how to store warm cake

how to store warm cake – it’s a game changer!

tea towel over warm cake

One of my hands-down favorite tips – how to store warm cake!

So do you ever find yourself baking late at night, and then wondering what to do about that still-warm cake (or sheet of cookies/pan of brownies/tin of pie)?

Go to bed.

It’s ill-advised to cover hot or warm baked goods using traditional wrappings (plastic, tin foil, etc.). Steam and/or condensation will form – even if there’s just a bit of warmth emanating – and this will result in soggy cake/cookies/brownies/pie. Sad face.

tea towel over warm cake

What you CAN do is use a clean dish towel – simply drape it over your pan or sheet. Your baked goods will stay fresh overnight, and no worries about steam forming.

This tip is so second-nature to me that it’s taken me till now to realize that some of you may not know it (#oops).

My Grandma Fay taught me this one (like she taught me pretty much everything I know about baking), and it works perfectly (click here and here for two more uses for kitchen towels)!

tea towel over warm cake

Now go bake some cake! May I suggest this or this for starters?

Oh – and look for those brownies later this week – it’s the last popsicle of the season (welp) and it’s a good one!

Did you know that I have Pinterest boards with all of my “favor-ettes” and kitchen tips? Check ’em!

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96 Comments

  1. Ross Grandel on December 3, 2017 at 9:57 pm

    So I always thought one removes baking from the pan and covers it with a towel. Is this also an acceptable overnight option? I did it with banana bread. I might put the bread back in the pan now.

    • sherisilver on December 4, 2017 at 9:48 am

      Yes – either works! If you can get it out of the pan, perfect. And cover with the towel if it’s still not completely cool by the time you need to leave the kitchen. No need to put it back in the pan! 🙂

    • Lynne D. on December 27, 2019 at 11:00 pm

      Made a batch of brownies and didn’t want to wrap foil over, glad I found this article!!

      • sherisilver on December 28, 2019 at 7:35 am

        Yay! Such a good and simple tip, right? 🙂

      • Natalie on November 13, 2020 at 1:11 pm

        Will it keep it warm for a bit? I’m making a dish with individual crescent rolls topped with green bean casserole, bc thanks to Coronavirus, my potluck is moved outside and we’re doing single serve items.

        Normally, I can reheat things at the host’s house. I was thinking of wrapping them individuallyin foil, but guess I’d settle for lukewarm rather than soggy. How do you suggest I wrap these?

        • sherisilver on November 13, 2020 at 1:16 pm

          SO many challenges right now, right? I’d wrap individually in foil. I’d be afraid if they were all grouped together warm that they would get soggy. Do you have a picture or link for this recipe? I’d love to take a look!!!!

      • Joan Kierans on July 26, 2021 at 12:43 pm

        No matter what I do my brownies are hard around edges,. I’ve done the parchment paper ets

        • sherisilver on July 26, 2021 at 2:01 pm

          What kind of pan do you use?

        • Connor on December 16, 2021 at 1:34 am

          Take the brownies out 3-5 minutes early. They will continue to bake as they are still hot, even once out of the oven. This is how I use to make brownies all the time and it helped keep the edges from getting too hard. It also kept the brownies very gooey, not dry at all. Good luck!

          • sherisilver on December 16, 2021 at 7:13 am

            Love this idea for brownies, as I prefer them a little “gooey” in the center! Thank you! 🙂



  2. Mikayla R Lewis on February 13, 2018 at 11:55 pm

    Thank you, I’m so tired, my brownies are still hot, and this article is exactly what I was looking for exactly when I needed it. Bless you oh my gosh, I’m so tired

    • sherisilver on February 14, 2018 at 7:09 am

      We’re SO TIRED!!!! Glad I could help (can’t tell you how many times this is me…..) 🙂

      • Davina on August 22, 2020 at 5:55 pm

        Thank you so much for this tip! Found it by googling! Was wondering if I had to stay up but it’s so late, I’m tired and was overthinking what to do. So I’m going to cover my cake sponges with clean tea towels and head to bed! Thanks again!

        • sherisilver on August 23, 2020 at 8:08 am

          Hooray for sleep! One of my fave tips of all time! 🙂

          • Rabia Shaen on April 14, 2023 at 10:31 pm

            Hi
            I am so glad i came to your page
            Saved me alot of headache
            Thankyou just what i was looking for or should i say most of us ..



          • sherisilver on April 15, 2023 at 9:10 am

            Yay! I know; this has been a lifesaver (and sleep saver!) for many! Thanks for writing! 🙂



  3. Natalie J Gifford on April 1, 2018 at 3:06 am

    Thank you so much! I literally have the exact same towels draped over my freshly baked rolls that are for Easter dinner tomorrow. I kept going back and forth wondering if I should leave them that way or cover them with something else. And then I found your article. Thank you!

  4. Heather on April 11, 2018 at 9:44 pm

    Thank you! Just what I was looking for.

  5. Glenda Schuneman on May 9, 2018 at 12:13 am

    Thank you for posting this tip! I just baked a batch late at night and was struggling with staying awake…I decided to Google and there your tip was! Thank you!!

    • sherisilver on May 9, 2018 at 11:03 am

      Yay! So glad you found it; it’s been a lifesaver for me many times! 🙂

  6. Jim on May 23, 2018 at 2:47 am

    Yes very helpful for this guy at 1:44 AM hoping to surprise my wife and daughter tomorrow morning. Just exactly what I wanted to know. Thanks!

    • sherisilver on May 23, 2018 at 10:43 am

      Amazing – hope they enjoyed! 🙂

      • Orma on May 7, 2020 at 1:56 am

        This article is the best. So late. Thank goodness. Thank you for saving me a few hours of sleep!!!!

        • sherisilver on May 7, 2020 at 8:04 am

          Oh yay! This tip has saved me countless times too! 🙂

  7. Olivia on June 4, 2018 at 1:24 am

    Glad.to know I’ve been doing something right and it’s perfectly sanitary and safe to let baked goods cool under the clean dishrag over night! Much appreciation for post.

  8. Jodi on June 11, 2018 at 6:00 pm

    Will that work for kiffles baked at night?

    • sherisilver on June 11, 2018 at 7:13 pm

      Okay – first I had to look up what a kiffle was! 🙂 I would imagine it would be fine. Baked goods can keep for a day, right? Would you let me know if you try it?

  9. Marissa on July 18, 2018 at 10:44 pm

    Also just what I was looking for! Seems like your article has been really helpful for a lot of us! Thank you!

    • sherisilver on July 19, 2018 at 7:25 am

      I’m so glad – it’s the little things, right? Thanks for writing! 🙂

    • Susan Smeltzer on March 29, 2019 at 5:15 pm

      I’m going to try this with my mason jar of warm coconut syrup. Don’t want bugs to get in while it cools, but don’t want condensation in the jar either.

  10. Sandra on August 14, 2018 at 10:43 pm

    Brilliant!! I’m exhausted and covered my bread with tin foil then second guessed myself and here was just the answer I needed!!

    • sherisilver on August 15, 2018 at 7:32 am

      Oh yay! I love things that are simple yet make such a difference; thanks for writing!

  11. Lee A Silva on August 25, 2018 at 4:30 pm

    Thanks for the information about the towel I am in my sixtys and have put a towel over the bread ever since I was a teenager making it because my mom had done it and for some reason today when I put the towel over the bread I started thinking why did my mom do this so I googled the question and there was your answer. It’s funny how sometimes you do things because that’s how your mom did it why I waited 50 years to ask I don’t know why lol my mom would be 102 now if she were still alive and as I look back at things I do in the I know a lot of them are because my mom did them that way I just wish she was still here to cook with me I learned a lot from her and today I learned from you thank you. Lee

    • sherisilver on August 25, 2018 at 8:16 pm

      Thanks for writing Lee! So many little things we do because “Mom” or “Grandma” did it that way. Your mom would be proud! 🙂

    • Alice on November 27, 2020 at 9:04 pm

      I was told to put aluminum foil over my cake right out of the oven and put it in the freezer. I’m thinking I should cool it first. This is supposed to make it moist. I don’t know what to do.

      • sherisilver on November 28, 2020 at 8:24 am

        You should never put a warm cake in the fridge or freezer – the moisture will collect on the underside of the foil and drip into the cake. This is the best method I’ve found to deal with a still-warm cake that has to sit overnight to cool – give it a try!

  12. Christine on September 15, 2018 at 12:15 am

    Thanks for this tip! It’s past midnight and my pumpkin bread just came out of the oven. It says to cook for an hour! Now I can throw a towel over it and go to bed! Thank you!!

    • sherisilver on September 15, 2018 at 8:30 am

      Awesome! It’s such a good tip. Thanks for writing! 🙂

    • Amy on November 20, 2018 at 12:50 am

      Same right now!!! Yay for sleep.

  13. Rach Rad on September 21, 2018 at 5:32 am

    I am cracking up, because I like all the others here was in the exact same situation. It’s late, banana bread muffins for school, foil was getting a little steamy, second guessing what in the world to do…and yep here’s the exact answer. Go. To. Bed. With towel over. You someone should be getting paid for this seemingly simple technique. Thhhhank you for even thinking to share it.

    • sherisilver on September 21, 2018 at 6:57 am

      Yay! I’m so glad this helped, and that you were able to go to bed with peace of mind! My grandma was the best. 🙂

  14. SARA SOTO-GONZALEZ on December 12, 2018 at 11:58 pm

    My chocolate cake just came out and is cooling on a rack and I’m getting sleepy. So off to bed I go cuz looks like this trick works. Goodnight, sleep well. Thank you for the tip. Sara in South Texas

    • sherisilver on December 13, 2018 at 2:21 pm

      Did it work? Let me know! 🙂

  15. Lisa on January 28, 2019 at 8:48 pm

    I will let ypu know of this worked. Thank you for posting it. I put towels over my two banana breads and a towel over my peanut butter swirl bars. I was in a baking mood.

    • sherisilver on January 29, 2019 at 7:08 am

      Please do – and you go! 🙂

  16. Augusta on January 31, 2019 at 7:43 pm

    Thank you so much for this tip, stumbled upon it via Google. I have a newborn son and was doing some late night baking for his name ceremony. So relieved to be able to go to bed!

    • sherisilver on February 1, 2019 at 7:22 am

      Oh yay! It’s a good one; glad you found it and congrats on your baby! 🙂

  17. Charlotte on April 20, 2019 at 10:33 pm

    You’re a life saver—& a sleep saver❣️ We all can’t thank you enough for answering our late night Q’s!!! Many hugs of thanx… my banana muffins will be fine in AM & we will get a decent breakfast before Easter service because of you❤️

    • sherisilver on April 21, 2019 at 9:11 am

      I’m so glad! 🙂 This tip has SAVED me countless times too. Enjoy your holiday!

  18. DeeDee Wiese on June 8, 2019 at 2:42 am

    Aren’t you amazed at what a simple trick can do to make everyone so happy??? 11:45pm and two pans of brownies just came out of the oven. Have to be up at 6:30am, and I was debating leaving them uncovered all night. Decided to look online and there you were!
    Goodnight & thanks!

    • sherisilver on June 8, 2019 at 10:52 am

      Yay! I’m so glad; this tip has saved me COUNTLESS times! 🙂

    • Tanya on October 31, 2023 at 2:57 am

      2023 and this tip is still helping people! I just made a German apple cake for a potluck and am soooo tired. I was praying for a way I could leave the cake out and go to bed. Thanks for the tip!!

      • sherisilver on October 31, 2023 at 7:50 am

        Well it’s only 7:30 am as I’m reading this but it has MADE MY DAY! Thank you so much for sharing, this is truly a life (or at least sleep!) saver and I’m so glad you found it! Yay! 🙂

  19. Pamela on June 27, 2019 at 1:42 am

    Thanks for sharing! Made for my daughters class tomorrow and need to get to bed and they just came out of the oven!! Thank you!

  20. Magpie on July 26, 2019 at 12:00 am

    Made a big batch of peach cobbler in the slow cooker at 8:45 PM. Not the best decision since the recipe says to cook it on high for 2-3 hours. Glad I stumbled across your tip because being pregnant is no joke and I just want to go to bed and wake up to non-soggy peach cobbler in the morning. Thanks so much!

    • sherisilver on July 26, 2019 at 10:08 am

      Yay for non-soggy peach cobbler (and going to bed)!!!!! 😉

  21. Lynette Shor on November 18, 2019 at 10:30 am

    Glad you shared this! I have also been doing this for many, many years…

    • sherisilver on November 18, 2019 at 4:14 pm

      Game changer, right???? 🙂

  22. Hilary on January 23, 2020 at 2:30 am

    I also cover my freshly baked bread with a tea towel. I then put a large metal colander over it to prevent my cats from getting a taste!

    • sherisilver on January 23, 2020 at 7:42 am

      I guess I just thought of another advantage to having 2 tiny dogs that can’t jump! 🙂

    • Leena Kapoor on June 1, 2021 at 2:01 pm

      Thanks for adding the tip of covering it with a large colander. Tea towel and colander! I can now sleep peacefully.

  23. Mimi on April 10, 2020 at 2:01 am

    Thank you!! It’s 2 AM, I have work tomorrow, and my banana bread is still hot! I am SO happy to find this tip!!

    • sherisilver on April 10, 2020 at 8:29 am

      Yay! I’m so happy too! This has saved me more times than I can count! 🙂

  24. Chloe on May 12, 2020 at 5:33 am

    Oh my gosh!! Lifesaving. I’m exhausted. Today I had my Senior Defense presentation, I wanted to take a nap after long day of interaction but I never got around to. This Saturday is my boyfriends birthday and he loves the frog bread thing that is going around. Decided to make it tonight to practice, but oh my goodness I didn’t even CONSIDER the cooling down time. Oh my. I am so tired. I was just about to go to bed without doing anything but luckily a google search of “baking cooling sleep” led me to your article!

    Thank you for this article, so simple but so necessary for all us late bakers with only one working brain cell left

    • sherisilver on May 12, 2020 at 9:10 am

      This made my day – thank you so much for sharing and I’m thrilled that this simple little tip saved you!!! And now I’m off to Google “frog bread”! 🙂

      • Theresa on May 28, 2020 at 8:55 am

        Is it ok to leave it like that for 24hrs or just overnight?

        • sherisilver on May 28, 2020 at 10:04 am

          If you think about bakeries you know that baked goods are sitting in those cases for at LEAST a day or so. There are many factors, of course, like the type of baked good, temperature, humidity, etc. But in general 24 hours, loosely draped, should be fine!

  25. Mary L on June 20, 2020 at 11:57 pm

    Thank you for confirming what I barely remembered from my mom’s cooking as I had to take bread from the oven very late tonight! I set an alarm just to get it from the oven and didn’t want to ruin it. Thanks again for being there!

    • sherisilver on June 21, 2020 at 12:57 pm

      This tip has SAVED me so many times – thank you for writing!

  26. Bruce Christopher on July 13, 2020 at 11:39 pm

    Very glad to have found this tip. I knew that I shouldn’t cover the brownies (my mother’s recipe) while they were warm, but I hadn’t thought about the towel. Now I can get a good nights sleep.
    Thanks much!

    • sherisilver on July 14, 2020 at 8:36 am

      I’m so glad – thanks for sharing!

  27. Debbie on September 8, 2020 at 11:54 pm

    It’s so comforting not only to know I can put a towel over my still-warm banana streusel cake (thank you for this advice at 11:50 pm!) but it’s also encouraging to know I am not the only late-night baker that underestimates how long the baking process will take and how tired we really are! 🙂

    • sherisilver on September 9, 2020 at 8:02 am

      Biggest “underestimater” on the planet! Glad to have you on my team! 🙂

  28. Raquel on September 13, 2020 at 3:48 pm

    Thank you for instantly lowering my stress level! There is a fly in my house that must have super powers because I have been trying to kill it for at least a week. I just took a pan of blondies out of the oven and was scrambling wondering what I was going to do other than standing over the pan for a few hours to watch it while it cooled. Thanks to you they are cooling with a kitchen towel over the top and now I can relax!

    • sherisilver on September 13, 2020 at 8:40 pm

      I’m so glad to contribute to your lower stress level! This tip is a KEEPER for sure! 🙂

  29. Sabrina Hogsed on November 13, 2020 at 12:26 am

    Thank u!! Night Night!!

  30. Jenni on December 13, 2020 at 11:02 pm

    googled this just now bc my muffins were still steaming and i went to put a dishtowel over it instead of putting it away, and thought to myself, why are you doing this exactly? lol. my mom has done it when baking, and i’ve seen it done on tv as well, which have both just led me to do it too. you know those cartoons where the pie is cooling on the windowsill under a dishtowel, and someone comes by and sneaks a piece or the whole pie? they remove the towel and find out the pie is gone a la looney tunes style! anyway thanks for the explanation!

    • sherisilver on December 14, 2020 at 9:11 am

      Ha! I hope the muffins were still there this morning!!! 🙂

    • Beth on December 22, 2020 at 10:47 pm

      Haha I just love reading through these comments. Yah, warm sourdough spelt bread here baked too late in evening to cool completely, slice and freeze as usual. So tea towel, thanks for tip. I’ve done that before but never overnight. But I’m also leaving it on rack and putting in microwave, just to really be sure no creepy crawlies can get at it . Happy baking and sleeping everyone.

      • sherisilver on December 23, 2020 at 9:10 am

        I know! This was a big hit (and a big need, apparently based on the number of searches that led to this post!). 🙂

  31. Jennifer on June 28, 2021 at 12:22 pm

    Baking bread right now but i do not have a cooling rack. Would it be best to put it on a dish cloth??

    • sherisilver on June 28, 2021 at 12:39 pm

      Hi! You could put it right on your stovetop as long as it’s not warm (I do this often). The pan needs to be elevated so that air circulates all around – even the bottom. You could also take 3 or 4 small cans and place where the corners of the pan are so that again, it’s raised and air can get on all sides. I hope this helps!

  32. Seanna on March 14, 2022 at 5:54 am

    Thank you! Was planning to bake cupcakes before work tomorrow to ice when I get home but couldn’t work out how to do so without waking up crazy early to give them time to cool. Will definitely be trying this!

    • sherisilver on March 14, 2022 at 8:34 am

      Great! It really does work! Let me know what you think! 🙂

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Hi! I'm Sheri!

Welcome to my little corner of the web where you’ll find easy, delicious recipes, the best kitchen hacks and simple tips for turning your home into a clean haven that is free of toxins. So glad you’re here!