Does carrot cake need to be refrigerated?

Carrot cake is one of those tricky desserts. The name is pleasantly misleading, because it’s clearly made with a vegetable. Who would have thought that carrots could contribute to a delicious tasting cake?

And yet carrot cakes are incredibly popular and that’s because they are absolutely divine. Carrot cake is usually covered in a cream cheese frosting, although there are many different ways to make carrot cake.

When it comes to storing it, it is not entirely like other traditional cakes that only have to be covered. Of course, if your house is anything like ours, there are rarely any leftover pieces anyway!

So does carrot cake need to be refrigerated?

Although carrot cake does not need to be refrigerated immediately after preparation, it should be stored primarily in the refrigerator. For optimal freshness, it should also be put in an airtight container or covered with plastic or aluminum foil.

In this guide, we are going to share with you why it is ideal for carrot cake to be refrigerated.

We’ll talk about shelf life in general and give you some tips and storage options that might come in handy when storing your carrot cake.

Read on to find out how to store carrot cake and much more.

Storing carrot cake correctly

In short, you don’t need to keep carrot cake in the fridge, but it will keep much longer if you do. You should also take into account the type of frosting used on the carrot cake.

The most commonly used frosting is cream cheese frosting and it is always best to store it in cool places, so keep that in mind.

Of course, if your carrot cake isn’t frosted or perhaps uses a different type of frosting, then you’ll have a bit more flexibility.

Without a doubt, these are things that you should take into account before making a decision on how to store your carrot cake.

But, this is the thing about carrot cake. Even without thawing, it will need to be refrigerated for optimal freshness.

It can be kept at room temperature for a short time, but the fridge or freezer are really the main methods of preserving carrot cake.

Here’s a breakdown. If you leave the carrot cake out at room temperature, frosted or not, you can expect it to last 1-2 days before it no longer tastes good.

However, if you stick it in the fridge, you’ll probably get a good 7 days out of that carrot cake.

You can also go a step further and store the carrot cake in the freezer.

All of these methods work, but you get more keeping time if you use the fridge or freezer instead of leaving the cake at room temperature.

How to store carrot cake at room temperature

Although we do not recommend storing carrot cake at room temperature, it can be done for short periods of time.

Keep in mind that this type of cake, as well as the frosting, will only keep well for about 1-2 days if stored at room temperature. 

Follow these steps to keep carrot cake at room temperature.

1. Let the carrot cake cool after baking it.
2. Cover it tightly with some sort of airtight container. You can also use plastic wrap or some similar covering if necessary.
3. Store it out of direct sunlight. It is recommended in a pantry or in a dark and cool place in the kitchen or dining room.
4. Store it at room temperature for 1-2 days maximum.

These storage processes can be used for frosted or unfrosted carrot cake.

This works for fresh carrot cake or even store-bought carrot cake, but keep in mind that it won’t last long in these particular circumstances.

How to keep carrot cake in the fridge

We recommend that you use the refrigerator. Your carrot cake will keep much better and will taste better.

If you prefer it warm or at room temperature to serve it, you can always take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving it to leave it at room temperature.

However, to get the best preservation results and to keep it longer, the fridge works really well. There are many reasons why we recommend the refrigerator.

If your cake is frosted, the fridge keeps the frosting much better and it is less likely to melt or spoil in the fridge.

The fridge is also useful for the cake itself and better preserves carrots and other cake ingredients.

In the fridge, you can expect the cake to last up to 7 days, as opposed to 1-2 days at room temperature.

Follow these steps to keep carrot cake in the fridge.

1. Make sure the cake has had time to cool if it’s freshly baked.
2. Cover cake tightly in an airtight container. You can use plastic wrap or aluminum foil if necessary, but we recommend a container that closes securely and latches.
3. Place it in a cool, dark place in the fridge that is not prone to moisture.
4. Store it in the fridge for up to 7 days.

The key to keeping it in the fridge is that the cold in the fridge will help preserve the ingredients of the cake and the frosting.

As with the other processes we talked about, this can be used for both frosted and non-frosted carrot cake.

You will find that you get much more time with your carrot cake by using the fridge for preservation instead of using room temperature.

It is a great way to preserve and take care of the ingredients.

You will need to ensure that there is no excess moisture and that your storage methods are airtight to prevent bacteria from growing or the cake from hardening while in storage.

Remember that if you want to serve the cake hot or at room temperature, you will only have to take it out in time to do so before serving it.

About 30 minutes at room temperature will help bring the tart to room temperature rather than chilled from the fridge, if that’s your preference.

How to keep carrot cake in the freezer

If you have a leftover carrot cake or you just don’t think it’s going to be used before it goes bad, you can always store your carrot cake in the freezer.

This works great as an option for carrot cake that doesn’t have frosting, but can also work when frosting is present on the cake.

You should be aware that sometimes the freezer can spoil the frosting ingredients when they come out of the freezer, but you’re not likely to have a problem.

The texture of the frosting may change slightly, but it may also be fine.

Follow these steps to store carrot cake in the freezer.

1. Make sure the cake has time to cool down and doesn’t go into the freezer straight out of the oven. It is better to freeze it when it is already cold or at room temperature.
2. Wrap the cake in freezer-safe plastic wrap. We recommend at least 2 layers of plastic wrap.
3. Place the cake in an airtight container or freezer bag.
4. Seal it well to ensure that air from the freezer does not get into your carrot cake.
5. Label, date and seal the entire container.
6. Store it in the freezer for up to 6 months.

The freezer is a great place to keep both frosted and non-frosted carrot cake, and in the end it will keep your cake much longer.

Any of these methods will work well for you if you use them properly. You just have to know the timing and know that storage at room temperature is not ideal for carrot cake.

Related questions

We hope you find this guide to properly storing your carrot cake a useful resource. We recommend the fridge, but there are other storage options as well.

Next, let’s take a look at the following Q&A section for some additional details that may also be helpful.

How can you tell if carrot cake is bad?

You can usually tell by smell, but there can also be visual cues.

If you smell an aroma that seems strange to you, we recommend that you do not eat the cake, especially if it is a spoiled aroma.

Visually, if you notice mold or any other anomaly, it’s time to ditch the cake.

How long does carrot cake last?

It really depends on how the carrot cake is stored and even what is in it.

In most cases, you can allow 1-2 days at room temperature and about a week in the fridge.

Can I leave the carrot cake out overnight?

You can leave the carrot cake out overnight and it will be fine, as long as it’s just one night.

However, we recommend storing it in the fridge for better preservation of the cake and icing.