12 Incredible Uses for Leftover Cake

Crumbled cake in a bowl

Unless you store your cake properly, that sweet will go stale. It can feel like a tragedy, but don’t despair: with a little imagination, you can transform even the most dried-out slices into something awesome and delicious.Check out these incredible uses for leftover cake.

1. Cake Pops

Cake Pop Dough

It probably goes without saying, but cake pops are the cutest possible use for leftover cake. Just crumble the cake, combine with buttercream or cream cheese frosting and squeeze until squishy. Shape into little balls, then coat with candy melts or melted chocolate to lock in all that newly-made moisture.

2. Cake French toast

French toast will save your leftover cake just like it saves your day-old bread. Make an egg batter, coat the cake slices, then griddle until toasty on the edges.

3. Ice Cream Mix-Ins

Fold cake crumbles into softened ice cream, and you’ve got the sweetest DIY dessert. Or you can keep it simple and spoon those crumbs on top of a scoop and dig in.

4. Cake Shakes

Over the Top Milkshake

Crumble stale cake, frosting and all, then throw it into a blender with a couple scoops of ice cream and milk. It’ll taste just like your childhood birthday parties.

5. Trifle

This English dessert was made for leftover cake, as it soaks up fruit juices and custard like a dream. To make a trifle, layer cake crumbles with fruit, custard and whatever other ingredients go well with the flavor of your cake.

6. Grilled Cake

When served with ice cream or fresh fruit, it’s a genius move to warm up leftover cake on the grill. Just like toasting stale bread, it’ll help bring out the flavor. Sturdy cakes, like pound cake, work best, but you can grill any cake by setting it on top of foil first.

7. Not-Bread Puddings

Bread Pudding

It’s like bread pudding, but not. Substitute any type of cake — from leftover coffee cake to chiffon — for bread in your favorite recipe, then bake as normal.

8. Crumbled-Cake Pie Crusts

Use cake crumbles instead of cookie crumbs in any cookie pie crust recipe. Yeah, it’s that easy.

9. Deep-Fried Cake Snacks

Ask anyone who has ever attended a state fair: deep-frying makes everything taste good. Coating cake chunks in batter adds moisture and crunch, and once you fry it you get a wow-worthy dessert the whole fam will love munching on.

10. Brownie Mix-Ins

Brownies

The next time you’re making brownies, fold some finely diced or crumbled leftover cake into your better. It’ll add a subtle note of texture to your dessert while using up that dried cake.

11. Charlotte

A charlotte is a dignified retro dessert in which ladyfingers line a pan of mousse or custard topped with fruit. Sound yummy? Substitute slivers of leftover cake for the ladyfingers and voila — a reimagined dessert that tastes just as delicious as the classic.

12. Cake Crumb Cookies

Touted as a way to recycle pieces of wedding cake, cake crumb cookies employ crumbled cake as the base of a dough for crunchy, delicious cookies.

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20 Responses to “12 Incredible Uses for Leftover Cake”

  1. Marilyn Anne Jensen

    Ihave failed cupcakes . Allcame out of the mold broken. so i suggest tiramisu with the cake!

    Reply
  2. Stephanie

    This is a great list of what to do with leftover cake. As a bakery owner, I am always bummed at the amount of cake tops I discard – now I need to try some of these.

    Reply
  3. Sydney

    I am on a Zero Waste Committee and was fascinated by your ways to use old food! Please keep them coming!

    Reply
  4. Laney Lester

    I tried the brownie mix ins and the cake pops and my kids just fell in love with These desserts absolutely amazing 🤩

    Reply
  5. Daniellesuzie

    Funnily enough some people just HATE LEFTOVERS as the word cake done twice over still means exactly that. Add extra ingredients is like a Halloween Surprise “Trick or TREAT”, so maybe have a budget like the rich’n’famous photoshopped friends and relatives or borrow 1/2 cup sugar from the neighbours plus an egg or two and make your loved ones breakfast in bed on the weekends. What is that again? Yummy Cake!

    Reply
  6. M I Warner

    Beautiful

    Slice , place at bottom of transparent dish: pour evaporated milk, layer mixed fruit , next layer more cake , more fruit ; last layer , whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles .
    Cake may also be cubed.
    So much more

    Reply
  7. Linda J Crosby

    seems to me it would be easier to put it in the compost pile rather than waste some more ingredients

    Reply
    • Tea

      Sounds like someone that doesn’t like dessert. Not entirely sure why you’re here then

      Reply
      • Annette

        I bought strawberry Cake slices & in a few days my husband thinks it’s no longer edible so I added Strawberry filling & whip cream w/chocolate Sauce & “Voila”………Straw/Choc.
        Shortcake

        Reply
  8. Kay Sweat

    I wish I had had these suggestions several months ago. We have 4 birthdays in our family. Love all of the great suggestions!

    Reply
    • Sarah

      I’d never heard of leftover cake either, cake is normally gone in a flash in our house 🙂

      Reply
    • Shaarob Bradigan

      Leftover cake is when you are single but that one cake at the store you know you can’t possibly finish is calling your name!

      Reply