The Type Of Cake Batter You Should Never Refrigerate Before Baking

One great time-saving hack when hosting a party or making dessert for an event is to prepare your cake batter ahead of time and refrigerate it. That's right: Cake batter can chill just like cookie dough can rest in the fridge for up to two days before being baked. This means you can do half of the work (and dishes!) before your event, so all you have to do on cake day is pour, bake, frost, and eat. The only thing to consider before partaking in this prepping hack is the type of cake you're making, as some are better suited for a rest in the fridge. While run-of-the-mill boxed and homemade cake batters will do just fine, sponge cake batter should never be refrigerated for later use.

Sponge cake gets its light and airy texture from whipped egg whites, which make up the majority of the batter. As you beat egg whites, you break up the proteins in the egg and incorporate air, which gets trapped between the protein and water molecules, allowing them to become foamy and structured. Over time, though, that air can begin to escape, flattening your batter, which would result in a dense cake. This is why it's best to bake your sponge cake batter immediately.

Regular cakes have leavening ingredients like baking powder and baking soda (yes, there's a difference). These chemical agents become activated by either heat or liquid and help the cake rise. Most baking powders are double-acting, though there are single-acting ones as well, meaning it is activated by both heat and liquid, so it will work twice during your cake-making process. Baking soda, however, works only on contact with liquid, and its effects can wear off over time. So, if your batter only has baking soda, making it ahead of time also isn't recommended.

Meanwhile, sponge cake is leavened mainly by egg whites, but a recipe may call for additional leavening in the form of baking powder. Another difference between these types of cakes is that traditional ones have ingredients like butter, oil, and milk to keep them soft and moist; however, the fat in these components would weigh down a sponge cake and compromise its light texture. Another tip is to stop greasing your sponge cake pans, as the butter can prevent the cake from rising as intended.