Ice cream cake generally lasts about a week, although it’s better in every way if you eat the leftovers as soon as possible. Even if you choose a cake without ingredients such as eggs, cream cheese, or any other type of cream, the most it will last is one or two months.
What Happens to Ice Cream Cake After a While
If you think putting leftover ice cream cake in the freezer will make it last longer, think again. Even if you wrap it tightly and place it in the freezer properly, it still should be eaten within a week.
Why?
Because with this type of cake, ice crystals form very quickly. These cause it to look terrible, taste terrible, and have a terrible texture.
That being said, if you do decide to freeze your leftover cake, there is a right and a wrong way to do it. We’re about to tell you the right way.
Always Use Something Airtight To Put the Cake In
Never just put your cake in the freezer without putting it into some type of airtight container first. You can even use a freezer bag—as long as it is airtight to keep away freezer burn. This means that regular plastic wrap or aluminum foil won’t work. You need something to keep air completely out of the container because air equals disaster when it comes to ice cream cake.
Always Place the Cake in the Back of Your Freezer
If you put your ice cream cake in the very back of the freezer, it won’t be affected nearly as much by people opening and closing the freezer door and, therefore, it will stay fresher for longer. The farther back it is, the less likely it will get handled on a regular basis. The back of the freezer is also the coldest part and isn’t subject to varying temperatures the way the front of the freezer is.
By now, you might be thinking, “Can’t I just keep my ice cream cake in my refrigerator?”
For the most part, this is a terrible idea. If you do this, make sure you eat it within 24 hours, or it’ll become messy very quickly. To be on the safe side, stick the cake in the freezer the right way, even if you believe you’ll be eating it the next day. Better safe than sorry.
What About Commercial Cakes?
The rules are the same with commercial ice cream cakes—they should be eaten within a week so that you get the most out of the flavor and texture of the cake. Even though their commercial freezers may be set at lower temperatures than your freezer, the seven-day rule still applies because once you get it home, it will start to thaw out immediately and will need to be eaten right away.