Shelf life

Shelf life depends on the product and on where it is kept. A North Dakota State University Extension storage chart lists baked cakes at 3 to 7 days in the pantry, 7 to 10 days in the refrigerator and 6 months in the freezer, while baked muffins keep 7 to 10 days in the refrigerator.

Cookies are more forgiving: the chart says they keep two to three weeks in an airtight container in the cupboard and do not need refrigeration, and baked cookies can be frozen for 8 to 12 months. Fruit cakes are the long keepers, at 6 months in the pantry. Moist, perishable items such as doughnuts last only a day or two.

The guide also notes that refrigerating bread with no preservatives helps inhibit mold. Moisture, fat, sugar, fillings and packaging all change how long a bake lasts, so cream or custard items always have shorter windows than dry cookies.