substituted for the other.
Rising Agents
It becomes active when baking soda is mixed with a liquid and an acidic component. For baking powder to function, an acidic substance is not necessary.
Heat sources also activate rising agents. Double-acting baking powder will react with uncooked cake batter when combined with wet ingredients. When the cake is baked in the hot oven, you will observe it rise again.
Creaming
The act of beating butter and sugar together is known as creaming. Air is added to the batter during this process. Cakes rise more as a result of creaming. An even cake texture is also guaranteed by creaming. An outstanding example of a cake that depends on creaming for a nice rise is a sponge cake.
Eggs
Eggs Some cakes contain eggs to rise. For instance, the single ingredient that gives an angel food cake its rise is egg whites. After vigorously beating them, the egg whites are folded into the batter.
Bake the cake immediately for best results when using beaten egg whites as a leavener. Any time that elapses gives the cake a chance to deflate gradually.
The basic goal of cake batter is to preserve air bubbles or postpone the reaction till the cake is baked. It won’t rise the way we want it to until then.
Do you know how long a cake needs to cool? If so, you’ll adore this fantastic article on cooling cakes of all varieties.
Reference: Factors influencing critical flux in membrane filtration of activated sludge
How to Store Cake Batter Correctly?
It all boils down to storage, much like many other baking necessities. The optimal conditions for batter storage are what you want to achieve. You’ll have the best chances of baking success if you do this.
Between-Batch Storing
Consider one of these solutions if you don’t have enough cake pans and need to keep the mixture between baking batches. You can either refrigerate or keep your batter at room temperature.
Keeping Things Cool When Storing
Before baking, the cake batter may remain at room temperature for up to two hours without risk. However, it is preferable to chill the batter.
When storing the mixing bowl at room temperature before baking, wrap it with plastic or aluminum foil.
PRO HINT: Covering your bowl with plastic wrap is the simplest solution. To the point where it meets the batter surface, press the plastic wrap down. This will stop the top of your wet mix from developing that thin layer or crust.
Keeping Things in the Fridge
The rising process can be slowed down by cooling the batter since heat activates the raising agents. In general, batters without baking soda keep better in the fridge than those.
It is generally accepted that cake batter can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. The longer you wait, the less probable it is to climb as anticipated.
- To keep your cake batter from drying out, it is a good idea to store it in an airtight container. Alternately, you might use aluminum foil or plastic wrap to enclose your batter.
- Covering the batter can avoid cross-contamination with other foods in your fridge. Additionally, it stops oxidation, ensuring that the cake baking process won’t be adversely affected.
- Stir the batter thoroughly before baking the cake. Pour it into your baking pans gradually after that. Pour the batter slowly to avoid losing unnecessary air.
- Some people choose baking once the batter has warmed to room temperature. Other bakers are content to use the batter right out of the fridge.
- Add a few extra minutes to the baking time if you prefer to bake your batter out of the refrigerator.
What are the Cake Batter Freezing Techniques?
When freezing cake batter, it’s crucial to seal the container and prevent air exposure properly. There are a few storage container possibilities, which is fortunate.
Zip-Top Freezer Bags
The best way to freeze your batter is in zip-top freezer bags. They take up less freezer space when they freeze flat. The batter is also well frozen in a few smaller bags for defrosting. Larger bags take longer to thaw than smaller ones.
Pour the batter into a freezer bag, press out extra air, and seal. If there is a leak, place the bag inside another bag. This occasionally occurs as a result of the batter expanding when frozen.
Remember to label them. You might overlook the cake mix that is in the freezer. When you discover the unlabeled bag months later, it becomes a guessing game.
Airtight Containers for Storage
Your batter can be kept in any airtight, freezer-safe container. Keep in mind to leave room between the batter and the cover if the batter expands while freezing.
Cake Dishes
This advice is for you if you have room and want to simplify your life. Directly in your cake pans, freeze your batter.
Before adding your batter, make sure your baking pan is well greased. To avoid freezer burn, wrap it with plastic wrap several times.
What Should I do with Cake Batter Leftovers?
Do you not know how to use the remaining cake batter? See some of my favorite uses for the excess batter below.
Produce Cupcakes
One of the simplest uses for leftover cake batter is cupcakes—supposeSpread extra icing on top. The cupcakes don’t rise very much. To bake for 15 to 20 minutes, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
An alternative is to line your muffin pan with cupcake wrappers. Each wrapper should be around two-thirds full. Place the tray in the freezer after that.
Transfer the frozen wrappers into Ziplock bags after the batter has frozen. Now, you can make cupcakes whenever the mood strikes. Adhere to the directions given above to defrost your mixture.
Waffle Cake
The batter leftovers are ideal for Sunday brunch or lunch, especially if there isn’t much cake batter left over after baking your lovely cake.
Cake waffles will be a family favorite. Swap your cake batter for the waffle batter and proceed with the cooking as usual.
The toppings are everything when it comes to waffles. Try this cream cheese topping if you’re in the mood for something unique.
Cream cheese, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and a little milk should all be combined. Once it is pourable, stir it. Add a few of your preferred berries after drizzling over your waffles.
PRO HINT: Chocolate cake batter makes excellent waffles, especially when combined with whipped cream and strawberries!
- Pancakes. Put the batter on your pancake pan if you don’t have a waffle maker.
- Delicious French toast. French toast is instantly made when you fry it. One of my favorite tactics involves drizzling cake batter over a slice of bread.
Mason Jar Cheesecake
Cake batter cheesecake is delectable. Crushed Oreos and melted butter are placed in the bottom of some Mason jars to serve as a liner. Combine cream cheese, sour cream, and any leftover batter.
- Equally, distribute the batter among your mason jars.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 325 °F (160 °C).
- Once cold, put the jars in the fridge for about four hours.
- Add cherries, whipped cream, and decorative toppings.
How to Buy a Boxed Cake Mix? What to Look for?
The following are some crucial elements to take into account when purchasing a boxed cake mix:
Ingredients
Components Most cake mixes generally have the same basic ingredients. You can find ingredients like sugar, flour, a leavening agent, flavoring (such as vanilla, cocoa powder, or a specialty flavor), oil, salt, and food coloring in almost every box of cake mix. Mixtures commonly include non-fat milk products, egg products, or stabilizers. These are all common elements that quickly come together to produce a cake.
Today, various combinations are available to serve practically every need. If, however, you’re looking for a cake mix that can be tailored to your tastes or dietary needs, you must pay particular attention to the ingredients list. Gluten-free cake mixes can substitute any gluten-free flour for regular wheat, including almond, rice, oat, and others. Additionally, there are cake mix options that are vegan, keto, and sugar-free.
Most boxed cake mixes also require a few additional wet ingredients to make the cake mix come to life. Among these, eggs, oil, water, butter, or milk are usually present. Because different mixes call for different combinations of ingredients, check the box and ensure you have everything you need to finish the cake.
Price
The price of a box of cake mix is one of the key advantages of making a cake fully from scratch. A recent trip to the grocery store revealed that while a box of cake mix can occasionally be obtained for less than $2, the average price of a box is between $2 and $3. Most people only need to purchase frosting because they already have eggs, oil, and water. The remaining ingredients can be found in most people’s kitchens.
For a baked cake, purchasing each ingredient separately would be more expensive and wasteful of cabinet space if you don’t bake frequently.
Specialty and gluten-free cake mixes can cost up to $20 per box if purchased from a high-end specialty retailer, starting at about $6 per box. They are frequently more expensive than conventional cake mixes. The more expensive the boxed mix gets, the more sense it could make to consider making the cake from scratch if you have a reliable recipe and all the ingredients.
Brands
In grocery stores, it’s simple to recognize a variety of well-known cake mix brands, including General Mills Gold Medal, Krusteaz, Pillsbury, Jiffy, Betty Crocker, and Duncan Hines. Numerous companies sell cake mixes, including mixes for particular diets like gluten-free, sugar-free, and keto, in various flavors that smaller businesses might not always be able to provide.
However, other businesses, including Simple Mills, Bob’s Red Mill, King Arthur, and even Williams Sonoma, have produced special cake mixes ready to compete with the leading names in the industry. Even though many of these businesses aren’t focused on cakes, they provide reliable baking equipment. They have created cake mixes to resemble homemade cakes as closely as possible.
Conclusion
The temperature in the refrigerator is ideal for storing cake batter, but refrigerating the batter for an extended period can be detrimental. This method can make the cake stale sooner than you might think. When storing cake batter in the fridge, keep in mind that the temperature inside the fridge is around four to six degrees. The lower the temperature inside the refrigerator, the better. The lower the temperature inside the fridge, the less humidity the batter will have.
