4 pound cakes in 1

[BakerMann]

I am baking for a bake sale and will be making 4 different pound cakes:
Pumpkin Cream Cheese
Caramel Crunch
Amaretto
Coconut pecan

I would like to cut each in quarters and package them up with a quarter of each type in one container so that the purchaser gets a quarter of each.

My question is, if I package them on Sunday, will the flavors leach and have them all tasting the same by Monday evening?

I know I can wrap them but that takes away from the presentation. Any suggestions?

 

[Norcalbaker59]

I am baking for a bake sale and will be making 4 different pound cakes:
Pumpkin Cream Cheese
Caramel Crunch
Amaretto
Coconut pecan

I would like to cut each in quarters and package them up with a quarter of each type in one container so that the purchaser gets a quarter of each.

My question is, if I package them on Sunday, will the flavors leach and have them all tasting the same by Monday evening?

I know I can wrap them but that takes away from the presentation. Any suggestions?

There are two issues with cutting up a loaf.

Food safety and product shelf life.

Handling food that will be consumed by the public comes with responsibility. The moisture content will determine how fast bacteria develops. Once you break the crust, slice open that pound cake, you expose the cut surface to bacteria growth.


Commercial bakeries slow the growth of bacteria by mixing preservatives into their product. But home bakers do not have access to mold inhibiting preservatives.


In addition to the food safety issues, there’s the issue of the product going stale. More surface exposure results in faster degradation of the product.


It would be far safer and the pound cake will stay fresher if you bake the pound cake in miniature loaf pans or disposable paper baking molds.



https://www.wilton.com/mini-loaf-pan/2105-9101.html#start=3

 

[Becky]

Rather than cut them up in advance (which comes with the issues highlighted above), if it were me I'd keep them whole but give customers the option on the day to mix and match. You might get some customers wanting half of one and half of the other, or a quarter of each. You'd need to keep a separate knife for each one to avoid cross-contamination, but it would be a nice option if you've got the space to do it.

 

[BakerMann]

Thanks Becky