Is there anything better than fresh cupcakes? The answer is probably no!
These delicious, sweet tiny bites of goodness are the perfect snack to have, whether with a cup of coffee or at a celebration or party.
Cupcakes are truly the one dessert that adults and children both love and are perfect for any occasion.
Sure, cakes are great, too, but cupcakes are just more versatile, tasty, and simply cute. Not to mention, storing cupcakes is much easier as they don’t take up space.
However, you still have to be cautious. If you don’t keep them properly, they can very quickly become dry and lose their freshness. That’s why you must carefully store them so that their quality stays the same.
If you’ve been wondering how to store cupcakes, keep reading this guide that will highlight the different ways you can store these sinfully delicious treats and other tips to keep them fresh.
Do cupcakes need to be refrigerated?
If you’ve unfrosted cupcakes, resist the urge to refrigerate them.
Cupcakes stored in the refrigerator can dry out pretty quickly. Not only that, but the cooling in refrigerators speeds up the crystallization process between the sugar and flour in cupcakes. So, they can go stale much faster if they’re stored in the fridge.
Store your cupcakes in the refrigerator when the frosting on your cupcake is melting rapidly, such as during warmer climates.
Moreover, if the frosting is made with a dairy product, it’s best to store the cupcakes in a refrigerator like whipped cream or custard.
In this case, the cupcakes can be stored for four to five days. Make sure to leave the cupcakes out at room temperature for half an hour before serving them because cold frosted cupcakes don’t taste good.
Can I leave cupcakes out overnight?
You can store cupcakes overnight at room temperature. This is the best way to keep cupcakes as they will not dry out, and the frosting will stay soft and fresh as well.
However, if your frosting is made with dairy products, or the topping is used with other perishable products, such as whipped cream, this option won’t be the best as the frosting can go bad.
Ensure that you don’t leave your cupcakes out for longer than two days or overnight as they might start going bad.
Can I freeze cupcakes with icing?
You can keep cupcakes with buttercream icing in the freezer. When you make a batch of fresh cupcakes with buttercream icing, make sure you have properly sealed them. If you have, you can store your frosted cupcakes in the freezer for up to three months. So, you can easily keep your favorite frosted cupcakes for days when you have cravings.If you have stored them in the freezer, be mindful that it will take two to three hours for your frozen cupcakes to thaw. The buttercream icing will be frozen, so you’ll need to give it time to soften. For this reason, freezing cupcakes with whipped cream frosting isn’t recommended as the dairy products in them cannot be stored in the freezer. When they’re left out to thaw, they may spoil or create a lot of mess.
Can I make cupcakes ahead of time?
If you want to make cupcakes for a birthday party but don’t think you’ll have enough time to bake and decorate them on the day, you can make cupcakes ahead of time.
Cupcakes can be made two days ahead of time, as that’s how long they can sustain their freshness.
We recommend that you bake the cupcakes and store them outside at room temperature. You can then decorate them with frosting, either on the day of the party or a day ahead if you’re decorating with buttercream or non-dairy frosting.
Since cupcakes can be stored in the freezer for up to three months, you can make them three months ahead as well.
However, you’ll have to let the cupcakes thaw for a few hours before serving.
How to store cupcakes
Now that you know all the details about how long you can store cupcakes, here’s a detailed step by step guide on how to store cupcakes whether in the fridge, freezer, or at room temperature.
Here’s how you can store frosted cupcakes:
- After baking the cupcakes, lay them out on a tray to allow them to cool.
- Once the cupcakes have cooled down and reached room temperature, apply the frosting.
- Place your cupcakes in an airtight container.
- If you don’t have an airtight container, you can wrap them in a plastic wrap. If you have frosted buttercream cupcakes, then you’ll have to store them uncovered in the fridge for about an hour to allow the frosting to harden.
- Now, you can wrap your unfrosted or buttercream frosted cupcakes with the plastic wrap and store them.
- Whipped cream won’t solidify in the fridge. Thus, it’s best not to wrap them in plastic because that will create a mess.
Here is how you can store unfrosted cupcakes:
- After baking the cupcakes, lay them out on a tray to allow them to cool.
- Once they’ve cooled down, place the cupcakes in an airtight container.
- If you don’t have an airtight container, you can alternatively use plastic wrap to wrap your cupcakes in and then store them tightly.
Tips on keeping cupcakes fresh
Here are some additional tips to keep in mind when storing your cupcakes to ensure their freshness:
- If you’re storing your cupcakes in an airtight container, place wax paper at the cupcakes’ bottom. The wax will allow them to stay fresh for longer as the cupcakes won’t stick together, whether you store them at room temperature or in the fridge or freezer.
- Wrap your cupcakes in plastic wrap as tight as you can.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool throughout before placing them in the refrigerator or freezer.
- If you’re storing them in an airtight container, try not to stack one on top of the other to ensure freshness.
The bottom line
You have to be extra careful when it comes to frosted cupcakes. The best way to store cupcakes is to keep them at room temperature overnight, but if you plan to store them for longer, you can store them in the freezer. By following these storing methods, you won’t have to worry about your cupcakes’ freshness in the process.I hope you enjoyed reading this guide on how to store cupcakes!