Buzz
Cake is universally adored – whether as a simple comfort food or a symbol of joy and festivities. Its signature fluffy texture provides the perfect balance of moisture, without being overly sweet. Unfortunately, capturing that perfect moisture can be tricky, and even harder to maintain. We have suggestions for keeping your cake moist, but what do you do if your cake has already dried out? Don’t give up just yet.
Moisture the environment
There are several reasons why your cake might have turned out dry. Perhaps it was left uncovered on the counter during a party or stored unwrapped in the fridge overnight. In some rare cases, a cake may be dry straight from the recipe (it happens!). While this type of dryness is usually mild, it can often be revived with a slice of bread.
Place the bread under a bowl, cake cloche, or inside a reusable lidded container, adding a few slices of soft bread to the mix. Bread from a large plastic bag works best, but any soft loaf without a tough crust will do. The bread doesn’t need to touch the cake itself, just be there to create a moist environment. The moisture in the air will find balance, much like objects of different temperatures reaching equilibrium over time. The bread will release its moisture into the air, and the drier cake will absorb it.
Using a cake-sized container can help maintain your cake's moisture:
Sterilite Cake Server Container
Rubbermaid Cake Container
Evelots Pie Keepers, Set of 2
Allow the cake to rest covered overnight, then taste it the following day. It should feel much moister. You can replace the dry bread with two fresh slices or even a slice of peeled apple if you want to keep softening the cake. This trick also works wonders for stale cookies.
Literally add moisture
Although it may seem like an easy way out, simply adding moisture is one of the best ways to restore moisture.
One option is to prepare the cake in a tres-leches style. Place the dry cake layer in a pie dish or casserole, something with sides. Use a fork or toothpick to poke multiple holes into the cake, allowing liquid to seep through. Pour sweetened milk over the cake until it covers about a quarter-inch of the edges. Cover it and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. The cake will soak up the moisture, making each bite deliciously milky.
Another trick, popular with bakeries and cake decorators, is using simple syrup to hydrate your cake. This is especially helpful if you’re working with multiple cake layers that have dried out in the fridge or freezer. Slice the layer in half or level off the domed top to expose the inner crumb. Use a pastry brush, spray bottle, or squirt bottle to apply the syrup. The syrup will partially soak into the cake. Repeat this with all the layers.
Trick your mind
It’s more about fooling your taste buds, or what I like to call: hydration by association. Add moisture to a dry cake by spreading something indulgent and gooey on top. You'll likely notice the rich filling more than the dryness of the cake beneath.
Frosting could be an option, but it’s not the most effective way to hydrate by association. Buttercream, being mostly fat, will only sit atop the cake without adding moisture. Something more water-based, like vanilla-flavored whipped cream, raspberry jam, chocolate pudding, or blueberry mousse, will immediately improve the cake’s moisture and continue to transfer moisture to the cake over time.
Ideally, you’ll be baking moist cakes and keeping them well-covered or wrapped, avoiding the dry, crumbly texture of a cake gone wrong. But if disaster strikes, at least these tips can potentially rescue your cake from the trash heap.
