It’s incredibly hard to resist the creamy goodness that is the cheesecake. This cake’s soft texture combined with the sweet and sour taste is pure joy for our taste buds.
Unfortunately, since the main ingredient in this delicious dessert is cream cheese, this means cheesecakes can be considered highly perishable food. But what if you end up with some leftovers or if you’re making the cheesecake in advance? How long is cheesecake good for if appropriately stored?
If not stored correctly, cheesecake can spoil in a matter of hours. But, if you do things correctly, you’ll be able to enjoy cheesecakes even months after it was made.
In this article, go in-depth on how long you can have the cheesecake in the fridge before it’s unsafe to eat. We’ll also teach you how to properly store leftover cheesecake.
How Long Does It Take For The Cheesecake To Expire?
The shelflife of cheesecake is influenced by a myriad of factors. However, the most important factors are the type of cheesecake, packaging date, and how it is stored.
Since this delicious dessert is made with cream cheese, it can’t sit on the counter like a regular cake. Cheesecake must be kept in a refrigerator or in a freezer unless you don’t want it to spoil in just a couple of hours.
When stored properly in a refrigerator at below-40 °F temperatures, a homemade cheesecake can last between 4 and 6 days. So, as you can see, cheesecakes are incredibly perishable food.
So, as you can see, these creamy cakes have an incredibly short shelf life when stored in a fridge. Even with the short shelf life, you shouldn’t be scared of making cheesecake in advance. To make this dessert, you need to invest a lot of time, and if you are only free on weekends, you can still make it and enjoy it throughout the week.
If 4 to 6 days is too short of shelf life for you, you can freeze your homemade cheesecake. Frozen cheesecake can last for months. In fact, if you properly store it (more on that later), frozen cheesecake can last up to 8 months before it goes bad.
If you’re living alone and want to enjoy a slice of creamy goodness from time to time, the best way of going about it is to freeze the cheesecake.
This is all well and good for homemade cheesecakes, but what about those you can buy at your local bakery or supermarket? This type of cheesecake has a slightly longer fridge shelf life than a homemade one, lasting between 5 and 7 days.
Store-bought cheesecakes have preservatives that keep them fresh and inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. Not only that but the containers are also filled with nitrogen. Filling the packaging with nitrogen is an excellent way of preserving food because the lack of oxygen makes it really hard for the bacteria to develop, and it prolongs the product’s freshness.
Still, you should always check the production and expiration dates. Never buy a cheesecake that’s close to expiring. Not because it can be potentially unsafe to eat, but because it probably isn’t fresh.
If you’re left with no other choice than to buy a cheesecake that’s close to expiring, don’t worry. The expiration date is there to tell you how long the product will stay fresh. Most foods are still good to eat even a couple of months after expiration.
With that said, you should always practice maximum food safety. Always make sure the food is not spoiled before eating it. Otherwise, you’re risking food poisoning.
If you don’t know what the signs of a spoiled cheesecake are, read on and find out!
Is There A Way To Tell If Cheesecake Has Gone Bad
Unfortunately, there is no best way of telling if the cheesecake has gone bad or not. When it comes to this problem, your best option is to rely on your gut hunch.
Of course, there are obvious signs that a cake has gone bad. If you see any mold forming on the cheesecake’s surface, that’s a clear sign you should throw it out as soon as possible. If you see any discoloration, that’s another sign that the cake has spoiled. Another sure indication of spoilage is the unpleasant odor.
Some store-bought cakes are advertised as long-lasting. However, you should never eat it past seven days of it sitting in your fridge. This way, you are making sure you won’t get food poisoning or getting a tummy ache (at the very least).
If you’re of a more adventurous type, there are a few methods that’ll allow you to check whether the cheesecake has gone bad or not.
If you’ve got a store-bought cake sitting in your fridge for a while, you can check the wrapper and see what’s the expiry date. If the label has an “eat before” date, that’s even better. If the cake has been sitting in your fridge past the “eat before” date, it’s unsafe to eat.
If the cake isn’t past the date mentioned above, you should give the cake a thorough visual inspection. Make sure there are no mold spots or discolorations on the cake’s surface.
Keep in mind that even if there’s no mold on the surface of the cake, that doesn’t mean it’s not infested with it. Cheesecakes are very moist, and that’s what bacteria and mold absolutely love. This is why you should also do a quick smell test. If you spot even a whiff of unpleasant smell coming off it, the cake is unsafe to eat.
Lastly, you can do a taste test. You won’t get sick if you take a quick taste. If the taste is even a little bit off, that’s a clear sign the cheesecake is spoiled. Don’t swallow the bite if you’re unsure. You won’t get sick, but if the cake is spoiled, even the tiniest of bites will leave a bad taste in your mouth.
With all this said, we strongly advise you don’t eat the cheesecake if it’s sitting for more than 6 days in your fridge. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Dairy products go bad incredibly quickly, and eating spoiled dairy products can lead to a bad tummy ache at the very least.
How To Properly Store Cheesecake For Maximum Freshness
Now that you know for how long cheesecake is good for and what are the signs of it going bad, it’s time to learn how to properly store it.
No matter if you’re storing leftovers, or you’ve prepared the cheesecake in advance, here are the steps you need to follow to ensure your cheesecake stays fresh.
1. Letting The Cake Cool
Whether you’re planning on storing the cake in the freezer or in the fridge, the first step in adequately storing it is letting it fully cool after it’s baked.
If you put a hot cheesecake in the refrigerator, you’re risking changing its texture. Hot cheesecake will start to contract when placed in the fridge, which will cause cracks. This is why it’s incredibly important to let the cake cool down after baking.
After you’ve taken the cheesecake out of the oven, let it cool at room temperature for at least an hour. After it’s cooled down to room temperature, you can put it in the fridge.
2. Wrapping The Cheesecake
The most essential part of properly storing a cheesecake is ensuring it’s wrapped correctly. Correctly wrapped cheesecake won’t dry out or lose its rich taste while in the fridge.
Wrapping the cake is incredibly easy. All you need is plastic wrap and a bit of patience. Place the cake on a serving tray or on a cake plate and carefully wrap everything.
If you have fresh fruit on the top of the cake, don’t worry about the wrap touching the fruit. Even if the fruit sticks to the wrap, you can easily place it back on the cake.
Alternatively, you can use a plastic container with a lid. In this case, we recommend you cut the cake in slices and then store it in the container.
After you’ve got the cake nicely wrapped (or placed in a plastic container), you can put it in the fridge or in the freezer.
3. Thawing The Cheesecake
If you’ve stored the cake in the fridge, take it out and let it warm up to room temperature before serving it.
If you’ve stored it in a freezer, you have to take the cake a day earlier and let it thaw in the fridge. After it’s brought to fridge temperature, then you can take it out.
Final Word
Even though cheesecakes are considered a highly-perishable food, they can last you for months if you store them properly. If you follow the steps we’ve shown you in this article, you’ll be able to enjoy cheesecake for months.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this matter. This is why we can’t wait to hear your thoughts in the comments below!