When to refridgerate

[LIsaP]

Hi All,
I have a question that I often wonder about.

Whenever I make baked goods, cake, browniew etc, if I have leftovers, I usually cover with saran wrap or tin foil and leave out on the counter until eaten-a few days usually.

I often wonder if I should be storing these types of things in the refridgerator instead...

What do you all do?

[sneezles]

Depends on the amount of milk/dairy in the item. But in this house the aren't usually any left to worry about!

[BethR]

Hi there LisaP!
I do what you do unless the recipe specifically instructs to refrigerate the finished product (I see this most often on cakes with cream cheese-based icings). I'm not sure if this is correct, it's just what I've always done.
Beth

[Vanessa]

In cooler temperature I do as you do and leave them out. If the recipe says refrigerate (like some icings need refrigeration made with cream cheese) then I do. In the summer breads etc I bake 1 day out and I either freeze or refrigerate.

[BeckyM]

I often wonder about this one too. With cakes, I usually refrigerate them, because my husband thinks they taste best the next day straight from the refrigerator. I decided I need to start refrigerating my quick breads too, because last spring I made some of the Jamaican Banana Bread (yummy!) to take to my sister-in-law's, and I left it on the counter for a few days before we went. We started eating it the first morning there, which was about three to four days after I baked it, and it tasted to me like something was starting to ferment. They didn't say anything, but I was embarassed. So from now on, it's the refrigerator for me!

I think the only thing I'd really make an exception on is fairly dry breads -- like yeast breads & biscuits. If I refrigerate those, they tend to get hard.

[BernK]

It probably depends on your climate. I live in a tropical climate so everything gets refridgerated. I can't leave anything out for more than 30 mins. If the heat doesn't get it, the ants will.