How To Properly Store Angel Food Cake For Later

Angel food cake is a light, fluffy dream of a dessert that has been an American classic for over 150 years. A quick glimpse at its ingredient list might give the impression that it's a simple bake: egg whites, flour, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar. But anyone who's made it knows that time, practice, and technique are required. You need a well-tested angel food cake recipe and the ability to judge when your egg white peaks are just the right level of stiff. That is how you get the perfect result, golden on the outside and snowy white on the inside with a cloud-like texture that's soft and springy with a satisfying almost almond-like sweetness. 

After all that work, you want to be able to savor your angel food cake in its peak condition for as long as possible, but how can you prolong that magical balance of moist and airy? The answer lies in knowing where to keep your cake, in what temperatures, and what materials to wrap it in. First things first: When you're going to store your angel food cake, wrap it up. Use foil or plastic wrap and really be sure to cover every spot. This keeps air out, which means that subtle stickiness won't dry out and throw off the cake's texture. Additionally, wherever you store the cake, make sure it's dry. If there's too much humidity in the air, any baked good will spoil more quickly.

Your wrapped angel food cake will last for up to two days at room temperature. If you're planning on serving it soon at a gathering where there won't be leftovers, counter-top or pantry storage will work just fine. If you'd like to keep the cake longer, you'll want to refrigerate it, which will preserve it for one week. It's crucial to note that you should refrigerate the cake even with plans to serve it within hours if you have incorporated any fruit or dairy items. The retro twist of adding a center layer of whipped cream is popular; if you add that, custard, or buttercream, definitely refrigerate.

That time rockets up to four to six months in the freezer. In fact, the cake will remain safe indefinitely, but peak quality is really within that range. Pro tip for freezing baked items: Wrap them in both plastic wrap and aluminum foil. The first layer of plastic wrap keeps moisture out, while the second layer of foil protects against things like freezer burn.

No matter where you keep your angel food cake and for how long, you should know how to spot spoilage. Any smells that just seem off are your first indicator that it's time to toss that cake. Beyond that, you might even see mold pop up. As soon as you feel a bit of staleness, the dessert is likely past its prime since angel food cake is all about its heavenly texture.