What To Do With Leftover Birthday Cake?
Made an awesome cake for your birthday?
Well, with some luck, all those partygoers will gobble the whole thing up. Everybody loves a bit of birthday cake, but what if you have some leftover cake?
What can you do with it? Well, we have a couple of ideas.
Let’s share ideas on what to do with a leftover cake.
Here’s What You Will Find
Key Takeaways
When it comes to leftover birthday cake, the most important things are to store it properly, use it within a reasonable time frame, and get creative with your recipes.
Proper storage in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap can help extend its shelf life.
Leftover cake can be transformed into delicious treats like cake balls, French toast, bread pudding, or even frozen for later enjoyment.
What To Do With Leftover Birthday Cake?
If you’ve got some extra vanilla cake lying around after your birthday bash, don’t let it go to waste! There are plenty of creative leftover cake recipes that you can whip up in no time.
1. Save It
Storage Tips: Refrigeration, Freezing
Seriously. The best way to enjoy a birthday cake is as a birthday cake. If you have leftover cake, then pop it in the fridge. It should keep for a couple of days. It should stay fairly moist.
If you want to keep it for longer, you can wrap it tightly in food-safe plastic wrap and leave it in the freezer for a month or two. It won’t taste as delicious as the day you first ate it, but even the worst leftover cake can taste alright.
2. Re-Heat It
Leftovers can be a creative challenge for many people. Reheating a leftover birthday cake can be especially tricky since it was likely made with delicate ingredients such as cream cheese frosting and marshmallow fluff.
Fortunately, there are two simple ways to reheat a leftover birthday cake that will make it taste almost as good as the day it was baked – microwaving and oven heating.
The microwave is the quickest method of reheating a leftover birthday cake. Simply place the slices on individual plates, cover them with plastic wrap or damp paper towels, and heat in 30-second intervals until they reach your desired temperature.
Make sure you’re aware of your microwave’s power before you start this process, however, because improper timing can result in an overly dried-out or burned cake slice.
3. Recipe Ideas
Make Cake Pops
One fun idea is to turn your vanilla cake into cake balls. Simply crumble up the cake mixture and mix it with some frosting or even some lemon curd for added zing.
Roll the mixture into bite-sized cake balls and dip them in melted chocolate, then sprinkle on some chocolate chips or chocolate sprinkles for an extra dose of sweetness. Here’s how to do it:
You will need to get your hands a bit dirty for this one. You will need the following:
- Your cake leftovers
- Some melted chocolate
- Lollypop sticks
- Icing
To start with, wash your hands. You will be rolling some cake up into small cake balls, so clean hands are a must. So, once you have washed your hands, start rolling the spongey parts of the cake into balls (you can eat any icing on the cake at this point). They need to be cake pop size.
Now, grab your lollypop sticks and dip the end in the melted chocolate. Now, poke that same stick through a cake ball and wait for the chocolate to harden. You now have a cake pop!
Wrap it up by coating the cake pop with some icing. It makes it look a little bit fancier.
Cake Truffles
Cake Truffles: If the cake was frosted/iced or there is remaining leftover icing, then this is a good idea for you.
How: Crumble the leftover cake and frosting and press into balls with wet hands. Melt a bar of cooking chocolate and pour it into a tall glass (this makes it easier to dip your cake balls).
Make a Milkshake
If you want a milkshake that will be nowhere near healthy, toss some birthday cake into the blender. Add some store bought ice cream or a dash of milk if you do not have ice cream.
Blend until everything is smooth. You now have an awesome milkshake!
Make a Trifle
We aren’t done with the crazy ideas of what to do with a leftover birthday cake.
Anybody who has ever had the classic English trifle will know that the bottom has to be lined with some sponge cake. We are assuming that your birthday cake will be a sponge cake…so why not do some trifle?
And if you’ve got a layered cake, cut the cake into cubes and layer it with whipped cream, chocolate ice cream, and any other toppings you like. You can even mix in some of the leftover frosting for added richness.
Here’s another example, a rich chocolate cake could be matched with chocolate custard or mousse, some pitted cherries, and a topping of whipped cream.
It will feel like a bonus birthday when you start to load that trifle up with chocolate, jelly, whipped cream, custard, and your birthday cake.
Grilled Cake
We know that it can be tempting to throw your leftover cake away if it is starting to get a bit stale…but don’t do that.
Many people find that they can rejuvenate the flavor of their leftover cake by sticking it under the grill for a short while.
You will have something similar to toasted bread, but it will be divine. You may even want to melt some chocolate over the top for a little kick!
Bread Pudding
If you’re in the mood for something more substantial, try making a bread pudding using your leftover cake.
Simply cut the cake into cubes and mix it with some milk, eggs, and sugar, then bake until it’s custardy and delicious. Serve it up with a scoop of chocolate ice cream on top for a truly decadent dessert.
Birthday Cake Ice Cream
Here leftover cake and icing can become the best birthday cake ice cream with a shortcut!
Basically, soften the store bought ice cream, mix in the cake, frosting, and sprinkles, then refreeze in a metal loaf pan! Same cake, new dessert, win-win!
French Toast
Another great way to use up your leftover cake is to make French toast. Dip slices of cake in a mixture of eggs, milk, and vanilla extract, then fry them up until they’re golden brown. Top with some fresh fruit and a drizzle of maple syrup for a breakfast treat that feels like a special occasion.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you could even try incorporating your leftover wedding cake into some of these recipes.
No matter what you choose, just remember that there’s no need to let your cake go to waste!
4. Decorating Ideas
Ice Cream Topping
Only have a little birthday cake left? Don’t fret! It is going to make a great ice cream topping.
Use the cake crumbs as a topping for store bought ice cream. Turning your leftover cake into a topping for ice cream is the easiest way to get rid of your leftovers.
Simply crumble the cake in a mixing bowl until you reach a texture that seems appealing to you. You can make the chunks as big or small as you’d like. Sprinkle the cake crumbs over the ice cream.
Obviously, you need some ice cream. Put it in your favorite bowl. Now, scatter crumbled up cake over the top of it.
Again, nowhere near the healthiest dish in the world…but it is delicious!
If you are feeling a bit fancier (and it probably won’t take you being too much extra in the fancy department), you can cut the cake into two roughly the same size slices and put some ice cream between them. Voila! An ice cream sandwich fit for a king.
Combine your leftover cake with layers of custard, whipped cream, jelly, and fresh fruit. It won’t work so nicely with heavily frosted cakes, but you can match the accompanying ingredients to the type of cake you made.
Cake Croutons
Make cake croutons, the perfect topping for candy salad! Use it (cake only, no frosting) to line a tart or pie pan before baking (it will keep things from sticking).
Make a charlotte, using sliced birthday cake in place of bread or ladyfingers. Crumble up an entire slice and bake into a batch of brownies.
5. Creative Ideas
Deep-Fried Cake
No. We haven’t gone mad. This is worth trying. A lot of people find it delicious, and a lot of bakeries are even offering deep-fried cake.
This recipe starts off the same as the cake pops (see earlier), but you ditch the icing and deep-fry the end of the cake in some clean oil (you don’t want to be using the same oil that you have been doing your fries in!)
The Last Slice
Leftover cake can become a delicious snack for days to come. It’s an efficient way to make the most of your baking efforts and provide the perfect pick-me-up when needed.
So don’t let that cake go to waste – freeze it, fry it up, or feed it to your friends – whatever you do, make sure every last bit of cake gets eaten! And if all else fails, eat the leftovers for breakfast – cake is always a good idea.
We know that some of these ideas on what to do with leftover birthday cake are absolute insanity. However, we are positive that if you use any of these ideas, you will have something that tastes amazing!
In fact, whatever concoctions you will be making from this list, we are sure that they will be delicious enough that you may want to eat a birthday cake multiple times per week to get those leftovers! (although we suppose at that point, it would just be cake).
FAQs
How long does leftover birthday cake last?
Generally, an uncut birthday cake stored in an airtight container at room temperature can last for up to 3-4 days. However, if the cake has been cut or has perishable frosting or fillings, it may spoil more quickly and should be refrigerated for up to 5-7 days. If you want to extend the shelf life of your leftover cake, you can also freeze it for up to 2-3 months.
How long can a cake last without refrigeration?
The shelf life of a cake without refrigeration depends on various factors such as the type of cake, the ingredients used, and the storage conditions. In general, a plain, uncut cake without perishable frosting or fillings can last for up to 3-4 days at room temperature when stored in an airtight container. However, if the cake has frosting or fillings that need refrigeration, it should not be kept at room temperature for more than a few hours as it can spoil and become unsafe to eat. If you want to extend the shelf life of your cake, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days or freeze it for up to several months.
Can I freeze leftover birthday cake?
Yes!, you can freeze leftover birthday cake! Freezing can help extend the shelf life of your cake for up to 2-3 months. To freeze the cake, make sure it has completely cooled to room temperature and is not still warm. Then, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn and moisture loss. You can also place the wrapped cake in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for added protection. When you’re ready to enjoy your cake, simply thaw it in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a few hours before serving. It’s important to note that some cakes may have a slightly different texture after freezing and thawing, but they should still be safe to eat and delicious!