How Long Can Cheesecake Be Stored In The Fridge?

Certain sweets (we’re looking at you, pint of ice cream) you find yourself devouring so rapidly that you hardly have time to grasp what’s going on.

A decadently rich, creamy delicacy that fills your stomach nearly as soon as it does your spirit. Give yourself a pat on the back if you finish your cheesecake without leaving any behind.

Let’s speak about what to do with the remaining cheesecake for the rest of us. How long will it keep in the fridge? How should cheesecake be stored? And what about the cheesecake that has been hanging out for a while? The answers to these urgent concerns may vary depending on the sort of cheesecake you eat and what is in it. Let us investigate!

What is Cheesecake?

Cheesecake differs from other cakes in that it is made mostly of dairy products, as opposed to the flours and other dry materials that are used in other baked dishes. Depending on the kind of cheesecake, any of a variety of cheeses or milk products may be utilized. They are often blended with eggs, giving the cake the texture of a silky smooth custard rather than a crumbly, flour-based cake.

Some cheesecakes are gently sweetened, allowing the tangy taste of the cheese to stand out, but others are exceedingly sweet and indulgent.

What Types of Cheesecakes Are There?

The ultra-dense New York cheesecake is often made with a blend of cream cheese and heavy cream, while different varieties of cheese are used in other parts of the globe. For example, ricotta cheese is used in Italian cheesecake, but cottage cheese, sour cream, or a mix of various similar dairy products are popular elsewhere.

In addition to being utilized as thickeners and emulsifiers in many cheesecake recipes, eggs are employed in a unique manner in certain cheesecake varieties. Japanese cheesecake uses whipped egg whites in the batter, resulting in a sky-high, extra-light, and fluffy cheesecake! Another interesting innovation is the addition of rennet to the dairy components before baking, resulting in a peculiar curdled texture.

Not all cheesecake recipes need for dairy; there are lots of plant-based variations to explore, such as our Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake!

A Word on Crusts and Toppings

A thin crust at the bottom of New York style cheesecake is often formed of crushed graham crackers and sugar. Some cheesecakes, such as Italian and Swedish cheesecakes, forego the well-defined crust at the bottom of the cake in favor of a fine, delicate crust all over the cheesecake. There are several cheesecake crust variants between these two extremes.

When it comes to toppings, cheesecakes also range from simple to lavish. Although authentic New York cheesecake is usually served plain, New York style cheesecake comes in a variety of flavors and with a plethora of accessible, and often ridiculous, toppings. To mention a few, popular flavors include key lime, lemon, chocolate, strawberry, pecan, and banana. In style, these cheesecakes are often topped with complimentary things ranging from fresh fruits and chopped nuts to rich sauces and whipped cream.

Baked vs. No-Bake Cheesecake

Baked cheesecakes take a somewhat lengthy baking time and are often prepared in a springform pan, which includes a clasp that enables the cake pan to expand away from the cake widthwise when released. When it comes to cheesecakes, this sort of pan is crucial since, unlike dry cakes like sponge cake or pound cake, you cannot flip the pan and turn the cake out upside down once cooked! To facilitate uniform baking, the springform pan is frequently covered in aluminum foil (to prevent leaks) and baked in a water bath in the oven, since the water helps to evenly distribute heat throughout the cheesecake.

No-bake cheesecakes, on the other hand, need just mixing the ingredients, pouring them onto a dish, and refrigerating them until set. Gelatin, condensed milk, or whipped cream are often used to solidify the texture of no-bake cheesecakes. These cheesecakes are often cooked in a premade pie crust, giving them the texture and look of a custard pie rather than a cheesecake.

How Long Does Cheesecake Last in the Fridge?

Although we embrace variety as the spice of life, it does make answering the question how long does cheesecake last more difficult. a real test.

Unlike typical cakes, which can be stored at room temperature, cheesecake includes dairy components, which drastically reduces its shelf life and, of course, requires it to be kept cold.

The following are broad suggestions for how long leftover cheesecake will keep, although the recommended time periods may be shorter (or longer!) based on individual ingredients, storage procedures, and whether or not the cake has been exposed to room temperature for an extended period of time.

How Long Does Store-Bought Cheesecake Last?

For up to one week.

Because of the industrial stabilizers and preservatives used by many bakers, store-bought cheesecake has the highest chance of surviving the longest. If you purchase your cheesecake from a homestyle bakery, it may not have these preservatives added, in which case you should treat it as if it were handmade.

How Long Does No-Bake Cheesecake Last?

Around 5-7 days.

No-bake cheesecake may not keep as long as store-bought cheesecake, but it has a respectable shelf life since it has been stabilized with gelatin or condensed milk and does not include any eggs.

How Long Does Homemade Cheesecake Last?

Up to five days.

Unfortunately, your lovely handmade cheesecake has the lowest shelf life of all. Not only does it lack the commercial components that aid in the preservation of freshness, but it has also most likely been subjected to significant temperature fluctuations.

The fluctuating temperatures encountered by your cake as it transitions from baking in high oven temps to cooling on the tabletop to completely chilling in the fridge make it more prone to spoiling.

How Long Can Cheesecake Sit Out?

We’ve established that cheesecake must be refrigerated, but it will be exposed to room temperature at some time, right?

Whether it’s in the vehicle while you do a few additional errands after the grocery shop, in the train seat next to you on the way home, or on display at a celebration, you may be unable to prevent the cake being out of the fridge for a short period of time.

So. How long can cheesecake be left out before it becomes stale?

The basic guideline is that unrefrigerated cheesecake left out for more than two hours may become dangerous to consume. We realize this isn’t a long time, but as the saying goes, better safe than sorry! When it comes to food safety, nothing could be more true. When picking up a cheesecake from a supermarket, it is advisable to prepare ahead and bring cooler packs or insulated bags, to refrigerate the cheesecake for as long as feasible before a party, and to return it to the fridge as soon as possible after serving.

The sole exception to this rule is when it comes to a freshly cooked cheesecake. When making a cheesecake at home, it is critical to allow it to cool fully before putting it in the refrigerator to firm up. This chilling process might take many hours, so keep an eye on things and put the cheesecake in the fridge as soon as it reaches room temperature. Following that, the maximum time out is two hours!

Tips for Keeping Cheesecake Fresh

Although you can’t completely prevent food deterioration, there are certain actions you can take to keep your cheesecakes fresh and safe for as long as possible!

Can You Freeze Cheesecake?

Indeed, cheesecake can be frozen! Cheesecake is one of the few sweets that really freezes nicely! In fact, the denser the cheesecake, the better, since extra-fluffy cheesecakes would likely lose volume and structure while freezing and defrosting.

Just make sure there are no delicate toppings on the cheesecake, such as fruits or sauces, that may suffer structurally when defrosted, and then cover the cheesecake pieces in freezer bags or plastic wrap. To prevent squishing, store the wrapped cheesecake in a hard-sided airtight container.

Protect Your Cheesecake From Refrigerator Funk

Cheesecake is one dish that is susceptible to absorbing scents from its surroundings. As a result, it’s critical to ensure that no aromas from other foods are circulating about the freezer or fridge where you’re putting the cheesecake. Even if everything smells OK at first, cover the cheesecake securely in plastic wrap or a freezer bag. Nobody wants cheesecake that tastes like onions or old garlic bread.

Avoid Soggy Crusts

The longer you keep the cheesecake, the more the crust will crumble. The crisp, crumbly graham cracker crust you enjoyed the first day will absorb moisture from the cake and become mushy. Although this isn’t always a negative thing, it may be unpleasant to eat, so use a sharp knife to remove the layer of crust off the bottom of the cheesecake and enjoy the creamy center instead.

How Long Does Cheesecake Last? The Bottom Line

However, the bottom issue is that cheesecake is an extremely perishable food. Since it includes dairy components, including in many instances eggs, it must be kept refrigerated at all times, and its shelf life in the refrigerator is severely restricted.

Store-bought cheesecake normally lasts approximately a week, while no-bake cheesecake lasts 5-7 days. Unfortunately, homemade cheesecake requires the least amount of time, just around 5 days. You should never consume cheesecake that has been sitting out for two hours or longer, regardless of the kind, since the danger of food illness grows tremendously beyond this time.

Therefore, if you’ve been looking for a reason to have a piece of cheesecake after dinner every night until it’s gone, consider this post yours!