By Gabriella V., last updated on December 31, 2021
How Far In Advance Can You Make Cheesecake?
Tell me if I’m wrong, but we make that resolution to be more organized every new year. We always have great intentions, don’t we!
So now that you are super organized, how far in advance can you make the Cheesecake for Grandma’s birthday? Well, there’s good news, you can – but how far in advance depends.
Let me first give you a snippet of history about cheesecake.
Cheesecakes, of some form or another, have been around since the ancient Olympic Games in 776 BC. The Cheesecake was served to the athletes to give them strength for their various sporting events.
But it was the popularisation of Cheesecake by the great New York hotels and eateries that maintains the cheesecake culture of today. In fact, “New York Style Cheesecake” can be found on many menus around the world today.
Are You Making Cheesecake Ahead Of Time?
The perfect Cheesecake, of whatever kind, needs to chill in the refrigerator overnight. This helps to set and firm up the Cheesecake. And in turn, improve the taste and texture of the Cheesecake. So be sure to make your Cheesecake a day or two before any event.
A cheesecake’s shelf life depends on its combined ingredients of cream cheese, eggs, and sugar. This makes for a very moist filling, and if it is not stored correctly, the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. By comparison, storing it in the fridge has a shelf life that is considerably shorter than if you store it in the freezer, for obvious reasons!
A homemade cheesecake, free from preservatives and additives, can be frozen and kept in the freezer for two months. Commercially manufactured ones, with preservatives and additives, will keep for considerably longer.
How To Store Cheesecake
Making your Cheesecake in advance means you will have to store it well. Which brings me to my next point – how to store your Cheesecake.
You can store your cheesecake in the fridge for up to seven days. So you could, theoretically, make a cheesecake six days ahead of time and store it safely in the refrigerator.
To preserve your Cheesecake, you need to wrap it up securely, ensuring as airtight a seal as possible. This will protect it from taking on any fridge flavors, as well as the possibility of drying out, cracking, and forming unwanted skin. Grandma and her party would not be impressed, and to be fair, neither would I!
Just be aware of the expiration date from the date of baking. And be sure to enjoy your Cheesecake before its sell-by date. It would be such a shame for any portions to go to waste and for the leftovers to end up in the dustbin.
If, however, you are well within your sell-by date of seven days, then it is possible to pop any remaining cheesecake in an airtight container in the fridge. But, be sure to consume it within the expiry date range.
If You Would Like To Make A Cheesecake Way In Advance,
then I would suggest freezing it.
You can store homemade, preservative-free Cheesecake in the freezer for up to two months. So, bake it and let it chill for an hour or two before storing it in the fridge overnight.
It is best to keep the Cheesecake in its springform tin, and this will help maintain its shape and protect it from being damaged. Using plastic wrap and perhaps even a layer of tinfoil, just be sure to encase the Cheesecake thoroughly, ensuring an airtight seal.
If you cannot spare the cake tin, remove the cheesecake from the springform tin, place it on a cardboard round, and then put it in an airtight container. The Cheesecake is then ready to be stored in the freezer.
Please ensure that you safely place it on a flat surface and nothing placed on top that could damage the surface of the Cheesecake.
A point to remember here is that Cheesecake would be best to eat within two months. Perhaps it would be wise to put a date of creation, so you don’t have to remember when you made it!
Where To Store Cheesecake-in The Fridge Or Freezer
Storing Cheesecake in the fridge or freezer are both a perfectly good and safe options.
What option you should choose all depends on how far in advance you are making your Cheesecake and when you plan to serve it. If it is only a couple of days ahead of Grandma’s tea party- then, by all means, keep it in the fridge. Any further in advance, then you will have to store it in the freezer.
But either in the fridge or freezer, please ensure you wrap the Cheesecake thoroughly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. There is nothing worse than a cheesecake tasting of savory flavors from other contents of the fridge; this applies to all desserts, actually!
Serving Time!
If you do choose to store the Cheesecake in the freezer, you need to remember to allow adequate time to defrost it before your event.
To do this, I would suggest removing it from the freezer and letting it defrost in the fridge overnight. If it has not fully defrosted in the morning, you can leave it out of the refrigerator to come to room temperature. If this is necessary, please ensure that you keep an eye on the Cheesecake, and the minute it has achieved room temperature to put it back in the fridge in preparation for serving. Allow sufficient time for this process as you would hate to serve a half-frozen cheesecake to Grandma and her friends.
To serve, carefully unwrap the Cheesecake and lay it on a beautiful cake platter. You may choose to garnish with some fresh berries or some fresh flowers from the garden, edible ones, of course! Or you could choose to leave it plain and let the Cheesecake speak for itself.
Cake plates and forks are a requirement and add to the refinement of Grandma’s tea party! Be sure to serve it with a pot of tea, or a shot of espresso could also do!
Cheers to Grandma!
