How to Store Cupcakes w/o filling, icing, or frosting【 2024 】

You can store cupcakes without frosting or filling at room temperature for two days. When stored in the fridge, they can last up to 7 days. To extend its shelf life, it is possible to freeze them for 4 and 6 months.

Please continue reading to see how it is step by step to preserve the cupcakes in each case.

Keep cupcakes without filling, icing, or frosting

Preserving cupcakes without any filling or icing is ideal, as it is always advisable to fill, glaze, or decorate them the same day you ingest them.

In this way, the best quality and flavor of the fillings and glaze is guaranteed.

Store cupcakes at room temperature

Cupcakes keep well at room temperature and should only be protected from moisture, direct light, and heat.

To save them correctly, follow these steps:

Step 1: Let the cupcakes cool.

After removing them from the oven, I advise cooling them on a rack.

If stored hot, the steam will condense inside the cupcake and change its consistency, plus it could cause the capsules or cups to peel off.

Step 2: Store in an airtight container.

In this way, you reduce the airflow circulation that dries the cupcakes.

Step 3: Place in a dark, cool place.

Thus, the cupcakes can last two days without problems.

Keep cupcakes in the fridge

The fridge is not an option that pastry chefs recommend for storing cupcakes because it tends to dry them out. I have tried that, too, and my cupcakes were moist.

However, if you live in a very hot place, it is best to refrigerate the cupcakes.

To keep cupcakes in the refrigerator, you should take the following provisions:

Step 1: Let them cool down.

As mentioned above, storing cupcakes even hot will affect their texture.

Step 2: Wrap the cupcakes.

Wrap the cupcakes with plastic film or aluminum foil as it helps to retain their freshness.

Step 3: Place them in an airtight container or bag.

In this way, you have two layers of protection, which prevents them from drying out and absorbing the smells and flavors of other foods.

Step 4: Store the cupcakes in the fridge.

You can store cupcakes for a week in the fridge, but considering they could get a bit hard, try to eat them before.

How to freeze cupcakes without filling

Can cupcakes be frozen without filling? Absolutely! Pastry chefs prefer to freeze cupcakes instead of refrigerating them since their texture and consistency do not change.

To store them correctly in the freezer, you must do something like the above, and here is how:

Step 1: Let them cool down.

The cupcakes will be damaged if they try to freeze even when hot.

Step 2: Wrap each of the cupcakes.

With plastic film or aluminum foil, you will prevent them from sticking to each other.

Step 3: Place them in an airtight container or bag.

So you do not have cupcakes scattered all over the freezer. The airtight bag or container must be suitable for the freezer.

Step 4: Store them in the freezer.

You can store cupcakes without filling for 4 to 6 months in the freezer.

Keep cupcakes with filling, icing, or any decoration.

Well, the way to preserve the cupcakes remains mostly the same if they are glazed, with filling, or decorated. You have to make a few minor modifications.

Here is how to keep cupcakes decorated, stuffed, or glazed in three ways.

Store cupcakes with filling, icing, or decorated at room temperature.

It is possible to keep some cupcakes at room temperature. However, if they are stuffed, it is advisable to refrigerate them at once due to humidity.

Like dairy and egg-based glazes, such as meringue or cream cheese.

Buttercream, ganache, and fondant decorations are usually OK at room temperature. To do this, you must do the following:

Step 1: Find a large airtight container.

The idea is to prevent the creamy product from touching the walls of the container to avoid spoilage. The airtight container would also prevent dust or contaminants from falling on them.

Step 2: Store in a dry and cool place.

If heat or direct light hits them, the cupcakes’ consistency and contents will be affected.

At room temperature, cupcakes can last between 1 and 2 days if the average temperature of the place does not exceed 25°C (77°F).

Store cupcakes in the fridge with filling

The fridge is the ideal way to preserve cupcakes with icing or frosting, especially those based on cream cheese, custard, meringue, among others. (Check my royal icing storage guide)

To keep it the right way, you need to do the following:

Step 1: Store in a container deep enough.

The lid should not touch the frosting or decoration.

Step 2: Wrap the container with plastic wrap.

This is important in case the cupcakes have decorations made with fondant or the frosting does not get along well with moisture.

Step 3: Place the container at the bottom of the refrigerator.

The temperature will be much more stable, and the glaze, filling, or decoration will be better preserved.

Refrigerated cupcakes can last two days if the filling or glaze is prepared with a dairy product or eggs. The rest, such as jams or ganache, may be fine for about 4 or 5 days.

How to freeze cupcakes with filling

Here, you must research if the products you used to prepare the cupcakes freeze well.

If you can freeze the filling or frosting without a problem, do the following:

Step 1: Perform a first and quick freeze.

The cupcakes are placed on a tray and frozen for a few hours, making the filling easier to manipulate.

Step 2: Wrap the cupcakes.

In this way, you protect the cupcakes from frost burns and prevent them from tasting “frozen,” as with some poorly stored frozen meals.

You can make it with plastic film or aluminum foil.

Step 3: Store in an airtight container.

This prevents something from falling on top and ruining or deforming the icing or decoration.

You may freeze the cupcakes for 2 to 3 months. [1]

How do we know when cupcakes are in poor condition?

As with most desserts, you can determine if a cupcake is in poor condition if:

It has mold.
It is very dry and hard.

It has a bad smell or taste.

In this case, you should discard them. The cupcakes should not be ingested if the frostings or fillings taste or smell rancid.

How long do cupcakes last?

Product	Shelf life
Cupcakes at room temperature	2 days
Cupcakes in the fridge	1 week
Cupcakes in the freezer	4 – 6 months
Filled cupcakes at room temperature	1 – 2 days
Filled cupcakes in the fridge	4 – 5 days
Filled cupcakes with dairy products in the fridge	2 days
Filled cupcakes in the freezer	2 – 3 months

What is the best way to preserve cupcakes?

The answer to this question depends on whether cupcakes have any additives. Cupcakes alone keep well at room temperature.

But if you need to store cupcakes for an extended period, primarily if you work selling cupcakes, they freeze very well.

Refrigerating them is not usually an option since the fridge tends to dry them. However, storing the cupcakes in the refrigerator is advisable if they have a filling, glaze, or decoration.

At room temperature, most fillings and frostings would spoil quickly, and not all freeze well.

If you like this type of information, this site has a variety of similar topics that will suit your liking.