How to Store a Fondant Cake

Co-authored by Maha Mohamed and Jessica Gibson

If you'll be preparing a fondant cake several days before a big event or you have leftover slices of cake, there are storage tricks you can use to keep your cake fresh. If you're storing a whole cake, wrap it well and keep it at room temperature. Refrigerate or freeze the cake for longer storage. If you're storing single pieces of cake or the top layer of a wedding cake, ensure that all sides of the cake are covered before you store them.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Storing a Whole Fondant Cake

1
Cover and keep the cake at room temperature for up to 3 days. For short term storage, cover the fondant cake with plastic wrap. Transfer the cake to a cake carrier and keep the cake at room temperature until you need it. The cake should be used within 2 to 3 days.^{[1]
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- If you used a thin layer of buttercream or glaze under the fondant, you can still store the cake at room temperature.
- If you don't have a cake carrier, cover the wrapped cake with a large overturned bowl.
2
Refrigerate the cake, if necessary. If your kitchen is hot or humid or your cake has fillings that need to be refrigerated, store the cake in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and place it in a corrugated cardboard box. Tape the box shut to keep out moisture.
- While you can store the cake in a cake carrier instead of a box, moisture could get into the cake. Moisture will cause condensation to form on the fondant and the colors could run.
- If the cake is filled with pastry cream, whipped cream, pudding, mousse, or fresh fruit, you'll need to refrigerate the cake.
- The cake is going to "sweat" when taken out of the refrigerator. Make sure to take it out a couple of hours before consumption so it doesn't look slimy and sticky.
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3
Protect the cake from light. If you're storing the cake under a cake carrier, keep it away from sunlight and fluorescent lighting. Light can change the color of the fondant or make it fade.^{[2]
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- Consider using a corrugated cardboard box instead of a cake carrier since it will effectively block the light.
4
Freeze the fondant cake for long term storage. If you want to store the cake for more than a few days, freeze it for up to 1 year. Put the entire cake in the fridge for 30 minutes so the fondant firms up. Remove it from the fridge and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Then cover the plastic wrap with aluminum foil. Transfer the covered cake to a large freezer bag or an airtight storage container that's big enough to hold the cake. Put the cake in the freezer.^{[3]
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- A few days before you're ready to eat the cake, transfer the cake in its container to the refrigerator. Once it's thawed, move it to room temperature before you unwrap and serve the cake.
5
Check a fondant cake for signs of mold. If you've thawed or stored a fondant cake for a while, look it over for signs of spoiling before you eat or serve it. Signs of mold or spoilage include:
- Hard or dry cake texture
- Watery or runny fondant
- Moldy or slimy filling
- Mold on the fondant

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Storing Slices of Fondant Cake

1
Lay the slice on a plate and frost the exposed side before storing for 2 days. Sliced cake is more likely to dry out because it's exposed to air. To protect and store the cake for 1 to 2 days, lay the slice on a plate. Spread more frosting on the side of the cake that is facing up. The frosting will seal the cake so air won't dry it out. Put the piece of fondant cake under a cake carrier and store it at room temperature.^{[4]
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- There's no need to lay more fondant over the slice.
2
Wrap the cake slice in plastic wrap and store it for 1 to 2 days. If you don't want to apply more frosting to the slice of cake, lay the slice of cake on a plate. Tear off a piece of plastic wrap and press it completely against all sides of the cake slice. No air should be touching the slice of cake. Store the cake slice at room temperature for 1 to 2 days.^{[5]
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- Don't worry about the plastic wrap sticking to the fondant. The plastic wrap will easily peel away from the fondant without snagging it.
3
Freeze slices or the top layer of wedding cake for up to 1 year. If you want to freeze a slice of cake or the top layer of a wedding cake for later, tear off a large piece of plastic wrap. Lay the cake slice or top layer of cake on the plastic wrap and wrap it up tightly. Place the piece or layer in the freezer and use it within 1 year.^{[6]
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- A few days before you're ready to thaw and eat the cake slice or layer, transfer it to the refrigerator and keep it well wrapped. Once it's thawed, keep it wrapped and move it to room temperature. Unwrap and eat it once it's softened.
4
Enjoy your fondant cake.

Expert Q&A

Question

Does a fondant cake need to be refrigerated?

Maha Mohamed
Custom Dessert Artist
Maha Mohamed is a Custom Dessert Artist and the Owner of Sweet Treats SJ. Maha has over ten years of experience creating custom treats for special occasions. She specializes in custom cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and chocolate-covered treats.

Maha Mohamed

Custom Dessert Artist

Expert Answer

Not necessarily! Fondant tends to get sticky and soft after being refrigerated, so some people prefer to leave their cakes out of the fridge to avoid this. Of course, the refrigeration factor depends on if it's summertime or hot outside, too.
Question

What's fondant?

DenFren

Community Answer

Fondant is something people use to cover cakes, it's a thick sugar paste. It's rolled out and used to cover cakes because it's much smoother than frosting. You can also mold it into decorations.
Question

After storage, y fondant cake became very hard to cut. How we can I deal with that?

Maggie Peterson

Community Answer

The fondant loses moisture during storage. Wrap in plastic wrap to seal in moisture. Brush water over fondant before serving.