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.

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.

To store your cupcakes overnight and keep them fresh for the next day, all you need is an airtight container. Simply place the cupcakes in an airtight container and store them in the fridge overnight. If your room temperature is moderately cool, you can keep them at room temperature instead of the fridge!