Are you wondering how long does coffee and walnut cake last? Here are some cake-keeping tips and tricks to help you keep the cake’s presentation and flavor.
Thanks to how well the two ingredients match in flavor, smell, and aftertaste, coffee and walnut make a classic combo for cakes. Because millions of Americans drink coffee every day, bakeries have started to create more coffee-based cakes. Coffee cakes make some of the most rewarding and delicious DIY baked goods at home.
Whether you get your coffee and walnut cake from a store or make it yourself, you may want to put away the rest of it for your next snack time. You may even want to save it for a special occasion set within a few hours or days.
Now, the question is, how long can you keep coffee and walnut cake? The answer is within three to four days of the baking date.
Why Coffee And Walnut Cake Lasts Only A Few Days
Walnut and coffee cake lasts like all other perishable goods. It has a “best before” period that the baker should know. Typically, this period lasts three to four days at room temperature after the date of baking.
After three to four days of keeping, the sponge of the cake may turn dry. The sponge may also absorb the creamy frosting if it’s already frosted.
What’s In The Cake?
As the name suggests, coffee and walnut cake contains and focuses on coffee and walnut as its key ingredients. Its other components are the typical cake ingredients, including eggs, baking powder, flour, sugar, and butter.
Some recipes may differ, but these are the typical coffee and walnut cake ingredients. It’s always best you consume it while the cake is still fresh or within its “best consumed before” date.
How To Know If Your Coffee And Walnut Cake Has Gone Off
The first sign of a cake that isn’t good for keeping or eating is its texture. The moisture in the cake will evaporate over time, leaving the sponge dry and hard or slimy to the touch.
A quick visual sign of a cake that’s gone bad is mold; if you spot mold growing on the sponge or the frosting, throw the cake out immediately. Don’t try to scrape off the moldy parts because the cake may still have invisible bacteria growing in it. These bacteria can cause various health issues, including nausea, diarrhea, an elevated temperature, or shortness of breath.
Check the cake thoroughly by slicing it. Remember that mold can grow on the surface and within the cake. Observe the frosting for any dramatic change in its creaminess.
It also helps to smell the cake for any sour or funky smells. If you observe these signs in your cake or its frosting, the cake is already spoiled.
Tips To Help Keep Your Coffee And Walnut Cake Longer
You may want to bake your coffee and walnut cake a few days earlier than the occasion or event you’ll need it. The challenge now is keeping the cake in good shape and quality until you’re ready to serve it.
Freeze Your Cake
Do you need to bake a coffee and walnut cake for a special occasion? If you have a busy schedule, you may choose to bake the cake whenever you have free time, which may be too soon. Fortunately, there is a method to preserve a cake for up to three months: freezing it.
Freeze your cake by wrapping it tightly with plastic freezer wrap or aluminum foil. Place it in a freezer bag and then place it in the freezer. Keep the freezer temperature at a constant 0° F (-18° C).
Keep The Cake Refrigerated
The second-best way to keep your coffee and walnut cake longer-lasting is to place it in refrigeration. Your average cake can last five days up to a week in the refrigerator. Coffee-based cakes with walnut aren’t that different.
Don’t try to keep the cake in your refrigerator longer than that. Otherwise, it will lose its flavor and quality. If you’re storing a cake with creamy frosting for a long while, remember that the sponge may absorb the frosting.
Place The Cake In An Airtight Container At Room Temperature
What if you don’t have space to keep a cake in your fridge? The next best option is to keep it in an airtight container, like a cake carrier. Place the cake in the container, seal it, and leave it in a room that isn’t too hot or humid.
If the coffee and walnut cake is homemade, don’t forget to make sure that it’s already cooled down enough before storing it in the airtight container. You can even use containers that aren’t necessarily made for cakes, as long as they’re airtight.
Check for a container’s airtightness with a simple test. Place water inside the container and seal it; turn it upside down and sideways several times for a few minutes on a dry surface. The container is airtight if no water spills.
You most likely have beans at home if you love drinking homemade coffee. You also probably put those beans in high-quality airtight coffee bean storage containers. You want the same thing for your coffee-based cake if you often plan to make cakes and other pastries.
Use A Cake Cover Cakes With Creamy Frosting
Remember that a cake may absorb the frosting if you place it in an airtight container. If you have a frosted cake and don’t want it to absorb its fluffy cooked frosting, use a cake cover instead. Insert a knife handle under the edge of the cake cover to keep it from making an airtight lock.
If you don’t have a cake cover, the next alternative is a big bowl that can cover your coffee and walnut cake. Another solution is to use foil, plastic wrap, or wax paper. Finally, insert toothpicks in the cake around its edges and center to keep the frosting from sticking to the coverings.
