Is It Safe to Leave Baked Goods Out? (2024)

FAQs

Is It Safe to Leave Baked Goods Out? ›

While it's safe to keep many baked goods at room temperature, it depends on the item and should be taken on a case-by-case basis. For instance, breads and rolls can last up to four days at room temperature, but any bread with meat or hard-boiled eggs should be refrigerated within two hours, according to the USDA.

A fully covered unfrosted cake will last for up to 2 days at room temperature. If you enjoyed today's article and found it useful, check out our new blog on How To Store Cupcakes, and be sure to leave a comment to let me know what you think, or even just to ask a question or say hi!

Curious how long cookies last at room temperature? Most homemade cookies will maintain their taste and texture for up to 3 days. If you leave them out for too long, the cookies begin to harden or dry out. To prevent cookies from becoming stale, cover them with plastic wrap or keep in an airtight container.

You might wonder can you leave muffins out overnight? Absolutely! Store muffins at room temperature in an airtight container or a ziplock bag lined with paper towels. Place the muffins in a single layer inside so that they are surrounded on all sides by paper towels.

(You can also use a layer of aluminum foil around the layer of plastic wrap to help protect them from air exposure.) Brownies can be kept at room temperature for up to five days for most brownie types. A cheesecake swirl or frosting or a ganache frosting should not be kept at room temperature.

Frosting acts as a protective barrier for the cake, so there's no need for plastic wrap here. Cover it with a cake keeper or an overturned bowl to protect it from dust, pet hair, and other things in the air. A frosted cake can be kept at room temperature for four to five days.

Most cakes can be stored in a freezer for up to one month, or in the fridge for one week. Cakes are best sliced frozen for crisp edges, but for the best flavor, allow your leftover cake to hang at room temperature for thirty minutes to an hour before digging in.

Cookies left out overnight are at risk of microbial contamination, especially if they contain perishable ingredients like eggs or dairy. Harmful bacteria, such as Salmonella, can multiply rapidly in these conditions, potentially causing foodborne illness if consumed.

Desserts like cakes and pastries should be stored in a cool, dry place at a temperature around 15-18°C (59-64°F).

Can I eat food left out for 5 hours? ›

Bacteria thrive in temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees and can double every 20 minutes in that “danger zone.” Based on that growth, scientists pinpointed two hours to be the maximum amount of time consumers can safely leave perishable food at room temperature.

Anything perishable should go into the fridge within two hours. If perishables are sitting in temperatures of more than 90 degrees, the time limit to get them into the fridge goes down to one hour. Examples include leftovers, boiled or fried rice, pasta salad, cut fruit, and poultry, meat and seafood.

Can Fresh Baked Bread Be Left Out Overnight? You can leave out most fresh baked bread at room temperature for a couple of days with minimal risk of mold growth or staling.

Sweet pastries are best stored overnight at room temperature in the box or bag you received them in. If additional storage time is needed, pastries may be stored in an airtight container for two days. Moist air inside a refrigerator will affect the texture of the pastry.

The muffins will last two-to-four days stored this way (without this method, you'll notice the “soggy” factor taking hold in fewer than 24 hours). If the paper towels become very damp, I recommend replacing them on Day 2 or Day 3.

How Long to Cool a Cake Before Icing It? Our recommendation on how long to cool a cake before icing it is to wait 2-3 hours for your cake to cool completely. Then, add a crumb coat and refrigerate the cake for up to 30 minutes. Once that is done, you'll be able to ice until your heart's content.

~ Cake Storage: The cake should be refrigerated up to 1-3 hours before serving. Remove cake from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature to develop best flavor and texture. Tiered cakes take longer to warm up, so let sit at least 2 hours before serving.

Store the layers in a zip-top plastic bag.

Place the wrapped layers in a zip-top plastic bag, and store them on the kitchen counter for up to five days, but make certain to store the cake in a cool, dry place away from any direct sunlight.