Can You Save Cake Batter?
There’s nothing quite like freshly baked cake. Whether it’s a vanilla sponge or chocolate fudge, most home bakers take great pleasure in whipping up a cake and watching it rise in the oven.
But what do you do when you have made too much cake batter?
Can you save cake batter? The answer is yes! Cake batter can stay in the refrigerator for up to two days and in the freezer for up to three months. However, if you wait for too long, the cake may not be able to rise properly.
If you want to know why that’s the case and our top tips on how to make the most out of every bit of batter, just keep reading.
Cake Mix Vs Cake Batter From Scratch
Let’s talk about the difference between cake mix and cake batter that you make from scratch. As the various ingredients may be different, the result of refrigerating and freezing may be different for each.
Cake Mix
Cake mix is the simplest way to make cakes at home, and you’re guaranteed to have a delicious cake using just cake mix, water, oil, and egg.
Cake mix usually has additives that allow the dry ingredients to have a longer shelf life, which means you can keep it in the fridge or the freezer for longer while maintaining the freshness of the cake.
Cake Batter From Scratch
Cake batter made with fresh ingredients like eggs or milk may not last very long in the fridge or freezer. In addition, cake recipes often require the use of baking soda, baking powder, or both.
Baking soda will start reacting the moment it meets liquid, which means that once the cake batter is mixed, you will need to bake it right away to enjoy the effects of baking soda.
If you leave the batter for too long, the baking soda may not be able to react, and your cake may not rise properly.
On the other hand, baking powder is double-acting, which means it will react with the liquid and the heat. Cake batter made with baking powder will still rise when it is baked, even if it’s been stored in the fridge or freezer after mixing.
That’s why we only recommend saving cake batter if it’s made with baking powder or both baking powder and baking soda. If you try to save cake batter made with baking soda alone, the cake will not rise when it’s time to bake it.
How Long Does Cake Batter Last?
Cake batter is always the best when it is fresh. This is when you will get the most predictable rise, and the taste will be just as the recipe describes. The longer you wait, the less the cake will rise.
Cake batter can be chilled in the fridge for up to 48 hours after it’s mixed. If you leave it for more than 48 hours, the fresh ingredients (like eggs and milk) may spoil, and you won’t be able to bake it.
You can freeze cake batter for up to three months, but keep in mind that the longer you freeze it, the less the cake will rise. It’s better to bake the cake batter into a cake so that it will rise properly, and then freeze the cake for a later date.
How To Save Cake Batter In The Fridge
You can save cake batter in the fridge using an airtight container for up to 48 hours. The airtight container will keep moisture and fridge odor at bay so that your cake batter will stay fresh and ready to bake.
If you leave the cake batter in the fridge for too long, you may see some separation of the ingredients.
This is not a sign that the cake batter has gone bad; you simply have to whip the batter again to make sure that all the ingredients are well-mixed.
Keep in mind that the cake may not rise properly if it’s not fresh, especially if the recipe only calls for baking soda.
If you intend to save cake batter for later, then you can avoid mixing in the baking soda and baking powder when you first mix your batter. When it’s time to bake, you can add these ingredients to ensure that your cake will rise properly.
The best way to bake a refrigerated cake batter is to bring it to room temperature first for about 30 minutes before baking.
This way, you can bake the cake according to the recipe’s instructions without having to wait for the batter to warm up in the oven.
How To Save Cake Batter In The Freezer
If you want to save your cake batter for longer than two days, you can do so in the freezer. However, similar to the above, if you wait for too long, the cake may not rise properly when it’s baked.
We recommend freezing cake batters that contain a lot of fat, like oil or butter, because the fat will help preserve the texture of the cake.
Cake batters that are made by whipping eggs (like sponge cakes) may not freeze very well because the air bubbles may deflate once it’s out of the freezer.
If you are mixing cake batter with the intention of freezing it, then you can also skip out on the baking soda and the baking powder.
Once you are ready to bake the cake, just add these ingredients before baking so that the cake can rise properly.
The best way to freeze cake batter is using an airtight container or Ziploc bag. The sealed container will keep contaminants and moisture away from the cake batter, which will keep it fresh for longer.
Since the cake batter will only stay fresh for up to three months, we recommend that you date the container so that you can use the batter before it goes bad.
When you are ready to bake, transfer the container to the fridge to let it thaw overnight. If you see signs of separation in the batter, you can simply mix the batter again once it’s thawed.
Then, you can transfer the cake batter to a baking pan and bake it as normal.
How To Tell If Cake Batter Has Gone Bad
Storing food in the fridge or freezer is not fool-proof; your cake batter can still spoil if it’s left for too long or if it’s contaminated with moisture.
It’s easy to tell if your cake batter has gone bad. If it smells odd or looks moldy or spotty, it is definitely no longer safe to consume.
If you cannot tell just by looking at the cake batter, you can taste the raw batter. If it tastes like anything but sugar, you need to throw it away immediately.
