How Long Does Carrot Cake Last? Does it Go Bad?

People widely know carrot cakes as they are considered a healthy dessert.

The cake contains less sugar and fresh carrots, which make it an appetizing dessert for everyone.

Thus you might have seen people storing all these in bulk at their homes.

However, while storing, people get curious about how long they can keep it or do carrot cake go bad.

You have noticed that after storing the dessert will not offer a similar taste like before.

That is because the dessert has a limited shelf life, after which this does go bad.

What is Carrot Cake?

This is a colorful dessert that has layers of grated carrots.

The cake contains oil, sugar, vanilla extract, and carrots.

Vanilla extract and oil are added to make the cake moist; then egg whites are added and beaten to tighten the batter.

Once the batter is baked and then it is topped with different frostings.

These include cream cheese frosting, cinnamon whipped cream, and walnuts, raisins added for chewiness and sweetness.

Besides having a delicious taste, the cake also contains various nutrients, providing numerous health benefits.

The cake includes nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, proteins, and many others.

These are rich in antioxidants which protect the body from cell damage.

This can also improve the production of enzymes and hormones.

Carrots can help in improving your vision, have better digestion, and even strengthen your bones.

How Long Does Carrot Cake Last? Does Carrot Cake Go Bad?

When it comes to the shelf life of carrot cake, then it depends on the variety and storage.

If you have a store-bought cake, then it will serve you for a more extended period as compared to homemade cakes.

That is because stores add preservative, which helps the cake to retain its quality for an extended period.

Unfrosted cake layers can serve you for a week if kept in the refrigerator.

On the other hand, the frozen cake can be preserved for 2 to 3 months in the freezer.

Store-bought cream cheese frosted cake has a shelf life of 2 to 3 days in the pantry.

Homemade carrot cakes do not last long and will serve you for about a week if freshly baked.

The shelf life of homemade cakes can be shorter than defined earlier as this depends on the ingredients you are using.

Cakes with raw eggs should be refrigerated as soon as possible because they begin to lose their potency within 24 to 48 hours.

If anyone is not going to have the cake within a short period, then they should refrain from frosting or icing it.

After icing, the shelf life decreases because frosting declines the quality of cake quickly when it is exposed to air.

How to Tell if Carrot Cake Has Gone Bad?

• Off or foul smell.

One should avoid the consumption of bad cake as it can be harmful.

Thus be sure to look for bad signs if you are having an old stored cake.

One of the ways is to take a quick sniff test of the cake and see how it smells.

Initially, when the cake is fresh, then it will give a sweet and pleasant aroma.

However, if you keep it stored for a prolonged period, then that aroma will turn into a foul smell.

So be sure to avoid its consumption if there is a rancid, sour, or off smell.

• Growth of mold.

Another change that you can notice is the growth of molds or spots.

This happens when the content comes in contact with air or moisture.

Once the cake is exposed to moisture or air, it will develop bacteria in the entire content.

Therefore one needs to be sure that all the area should be wrapped and preserved from all the outer elements.

So if you can see any grey or white spots on its surface, you should throw it out.

• Discoloration.

If you have covered the cake with icing, then you can check that there is any discoloration.

When an iced cake is kept for an extended period, its icing becomes faded and dull in color.

Discoloration happens when the cake develops microorganisms because of prolonged storage.

Therefore, if your frosting is no longer offering that bright color, you should discard it.

How to Store Carrot Cake?

• Add a wrap.

No matter whether you are storing the cake at room temperature or in a fridge, it is essential to wrap it up.

In the pantry, wrapping will help you to protect the cake from dirt and impurities.

While freezing or refrigerating, you can preserve the cake from getting on any other food.

For this, one can use plastic wrap or wax paper.

• Stable temperature .

Storing is all about providing the right temperature for the content.

One can increase the shelf life of their carrot cake if they offer them favorable conditions.

Some people store the cake on the side shelf of the fridge, and as the door is opened multiple times, the temperature fluctuates a lot.

Because of this fluctuation, the cake goes bad and develops a pungent odor.

• Use an airtight container.

One can use an airtight container to provide the cake with complete protection.

This will prevent moisture, air exposure, and absorption of foul smell.

For the fridge and refrigerator, it’s essential as liquids are stored near the carrot cake.

One can also use a Ziploc bag for proper sealing in an airtight container is unavailable.

Conclusion

If you will eat the whole cake in one day, then refrigeration is unnecessary.

That is because it contains sugar, a natural preservative that prevents bacteria growth.

When you put the cake in a container, it should be dry and clean.

Using an unclean container will increase the chances of earlier spoilage, so one must avoid it.