Milkshakes Are The Perfect Treat For Using Up Leftover Cake

Delicious and sizable as cakes are, they can fill up a crowd quickly, leaving you not just satiated but with plenty of leftovers, too. Although a next-day slice of cake is how most foodies would use their leftovers, blending it into a milkshake gives an old cake a new lease on life.

Once a cake leaves the oven, it starts to harden, leading to stale surfaces. Blending it into a shake introduces some much-needed moisture back into the dehydrating cake. Whether it's triple chocolate or red velvet, the blended cake infuses your milkshake with its sugary-sweet shades of flavor. Because the cake itself already flaunts so much rich, decadent sweetness, you don't have to use as many agents like vanilla extract or cocoa powder to give your shake flavor, sparing your baking goods and saving them for other kitchen adventures. Plus, there's no shortage of flavor combos. Two of your favorite desserts blended into one while reducing food waste — what's not to love?

Making a cake milkshake is as easy as combining ingredients in a blender and pushing a button. However, there are a few tips worth keeping in mind to maximize the taste and texture of your cake shake. You don't wind up falling for one of the common mistakes people make with milkshakes.

Cake milkshakes are perfect for stale leftovers, but they don't have to be cardboard paper-style stale. Storing your leftover cake at room temperature can slow the staling process, while refrigerator storage tends to expedite it. Leftover cake stored at room temperature will stay fresh for up to three days, but know when it's time to throw out leftover cake — you don't want to make a shake with rotten goods. Sour smells and discoloration are signs that it's time to trash your leftover cake. 

Ratios are key — you don't want a milkshake that's too watery or too dense. Use ¼ cup of milk for every cup of ice cream, and blend the mixture before introducing a slice of cake and pulsing again until silky smooth. Full-fat milk and ice cream will yield the richest texture.

A classic homemade vanilla ice cream and vanilla cake are a match made in heaven, but if you want to jazz things up, there are plenty of combinations to blend for a flavor-blasted cake shake. Don't be afraid to think outside the box and use additional ingredients (though you don't have to).

Leftover carrot cake paired with a spoonful of cream cheese and French vanilla ice cream culminates in an ultra-rich, uber-decadent cake shake with warming, spicy undertones — bonus points for garnishing the shake with another slice of leftover cake.

Leftover red velvet cake mixed with a splash of cold brew coffee and coffee-infused ice cream is a caffeine-kissed milkshake that balances the bold flavors of a cup of joe with the soft, cocoa-forward flavors of the cake. Perfect for a Valentine's Day treat.

Try making a cake shake inspired by Portillo's menu — a Chicago-founded hot dog chain — made with plain vanilla ice cream and a spectacularly chocolatey slice of cake. This dreamy concoction is a timeless, best-selling cake shake you can make at home. Top with a dollop of whipped cream because why not?

Next time you have cake leftovers, don't let them waste away. Bust out some ice cream, milk, and whatever else your heart desires, and fire up the blender. Trust us; your tastebuds will thank you.