Can you freeze a cake and have it taste just as fresh, moist, and delicious as the day it was baked?
Would you believe me if I said freezing makes your cake even better than fresh? It’s absolutely true. A properly wrapped cake can be frozen for weeks or months, thawed, and taste even better than the day you made it. As long as you take the proper steps to protect your cake from freezer odors, your guests will rave about the quality of your cake, never suspecting that it was baked weeks or months ago. There are probably as many different methods for freezing cakes as there are bakers. There is no one right way – this is just our way, and we’ve found it works!
Now, this advice is given with the assumption that your freezer is in good working order, and doesn’t smell like fish. Always place your cakes toward the back of the freezer where it’s coldest, and try to minimize the number of times the door is opened and closed, and the length of time the door is held open. Those temperature fluctuations cause your frozen food to thaw a little, then freeze again. When you repeat this process over and over again, it can degrade the quality of your food.
The freezer can be your best friend when preparing cakes. If you have a large order and limited time or manpower, start baking a couple of weeks ahead of time. Wrap those precious layers and store them in your freezer, and you’ll have a jump on the entire assembly and decorating process.
Thawing it out
Thawing your layers is easy because cake thaws really fast! However, the easiest way I’ve found to thaw my layers is to remove them from the freezer the night before I’m ready to decorate them, and leave them on the counter overnight. It’s important to leave the cake fully wrapped while it thaws! Condensation will gather on your outer wrapping, and you want all that moisture to stay outside your cake. When the condensation has disappeared, you will know your layer has thawed. Depending on the size of the layer, this can take 2-4 hours. This is why it’s great to take them out of the freezer the night before, so you can be absolutely certain they’re ready for you in the morning.
Freezing your cakes will allow you new levels of flexibility in your cake decorating schedule. All you need is aluminum foil, Glad Press’n’Seal Wrap, a Sharpie, and your freezer!
Let’s Do It!
Equipment
- Glad Press’n’Seal
- Aluminum Foil
- Sharpie Marker
Notes
This is all you need! Oh, and your freezer. Cool your cake on a rack completely after removing it from the oven. Some people advise wrapping it while it is still warm, but some food safety experts warn against the possible breeding of bacteria in the warm, moist environment inside the cake. I find that there is no perceptible difference in quality between wrapping warm or wrapping cooled, so I advise erring on the side of food safety! And also, the cake is easier to handle and less likely to break when it is cooled.
Tear off a piece of Glad Press’n’Seal about 2 1/2 times the diameter of your cake. For instance, this is an 8″ cake, and the wrap is about 20″ long. Lay the Press’n’Seal tacky side up on your counter, and place your cake in the middle. Fold each long end over toward the middle of the cake.
Crimp the top and bottom edges together, pressing the Press’n’Seal material together. The goal is to seal anywhere that freezer air might intrude on your cake.
Tear off a length of aluminum foil about 2 1/2 times the diameter of your cake, and lay it on the counter. Pick up your Press’n’Sealed cake and lay it on the foil, turning it 90 degrees so that the seam of the Press’n’Seal is now horizontal.
Fold the foil in towards the center, repeating the same steps as with the Press’n’Seal.
Crimp all the edges tightly.
Use your favorite permanent marker to label and date your cake! Trust me, you will thank yourself later!
Place in the freezer and enjoy at a time of your desiring! I have used this method to freeze a cake for up to 7 months and it still tasted as delicious as the day I made it. However, until you are experienced with this method, I recommend starting with shorter freezing times of 1-2 weeks until you are comfortable with the quality of your cake.
