How to Reheat a Cake - The Essential Guide

Anyone who has prided themselves on making a cake from scratch remembers the feeling of taking it out of the oven at exactly the right time. The smell alone will make you melt, whether it’s a simple vanilla birthday cake or a plate of decadence filled with molten lava.

There are many reasons why you might need to put away your cake before serving it. For example, if you plan to decorate it, or if you bake in advance because you have several cakes to prepare, you may find yourself with cold cakes.

A cold cake is never the most satisfying thing to eat, even for practical purposes. If you’re wondering exactly how to go about reheating your cake, now that it’s baked to perfection, we’ll explain it to you.

To prevent the delicate level of moisture from being lost, the best way to reheat a cake is to do it slowly and carefully, starting in a cold oven and working your way up to 250 degrees, allowing it to warm up for a maximum of 15 minutes. 

However, before we get to reheating, there are a few strategies you can use to prepare your cake so that it keeps perfectly, and so that it’s freshly baked again the day you serve it.

How to keep your cake freshly baked

To make sure you get the freshest flavor and texture out of your cake, let’s talk about proper cake storage.

If you’re going to bake your cake ahead of time, and you know you won’t be using it for a few days, it’s absolutely critical that you wrap it properly to seal in its freshness.

Wait for it to cool completely to avoid creating steam and ending up soaked . Next, use the plastic wrap on all surfaces of the cake. This means don’t put it on a wrapping tray or container. You want to have a direct barrier so the air doesn’t touch your cake.

For cakes or muffins you can use zip lock freezer bags, but be sure to get as much air out of the bag as possible before closing it.

Now you can leave your cake in a cool, dry room or in the fridge for a few days, tops. If you need more time, the cake will keep its freshness for up to 4 months in the freezer.

Before you think about heating it again, be sure to bring a frozen cake up to room temperature carefully by thawing it first in your fridge and letting it sit in a cool or air-conditioned room before heating.

Frost your cake first so it’s perfectly moist

If the frosting, fondant, or icing is done but you don’t plan to serve the cake right away, you might consider decorating the cake before sealing it for storage.

A cake topper acts like plastic wrap, sealing in moisture and protecting your cake from drying out from exposure to air.

Once frosted, your cake will stay fresh in a pan or even under a large container for a few days, either in a cool dry room at room temperature or in your fridge if your space is very humid or hot.

You can even freeze a decorated cake, with the exception of whipped or boiled icings, which will lose their proper consistency when frozen.

Simple steps to reheat a homemade cake

Once you’ve got all the right measurements for storing your cake, let’s talk about how to heat it up for serving.

There’s something about a hot cake that oozes decadence, and it’s not the same as room temperature cake. You can use both the oven and the microwave, with the right techniques and a little patience.

Reheat a cake in the oven

If your cake is too firm, it will certainly do you good to warm it up, which will bring back some of the moisture and soft texture of the cake. But you have to do it right or it will dry up.

You should heat the cake slowly. Place the cake on a foil-lined cookie sheet and put it in the cold oven. Turn it up to 250 degrees, but make sure you take it out just when it’s warm, not hot. This is a tempered pie, not a twice-baked pie. It will take 15 minutes maximum.

If you’re worried about losing the texture, you can take extra precautions by wrapping it in aluminum foil.

Using the microwave to heat the cake

Using the microwave to reheat the cake can be a great idea or a bad idea, depending on your cake and the care you take. The microwave has a unique ability to dry things out and make them soggy. Since a perfect cake depends on the right level of moisture, you’ll need to be vigilant.

If you microwave a cake for too long, you can end up with a chewy, chewy texture. On the other hand, you can end up soaked if you’re not careful.

So what is the magic formula?

Less is more . For smaller cakes, start with medium heat in 20-30 second bursts. If you have a fairly large cake, you can start with 30 - 45 seconds. Microwaves heat unevenly, so before you go overboard and leave the cake too long, drying it out, let it sit for a minute so the heat is evenly distributed.

Microwaving is much faster than the 15-minute oven, but it may take several short bursts to get to the right temperature. Constant attention can test your patience, even if it ends up taking only a minute. However, the diligence is worth it!

Defrost a frozen cake

Working with a frozen cake is not much different from a cake chilled in the fridge. Basically you have one extra step, and that is to completely defrost it before heating it.

When you take it out of the freezer, leave it wrapped and let it thaw in the fridge . If it cools too quickly, the temperature difference will create too much moisture, leaving you with a soggy cake.

Once the cake is completely thawed, you can bring it to room temperature to frost and serve, or you can warm it up ahead of time, using one of the methods listed above. It should taste as fresh as the day it was baked!

Reheat pastries with filling

If your cake has a filling, such as cream, fruit, or melted chocolate, the reheating process will be much the same, but keep in mind that the filling will heat at a different rate than the cake.

If you leave it in the oven or microwave too long, it will burn your mouth eating it.  If you don’t leave it long enough, you’ll have a cold center. Unfortunately, the time will vary slightly depending on what is inside your cake, and the space dedicated to the filling.

It is best to heat it carefully and then let it rest for a minute or two so that the heat is distributed evenly.

Related questions

How do you moisten a cake after baking it?

If your cake comes out of the oven a little too dry for your liking, you can rescue it with some simple sugar syrup frosting. Mix equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. With a skewer, poke holes in the top of the cake for the syrup to permeate.

Slowly spoon the syrup over the cake and spread it evenly with a pastry brush. You can also cover the sides of the tart, where the baking process has likely left some air holes to allow the syrup to soak up. Let sit covered for a few hours before covering or serving.

How long does a homemade cake last?

A well-protected basic cake will stay fresh on your counter, assuming your kitchen is cool and dry, for 3-4 days. If you’ve used fruit or cream-based filling or icing, it’s best to store it in the fridge to keep it cool, where it will retain its freshness for about as long. You can also freeze the cake for up to 4 months.

Does the cake need to be refrigerated?

Yes and no. A basic baked cake will be good on your counter for 3-4 days, if stored correctly. If there is a lot of humidity in the air, or if your kitchen is quite warm, the cake will last longer in the fridge.

If you used any custard fruit in the filling or frosting, it will only last 1-2 days on the counter, while it will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out.