Please note: Anges de Sucre no longer produces vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free or egg-free physical cakes. Our kitchen handles gluten, dairy, eggs, soya, peanuts and tree nuts, so we cannot guarantee cakes are free from traces of allergens. This guide is retained for home-baking information and supports our digital Vegan Hero Sponge Recipe.
Home-baked vegan cakes should usually be stored in the same way as non-vegan cakes: at room temperature, protected from air and moisture, and wrapped carefully once cut. If the cake is cut, cover the exposed sides with cling film or a little extra frosting.
How to store a vegan cake you have baked at home is a question that gets asked a tremendous amount. At room temperature, you can simply wrap your cake in cling film and leave it out. If the ambient temperature is higher, you will need to correctly store your cake. If you are looking to store sponges before decorating, you may want to freeze them in advance. Here we explain how to store vegan sponges, uncut vegan cakes and cut vegan cakes, and when refrigeration is the lesser of two evils.
Storing a frosted cake is actually easier than storing an unfrosted cake. The buttercream coating acts as a protective layer keeping out a cake’s enemies: moisture and air.
To help preserve your cake, the simplest thing to do is to cover it with a large cover. Alternatively, you can put the cake in a box and wrap the box in cling film. This will help keep the air and moisture out, preserving the cake. Take care when touching the sides of the box. If you do not have a box, the next best option is to find a protected space like a cupboard to store the cake.
Stored using cling film, a vegan cake will last for approximately five days. This can change depending on humidity and temperature. Both extremes are cake enemies, so do your best to avoid them.
If you have baked a vegan sponge at home and want to store it for under five days, tightly wrap it once cooled in cling film. Store it in a sealed food-safe bag, ideally using two, and leave it in a cool, dark place at room temperature.
If you have made your sponge with vegan butter, it will usually keep in good condition for about five days. We recommend only keeping it like this for three days to be on the safe side. If you have used oil in your baking, this can add about two days to the shelf life.
For sponges you want to store for longer than five days, wrap them in cling film first. Then put them in a sealed plastic bag before freezing once completely cooled. It is often easier to decorate chilled sponges than fresh-from-the-oven sponges. Frozen sponges can last for up to a month, although you should aim for no more than two weeks. When taking sponges out of the freezer, allow them to come to room temperature in a cool, dark place before serving. Generally, this takes about two to four hours in normal conditions.
Storing a cut vegan cake or non-vegan cake is risky business. Once cut, the cake is open to attack from air and moisture. If you are planning to store cut cake, we recommend making some extra frosting to cover the cut sides during storage. If this is not possible, carefully cover the cut sides in cling film, making sure it is tightly sealed.
It is tricky business but worth the extra effort. Once covered, follow the same instructions for a frosted cake. A cut cake, no matter how well you protect it, should be eaten within three to four days. When serving the cake, shave a thin layer off the cut side to remove any dry or stale crumbs.
Refrigerating cake is best avoided unless absolutely necessary. The fridge often does more harm than good. Vegan cakes can usually be stored at room temperature for up to five days, depending on the recipe. On a hot summer’s day, the fridge may be the only sensible option.
Before refrigerating, carefully wrap the cake box in cling film. Give it several wraps in all directions to keep out fridge smells and prevent drying. If you have freshly baked and decorated your cake, you may want to put it into the fridge for about 15 minutes to firm up the icing. Before serving, unwrap the cake and allow it to come to room temperature. This can take anywhere between 15 and 45 minutes depending on size.
