Can I use a cake mix that is 2 years old?
There is nothing harmful about using an outdated cake mix, but it may not taste as good as you want it to, or may not raise the way you would like it to.
Best-By Date
This is used as a quality indicator for us, the consumers. The product is still safe to eat after the date, but the taste or texture might have diminished or the product might not have the full vitamin content indicated on the package.
How can you tell if cake mix is bad or spoiled? The best way is to smell and look at the cake mix: if the cake mix develops an off odor, flavor or appearance, or if mold appears, it should be discarded.
Cake mixes come with a shelf life of about 6 months to a year, but you can safely use them for months (or even years) past the best-by date on the label. Opening the package, assuming you're going to store the leftovers properly, doesn't shorten that period. The best-by date on the label isn't an expiration date.
Shelf Life Tips
Properly stored, a package of dry gravy mix will generally stay at best quality for about 2 years at room temperature. To maximize the shelf life of dry gravy mix, keep the package tightly closed at all times.
Although the company states that there aren't any safety risks if you do use cake mix past its use-by date, there could be changes in the taste and texture. Using cake mix past its recommended date may cause the cake to be less fluffy or even coarse in texture.
It's pretty simple: Store-bought cake mix can last up to five months in the pantry and seven months in the fridge beyond the best by date. An opened store-bought cake mix can last around three months in the pantry and five months in the fridge beyond the best by date.
The reason we do not recommend using a product beyond the “Best if Used by” date is so that we can ensure quality, such as taste and texture. The “Best if Used by” date is determined based on quality testing from the date of manufacturing.
The general consensus is that the average cake mix has a shelf life of between 6 months to a year. Once the “best before date” has been reached, the peak quality of your cake mix may start to deteriorate.
| Pantry | Fridge | |
|---|---|---|
| Past Date | Past Date | |
| Bakery Cake lasts for | 1-2 Days | 2-4 Days |
| Cake with fresh fruit lasts for | -- | 1-2 Days |
| Cake with whipped cream lasts for | -- | 1-2 Days |
What does expired cake taste like?
Mostly, when you talk about the expiration of cake, you're talking about its eating qualities. A whipped cream cake left out overnight will be shrunken and cracked in the morning, and it may taste a bit of sour milk, but it's not likely to make you ill.
Although the company states that there aren't any safety risks if you do use cake mix past its use-by date, there could be changes in the taste and texture. Using cake mix past its recommended date may cause the cake to be less fluffy or even coarse in texture.
We place a “BEST BY” date on the packaging to ensure product quality in terms of appearance, texture and taste of the finished item. There is no food safety concern in using Duncan Hines cake mixes or Mrs. Butterworth's pancake mixes that beyond their “BEST BY” dates. We do recommend that Duncan Hines and Mrs.
Mostly, when you talk about the expiration of cake, you're talking about its eating qualities. A whipped cream cake left out overnight will be shrunken and cracked in the morning, and it may taste a bit of sour milk, but it's not likely to make you ill.
Both frosted and unfrosted cakes will keep up to 5 days in the fridge if they're tightly covered. All cakes with custard or whipped-cream filling or topping should be refrigerated. Frosted and unfrosted cakes can be frozen for up to 2 months.
