How to tell if a cake is bad
Cake is a common dessert in daily life, but it is easy to spoil after improper storage or expiration date. How to tell if a cake has gone bad? This article will combine the hot topics and hot content on the Internet in the past 10 days to provide you with detailed judgment methods and precautions.
1. Common causes of cake spoilage

Cake spoilage is usually caused by:
| Reason | Description |
|---|---|
| microbial contamination | Microorganisms such as bacteria and molds multiply and cause corruption |
| Oxidative deterioration | Fat oxidation produces odor |
| water loss | The cake becomes dry and hard |
| Improper storage | Excessive temperature or humidity accelerates deterioration |
2. Five ways to determine whether a cake has gone bad
1.Observe the appearance
Fresh cakes have a smooth surface and even color. A spoiled cake may exhibit the following characteristics:
| Metamorphic characteristics | Possible reasons |
|---|---|
| Mildew | mold growth |
| Discoloration | Oxidation or microbial action |
| sticky | Bacteria multiply |
2.smell
Fresh cakes have a sweet smell, but spoiled cakes may produce the following odors:
| Odor type | Possible reasons |
|---|---|
| sour | Lactic acid bacteria fermentation |
| Musty smell | mold growth |
| Oily smell | fat oxidation |
3.Check texture
Press the surface of the cake lightly with your fingers. Fresh cake should be soft and elastic. Spoiled cakes may appear:
4.Taste the flavor
If the appearance and smell are normal, you can try a small amount to taste:
| unusual taste | Possible reasons |
|---|---|
| Bitter | Oil oxidation |
| sour | bacterial contamination |
| metallic taste | Packaging material contamination |
5.Check the shelf life
Reference for the shelf life of different cakes:
| cake type | Shelf life at room temperature | Refrigerated shelf life |
|---|---|---|
| cream cake | 1-2 days | 3-5 days |
| mousse cake | Not suitable for storage | 1-2 days |
| pound cake | 3-5 days | 7-10 days |
3. Things to note when storing cakes
1.Store correctly
Storage requirements for different types of cakes:
| cake type | Best way to store |
|---|---|
| cream cake | Keep refrigerated and sealed |
| fruit cake | Refrigerate and eat as soon as possible |
| dry cake | Sealed and stored at room temperature |
2.Food recommendations
4. Recent popular cake safety incidents
According to the hot spot monitoring of the entire network in the past 10 days, the following cake safety issues have attracted attention:
| event | Involving issues |
|---|---|
| Internet celebrity cake has excessive microorganisms | E. coli test failed |
| Poisoning caused by improper storage of cream cakes | Staphylococcus aureus contamination |
| Plant cream cake labeling confusion | Unclear ingredient labeling |
5. Summary
To determine whether a cake has deteriorated, you need to comprehensively use the four methods of "looking, smelling, touching, and tasting". At the same time, pay attention to the storage conditions and shelf life of the cake. Recent food safety incidents remind us that even well-known brands of cake products can have quality issues. Consumers are advised to:
Through the above methods, you can effectively judge the freshness of the cake and ensure food safety. Remember: When in doubt about the quality of a cake, it’s better to throw it away than risk eating it.
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