How long does cheesecake last? Can it go bad?
What’s in a cheesecake? Baked or no-bake, this chilled and flourless (and sometimes eggless) cheesecake will never be one without a thick layer of cream cheese! Aside from that, the thickest layer of a cheesecake mainly consists of a mixture of cream, eggs, and sugar. The bottom layer is a crust or base made from crushed graham crackers, cookies, pastry, or sponge cake!
Cheesecake has a smooth, velvety, and creamy texture. This dessert is made firm enough to hold its shape when chilled and sliced. This sweet sinful dessert is either dense or light, and it is always high in calories. Despite that, this soft, squishy, sweet, and scrumptious dessert still stands out at parties and other kinds of celebrations.
Making cheesecake in advance is always the best thing to do, especially when you want to serve it at your upcoming party. If you have no time to make one, you can buy them at the cake shops. You can have a regular cheesecake, no-bake cheesecake, Pennsylvania Dutch-style cheesecake, Japanese cotton cheesecake, vegan cheesecake, and many to mention!
Calling all cheesecake lovers! If you have extra leftovers of cheesecake, how do you store it? Can you tell if a cheesecake has gone bad? How long can you keep your cheesecake in the storage? Would you consider freezing it?
While many people love to eat a good slice of creamy and delicious cheesecake, some are just clueless when it comes to storing this dessert. Despite knowing that there are plenty of kinds of cheesecakes, their shelf-life, storage, handling, and serving apply similarly.
Let’s learn more in this post!
How to store cheesecake?
Cheesecake is to cream cheese. As a rule of thumb, softened cream cheese should not stay at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
You need to keep your cheesecake under refrigerated conditions below 40°F. Before you place it in the refrigerator, it is ideal to have it tightly wrapped or have it placed inside an airtight container so it won’t absorb any odors or flavors for other foods and to keep out moisture and other potential contaminants.
Ideally, cheesecake should not spend more than two hours under room temperature. This will increase the chances for bacteria to grow and quickly multiply. You do not have to put the whole cheesecake out of its storage when you only need a few servings of it. Get some slices you need and leave the rest in the refrigerator. This way, the rest of the parts of your cheesecake nestles safely in the cold storage.
Can I freeze cheesecake?
Yes, you can! Generally speaking, cheesecakes can freeze quite well in the freezer. Either as a whole or in slices, freezing your cheesecake is actually the best way to prolong its shelf life.
Here is how to do it:
- Freeze the cheesecake on a baking sheet.
- Then, wrap or place it in a freezer bag once frozen.
- Always have it covered with plastic or aluminum foil or placed in an airtight container so it won’t absorb any food odors.
Plus, it would be more practical if you have your cheesecake portioned to individual serving sizes if you prefer if you’re up for one serving at a time so it won’t ruin the whole cheesecake overtime.
However, not all cheesecakes are made the same way. There are ones that are made with toppings that cannot withstand freezing temperatures. If you want to make your own cheesecake days ahead of the party, just freeze the cheesecake alone and put the toppings later on the celebration day.
In thawing the cheesecake, transfer it in the fridge a few hours before serving it, or it can be the night before you need it. Refreeze the rest if you have some leftovers.
Can it go bad?
Yes. Cheesecake mainly consists of dairy ingredients, particularly your cream cheese. Sometimes, eggs are also part of many cheesecake recipes. These ingredients are considered potentially hazardous if you don’t keep it in its proper storage.
Cream cheese is susceptible to foodborne bacteria called Listeria monocytogenes. It is a pathogen that can cause severe foodborne illness, especially to people who have a weak immune system.
And of course, applying proper hygiene practices and food safety techniques can reduce the risk of foodborne illness and enjoy your cheesecake before it spoils!.
How long does it last?
Your cheesecake’s shelf life is influenced by various factors such as the type of cake, how it is stored, and the preservatives used. Remember that this is not like an ordinary cake that can sit outside the refrigerator for a while. Cheesecakes must be refrigerated or frozen as much as possible.
Homemade cheesecakes, a usual mixture of cream cheese, cream, sugar, and eggs, can stay fresh up to five days in the fridge and one month in the freezer.
Store-bought cheesecakes approximately last in the fridge for four to seven days. Some products also come with a packaging label that comes with an expiration date, “sell-by” date, “best before” date, or “best-buy” date. Depending on how prepared, it may indicate that your cheesecake can either last for a shorter or longer period.
Frozen cheesecakes will stay fresh for a month or two in the freezer. Store-bought cheesecakes
have a longer shelf life than homemade ones because manufacturers added some preservatives in it.
Many cheesecakes come in different kinds of toppings, which can sometimes be more sensitive than the filling. Your cheesecake is okay as long as the topping is okay. For the homemade cheesecake, it is best to add the toppings before serving. You will have many kinds of toppings to choose: blueberries, fresh seasonal fruits, chocolate ganache, chopped nuts, fruit syrups, shredded coconut, cookies, candies, and more!
How to tell if it has gone bad?
A fresh cheesecake has a moist texture with a creamy yellow filling. Its quality will deteriorate when it starts to dry out and develop brown edges. The crust will soften and become wet as it absorbs the liquid leaking from the cake over some time. Here are the apparent signs of a cheesecake that has gone bad:
- Mold growth. Molds can penetrate soft cheeses like cream cheese. These molds can’t be safely removed, so you should discard your molded cheesecake because molds on soft cheeses are usually toxic.
- Discoloration. If the color looks unusual or if you see that the edges have turned brown, discard it.
- Unpleasant odor. Discard the cheesecake if it smells sour or foul.
The abovementioned signs usually show up after 2 weeks of storage. The safest and heartbreaking option is to discard the cheesecakes that have stayed in the fridge for 5 – 7 days, even if it looks perfectly okay. Yes, seriously. Better be safe than sorry, my friend. Before you say goodbye to your cheesecake, have a little sample to taste it. If the filling starts to taste sour, then that’s your sign of letting it go.
And if you are in a power outage situation, if your cheesecake stays in an incapacitated refrigerator for more than two hours at temperature above 40 degrees F, for your safety, that must be discarded immediately.
