Storing home baking

daisiegg

Hi all

I often see people on this board mentioning making cakes, biscuits, buns etc rather than buying them.

I was wondering, how do you store these and how long do they last?

I love baking but in my head it's for a treat or special occasion and I usually end up taking stuff I've baked into work because I don't think it will last long enough for us to eat it at home.

I'd love to get into the habit of doing a weekly bake for snacks during the week, but surely things go off (stale/soft/hard/etc) after about 1 or 2 days? Is this not the case? How does it work for you?

I have cake tins and tupperware storage.

Thanks!

daisie

Oliver14

It all depends what it is. Some things you can freeze (certain cakes etc) I frequently make cakes and cut them in quarters and freeze them in sections.Sponge Cakes I find last in Tupperwares 3 or 4 days but are a lot etter on day 1 or 2. Scones (savoury and sweet) freeze well. homemade biscuits keep well in airtight containers i find for 5 or 6 days. Some things though are better consumed fresh. Things like Ginger cake keep well for a couple of weeks.

You normally find that the lighter the texture the item the shorter the life of it.

Softstuff

I store in plastic containers like tupperware, and freeze nearly everything very successfully. I wouldn't freeze anything that had a fresh cream filling, but I freeze everything else I make. Cookies, cakes, muffins, slices the lot!

We like a bit of variety in our week, but I have a tendency to bake large amounts, so I bake a few different things in one batch, keep a couple of each out and freeze the rest.

kippers

I regularly make choc chip cookies and freeze them after they have been cooked..this way they don't get eaten all in one go (which they would if i left them in the biscuit tin)lol

Sambucus_Nigra

I'd love to ever have bakings that lasted 2-3 days. Usually 24 hours later the lot is gone.

daisiegg

Thanks for the replies

I have never frozen home baking before apart from sausage rolls and mince pies at Christmas time. But last Sunday I made a batch of cupcakes and popped a couple in the freezer (without icing) just to see how they turn out.

If you freeze baked goods, how do you defrost them, please? I presume just by taking them out long enough in advance - how long do they take to defrost?

Thanks!

mi_jardin

I bought myself a new clip lock tuppaware box a couple of months ago. It was more expensive than some, but I think it will not only last longer but it seals better too. Sometimes cheaper isn't necessarily better.
Like you, I have never frozen any cakes etc other than mince pies and sausage rolls. Maybe I will give it a go, at least that way I shouldn't eat too many to fast!

Softstuff

daisiegg wrote: »

If you freeze baked goods, how do you defrost them, please? I presume just by taking them out long enough in advance - how long do they take to defrost?

Thanks!

I take them out the night before I need them usually. Depends on how dense something is as to how fast it defrosts, a light cupcake would only take an hour, but a heavy slice could take 3 or 4 hours.

And jam doughnuts are good even when only partly defrosted!

I've defrosted in the microwave too when necessary, I just pop the item in on full power for 20 seconds, check it, give it another 20 if needed

MaggieBaking

The best money saving thing I've bought for the house is definitely the Lock & Lock tupperware boxes. Tescos sell an alternative, but they did not last very long for me. The others have lasted us well over a year (so far).

It depends what you're making for how long it will last - home baked goods obviously don't contain all the preservatives etc that store bought to.

kippers

daisiegg wrote: »

Thanks for the replies

If you freeze baked goods, how do you defrost them, please? I presume just by taking them out long enough in advance - how long do they take to defrost?

Thanks!

I take out a few biscuit half and hour before i need them, small cakes takes about the same to defrost.

I freeze choc brownies / scones for my dd's lunch boxes..i just pop them in to their lunch box and they are ready for lunch. If i was freezing a large sponge cake i would slice up first and freeze on a tray first before putting in freezer bags so i could take a piece out when req'd. Hope that helps

VfM4meplse

Well I am most impressed by the discipline on this thread! If I make baked goodies, I end up scoffing the lot so avoid unless I know I can give it away. Otherwise I also portion up and freeze but tend to eat these myself as I wouldn't serve defrosted cakes to others. I could really do with slice of coffee and walnut cake now...