Code::Blocks 13.12
Maybe that is the problem? I can't remember having problems with recent PROJECTS not updating in the recent years, i do remember though that very often when i close CodeBlocks it asks me if i want to save my layout changes although i didn't change anything, i always say yes, not sure if that "repairs" my recent projects.
I just checked and indeed recent FILES are very strange, in my case they are very ancient, i haven't touched the files listed there in months and pretty much everything i did touch is missing there.
I'm on current trunk of CodeBlocks on Windows 10 and CentOS 7.5 if that matters.