Should You Store Baked Goods In Metal Cake Pans After They Cool?

As any home baker would know, time is of the essence. The longer your batter sits on the counter before putting it in the oven, the more air escapes, leading to a stouter cake. The longer that you keep your baked goods in the hot trays that they were baking in (aside from recipes that need a little bit to firm up and finish baking, like New York-style cheesecake), the greater the risk of over-browning. And the longer that you leave your baked goods out on the counter, the higher the risk of them being eaten ... or going stale.

If you want to maintain your baked goods' freshness, you're going to want to avoid exposing them to the air as much as possible. While letting the treats cool adequately is important, as storing them warm can change their texture and promote condensation, you don't want to keep them on a metal tray (or really, any sort of tray) without a cover. This means after you've frosted your homemade cinnamon rolls and everyone has had a chance to grab a slice of your pink lemonade sheet cake, place them in an airtight container to keep the smells of your kitchen out and to help your dessert stay as fresh as possible.

The question of how to best store baked goods varies, as not all baked goods require the same care. Pound and sponge cakes, which are often baked in metal cake pans, can benefit from the moisture in your fridge, whereas cookies should not be refrigerated (you can just pop these in an air-tight bag or container and leave them out on your counter). Cupcakes and brownies can also be stored on the counter; we recommend using a cupcake storage container (like this Aldi one that makes transporting and storing them stress-free). 

Another consideration you should make when deciding how to store these baked goods is their ingredients. If you're making something like a cheesecake, for example, it should make its way into the fridge once it's fully cooled to prevent its very perishable ingredients from spoiling. The same can be said about desserts topped with whipped cream frosting or made with custard (like pumpkin pie), which should also be stored in the fridge. We still recommend placing them in some sort of airtight container or wrapping them with plastic, though, as this will help keep some of the fridge smells at bay.