How To Freeze Decorated Cake

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We've frozen plenty of cakes and accept made enough mistakes to know what really works. Let's learn how to freeze cakes then that they taste the freshest!

You lot need a cake, only life's decorated and spontaneous plans pop upwardly. We totally get information technology.

Making desserts alee of fourth dimension for a gathering or party is a wonderful fashion to avoid stress, the last affair you need before an event. So let's talk nearly freezing cakes ahead of time.

The best and easiest fashion to make a cake ahead of time is to freeze the unassembled/undecorated layers. Over the past few years, I've tested multiple unlike ways to freeze cakes including changing factors like the cooling process, the wrapping, the container, the length of time, thawing, decorating, etc. Last year I constitute the all-time method when I was prepping and practicing cakes for my daughter'south birthday. I've frozen plenty of cakes– all different sizes– and I'm really excited to share the nigh successful freezing process with you today.

Let's learn how to freeze cakes so that they taste the freshest.

How to Freeze Cakes

Step 1: Bake and completely cool a block/block layers. These step-by-step photos show round cakes, only you tin freeze square, rectangle, Bundt cakes, etc. Come across ten Cake Blistering Tips for best practices on baking and cooling cakes.

Footstep 2: Once the cake(s) cools completely, wrap it in Press & Seal. From one baker to another– this is the all-time production for wrapping cakes. Maybe it'south just me, but thin plastic/saran wrap is incredibly clingy and frustrating. And I always experience like I need to double wrap food when using it. It definitely works, but Press & Seal is so much easier to use and I've honestly plant that it keeps my food fresher. (Non working with this brand, just really love information technology.)

Step 3: Write the type of block and use-by date on a large piece of aluminum foil. For all-time gustatory modality and texture, don't freeze cakes for longer than 3 months. You could stretch it to 4 or 5 months, but the sooner you serve it, the fresher it tastes. I write on the aluminum foil before wrapping the block simply in case the ink seeps through. (It has earlier!)

Pace 4: Wrap the block in the aluminum foil.

Stride 5: Place the cake(southward) in a freezer-prophylactic container. Or if yous don't have a big enough container, wrap in another layer of aluminum foil. Of grade make certain the foil with the date on it is what'southward on the exterior. 🙂

Step vi: Freeze for up to 3 months.

The cakes are wrapped in two layers: Printing & Seal, and then aluminum foil. The starting time layer keeps the cake tight and fresh and the aluminum foil ensures no condensation will seep in. This is likewise how I wrap assistant bread and other quick breads, as well. Double layer = maximum freshness and no freezer burn. Moisture is the enemy, and then don't be afraid to add another layer of Press & Seal or aluminum foil.

How to Thaw Cakes

Thawing cakes is easy. Transfer the wrapped cakes from the freezer to the fridge one day before decorating/serving. I normally accept them out of the freezer container to thaw. The cakes take at least viii hours to thaw completely in the refrigerator. Sometimes I forget and just allow the cake(s) thaw at room temperature, but it's ameliorate they thaw at a slower rate in the fridge.

This is important: Make sure you're thawing the cakes while they're still in the wrapping. You encounter, condensation forms as foods thaw. This style the condensation volition form on the wrapping, non the cake. Wet mucilaginous cake, anyone?

Best Cakes to Freeze

You can freeze merely about any block afterward they've cooled completely. Mega flavorful cakes such every bit assistant cake, chocolate cake, carrot block, and pumpkin cake freeze and thaw beautifully when wrapped in a couple layers, as detailed above. I observe their flavor is even better after the freezing/thawing process! Bundt cakes and pound cake freeze wonderfully likewise, just make sure they're completely cooled and wrapped tightly earlier freezing. For cheesecake instructions, see "How to Freeze Cheesecake" in my cheesecake recipe.

Baker'due south Tip: For absolute best sense of taste and texture, avoid freezing delicate cakes similar angel food cake, vertical cake, and pavlova. Though you definitely COULD freeze these (and the recipes instruct how), they taste best when freshly fabricated.

All of our cake recipes include make-ahead and/or freezing instructions.

#1 Success Tip

Don't Freeze Busy Cake: For the absolute best taste and texture, assemble and decorate the cake as shut to serving as possible. That'due south why I recommend only freezing the cake/cake layers. A completely busy cake will contract and expand during the freezing/thawing process, ruining some of your hard work. You can brand the frosting ahead of time and refrigerate information technology for one day, but fresh frosting really does gustation best. Freezing leftover frosted cake is completely fine, though. (Because it's just leftover and doesn't need to impress anyone anymore!)

Pictured: Vanilla Block

Description

Use this guide to freeze your cakes and so they taste the freshest possible.

baked & cooled block(south)
Press & Seal wrap or plastic wrap
aluminum foil

Bake and completely cool a block/cake layers. These footstep-past-step photos show round cakes, but y'all can freeze square, rectangle, Bundt cakes, etc. See ten Block Baking Tips for best practices on baking and cooling cakes.
Once the block(s) cools completely, wrap information technology in Printing & Seal. This is the best production for wrapping cakes. Sparse plastic/saran wrap is incredibly clingy and frustrating. Regular plastic wrap definitely works, but Press & Seal is so much easier to use and I've honestly found that it keeps my food fresher. (Not working with this brand, just really dearest it.)
Write the type of cake and use-by date on a large piece of aluminum foil. I write on the aluminum foil earlier wrapping the block only in case the ink seeps through. It has before!
Wrap the cake in the aluminum foil.
Place the cake(s) in a freezer-safe container. Or if you don't have a large plenty container, wrap in another layer of aluminum foil. (Make sure the foil with the date on it is what's on the outside.)
Freeze for upwardly to 3 months. For best sense of taste and texture, don't freeze cakes for longer than iii months. You could stretch it to 4 or 5 months, simply the sooner you serve it, the fresher it tastes.
When fix to thaw: Transfer the wrapped cakes from the freezer to the fridge one twenty-four hours earlier decorating/serving. Take them out of the freezer container to thaw, but leave them wrapped in Press & Seal/aluminum foil. The cakes take at least 8 hours to thaw completely in the fridge. Make sure you're thawing the cakes while they're still in the wrapping. Condensation forms as foods thaw. This way the condensation will form on the wrapping, not the cake.
Assemble, decorate, and serve block.

Notes

Don't Freeze Busy Cake: For best gustatory modality and texture, assemble and decorate the cake as shut to serving as possible. A completely decorated block will contract and aggrandize during the freezing/thawing process, ruining some of your hard piece of work. You can make the frosting alee of time and air-condition it for ane solar day, but fresh frosting really does taste best.

Keywords: cake, vanilla cake