Just the Cake

• Your creamy buttercream frosting, fondants or whipped toppings taste best when applied on the same day that you plan to serve your birthday cake. For this reason, you should prepare your single cake or cake layers prior to your event and refrigerate or freeze them separately. Allow the cake to cool completely at room temperature. Wrap it twice in plastic wrap and once in aluminum foil to keep it moist. Store it in your cool, dark pantry for up to two days prior to decorating and serving. The cake will keep for up to seven days in the refrigerator and six months in the freezer.

Frosted Creations

• Storing a frosted cake is a little trickier than a plain one. You can store a traditional buttercream-frosted birthday cake in an air-tight container like a cake dome at room temperature for up to three days in the pantry or one week in the refrigerator. Cakes wrapped in plastic wrap and aluminum foil can last up to three months in the freezer. Whipped or cream-cheese frosting always requires refrigeration. Wrap cakes frosted with these toppings more loosely for storage in the refrigerator from three to seven days to prevent the cake from absorbing the frosting; such cakes don't freeze well.

Fruits and Fillings

• If your cake contains any fruit-based or creamy fillings between its layers, you need to store it in the refrigerator. Fillings like this do not store well in the freezer, whether stored alone or already applied to your cake. For best results, prepare your fillings one to two days before you plan on serving your cake and store them in air-tight containers in the refrigerator. Add these fillings between your prepared cake layers the night before you present and serve your cake, and frost it as well to keep the cake moist. Cakes prepared with fruits and fillings last for two to three days when stored in the refrigerator.

Serving Checklist

• Defrost your frozen birthday cake for at least two hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge, loosely wrapped in foil, before serving. Add your decorations the same day you will serve the cake. Prepare and store fondant for up to nine months in an air-tight container at room temperature. Cover cakes in fondant no earlier than the night before to prevent it from hardening on the cake. To safely store your cake and keep it fresh, set your refrigerator temperature to between 32 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer to 0 F.