You can bake cupcakes up to two days ahead; arrange them (unfrosted) on a baking sheet, wrap the whole sheet with plastic wrap and store at room temperature. Frost before serving. To freeze, arrange unfrosted cupcakes on a baking sheet and wrap the whole sheet in plastic wrap, then in foil.

Plain cupcakes without any icing or frosting can keep for up to a week on your kitchen counter, but iced cupcakes, or those with a sweet filling, will only last 2-4 days. Cupcakes topped with buttercream or other dairy ingredients need to be stored in the fridge and can last for 3-5 days refrigerated.

The easiest way to store decorated cupcakes is simply to put them in an airtight container. There are specialized carriers and storage containers that make it even easier to preserve cupcakes, but any ol' Tupperware will do. Frosted cupcakes will stay fresh in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days at room temperature.

Don't Refrigerate Your Cupcakes Resist the urge to store cupcakes in the refrigerator to extend their shelf life beyond two days. Cupcakes stored in a refrigerator will dry out. In fact, placing cupcakes in the refrigerator speeds crystallization in the sugar and flour, making the cupcakes go stale quickly.