How To Store Ice Cream Cake To Avoid Freezer Burn

We all scream for ice cream cake — whether we're scarfing it down at a birthday party or a fun summer gathering. Downing layers of the cold, melt-in-your mouth treat is an ideal way to cool down and enjoy a sweet combination of cake and ice cream all in one. But making and storing these desserts is an entirely different story. Considering the amount of work it can take to make and freeze each layer, then incorporate any additional frosting or toppings, there's plenty of advantages to whipping up this treat a day or two before your big event. The only problem? Doing so can leave you with freezer burn.

When ice cream is exposed to the frigid air in your freezer, its moisture can evaporate and later freeze again in crystal form on top of the cake, which messes with the smooth texture of your dessert. Luckily, preventing this from happening is simple. All you need to do is wrap your cake in plastic wrap, followed by a coating of foil. This stops your ice cream from coming into contact with the cold air, thereby trapping in moisture and preventing crystals from forming.

Aside from avoiding freezer burn, here's another way to keep your ice cream cake as fresh as possible. If you're coating it with frosting or other decorations, wait until the day you're eating it to apply these final touches. Technically, you can do so a day or two beforehand, but wrapping your cake with plastic wrap and foil may slightly mess up your beautiful designs, and you'll want to keep it wrapped as long as possible.

When it comes time to serve, you want your cake to melt just enough that it's easy to cut into, but not so much that it starts sliding all over the place. You can either let it sit on the counter for up to 20 minutes before slicing, or transfer it to the fridge for a little longer. If you put it on the counter, make sure it's away from warm surfaces like an oven or running dishwasher. And if it's still too difficult to smoothly slice your knife through, run your utensil under hot water.

Once the cake is cut and served, wrap whatever remains again and stick it back in the freezer as soon as you can to avoid further melting and freezer burn. These storage tips will keep your ice cream cake fresh for as long as possible, but it (sadly) won't last forever. You'll likely want to toss it after about a week in the freezer, if there's any left.