Kay, I know a ton of people out there don’t like the word “moist” BUT I’m not sure how else to describe a cake that’s not dry in any way. SO I’ll probably use it a few times in this post – sorry.
Alright. You take the time to bake a cake, then you let it cool, and what happens? STEAM escapes and leaves your cake as it dries. All that moisture is going OUT of your cake into the air, and it’s drying out slightly. For most cakes its probably okay, BUT I don’t just want an OKAY cake I want to serve an amazing cake.
So the second my cake is cool enough that I can tough it without getting 3rd degree burns I wrap it at least twice in plastic wrap and throw it in my freezer. Yup, trapping that steam and cooling the cake.
BIG tip here – NEVER refrigerate baked goods. Nothing dries out cake or other breads/baked goods faster than the fridge. It’s a killer, better to leave in on the counter. BUT freezing is different, it STOPS, rather than slows and so your cakes will stay not dried out and still taste amazing when it thaws (without losing all that steam).
Of course if I’m CARVING a cake I let it stay in long enough to freeze completely, but you can just leave cake in until it’s cooled then immediately trim, frost and serve as well.
Ashlee Marie
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Kimberly Ann
This is awesome! I always freeze my cakes like this solely because they’re so much easier to stack and decorate when slightly frozen. Good to know I’m not doing any favors to the dry cake gods. 🙂
Ashlee
HA, nope, your good!
Brenda
How long can you freeze the cake
Ashlee Marie
about 3 months!
Tammie
I am going to make a naked cake. Can I freeze the cake with the frosting in the center?
Ashlee Marie
yes you can, remember as the cake thaws it will condense so watch out for that.
Kentuckylady717
Glad to hear this…..I have never heard this before……but I will try it the next time I bake a cake…..this has sure been kept a secret ……but if it works , it is well worth the trouble…so you don’t have to leave it in the freezer until it freezes solid, just leave it in long enough to get completely cold, correct ?????
Thanks for telling us…..
Love your recipes too…..
Ashlee
either, I’ve let it freeze until just cool when I’m in a hurry, but usually I’m carving cake so I let it freeze completely.
April
can I go ahead and cut my cake in layers and freeze it that way. Do I need to wrap each cut layer separate or can I keep it together?
Ashlee
I def recommend wrapping them individually – the warm cakes and steam would stick together (plus the crust on the cake will help hold in the moisture too vs cutting it and letting even more steam out. plus cutting a cake that hot would be difficult – once it’s cooled the benefit of freezing it is lessened.
Laura
I bake every week, and as soon my cake is out of the oven a cover with plastic and put in the freezer . Some times for two weeks, and the cake is better than fresh,in the freezer concentrates the flavor.
Toni Torres
How do you thaw the cake..leave it wrapped? or unwrapped. I want to do this with cupcakes but I’m worried about the wrappers peeling. I’d appreciate any help you can give.
Ashlee
leave it wrapped, let it thaw, it will condense on the outside of the plastic that way.
CLAIRE WOOD
I bake a lot of pound cakes, and I always freeze them even if just overnight because it improves the texture of the cake. I have kept them frozen up to 3 weeks.
My husband insists that chocolate pound cake is even better still frozen; it does kind of remind one of ice cream- must be all the butter. His grandmother mailed a chocolate pound cake to him every Christmas and birthday if he was not going to be with the family at the time. I never froze cakes until I ate her cake; of course she froze them, and shipped them frozen. They were perfect.
Insiya
Hi ashlee i don’t know what is happening i tried different recipe but my cakes become hard my client complain it was hard wht could b the reason I put cake in freezer after icing that makes my cake hard it isn’t moist or using incorrect portion of ingredient plz help me thanku in advance
Ashlee
I’m not sure I understand the question – but 1. I freeze them FRESH while they are warm, so the steam stays in the cake and keeps the cake moist vs drying out. then I thaw it before leveling, filling and frosting. ONCE it’s frosted I don’t refridgerate or freeze again. The main thing is not to overcook the cake to begin with of course too.
Christina McCain
For the first time, I wrapped unfrosted cupcakes in plastic wrap and froze them for about a week. I took them out, thawed and frosted. I just heard from my customer and she complained that no one ate them because they were dry. This was for a wedding, so I’m completely freaked out! I always get excellent feedback from my customers and this was first bad feedback. What do you think might have caused them to be dry?
Ashlee Marie
Either they were dry before they were frozen OR its a client trying to get their money back (and the cupcakes were totally fine). I would assume the second as there are lots of people who try to scam their wedding vendors. Always make sure you try one of your own (make extras) so you can confidently respond – they were fine I tried them – and you don’t have to wonder if she’s telling the truth or not.
Robert Renteria
Is it ok to fridge a cake once it’s been decorated? And or if cake is not needed the next day but the day after? I fridge my cakes for the next day after I’ve decorated and cake is still moist and full of flavor. But willing to try any ideas you have.
Ashlee
I never EVER refrigerate cake, it dries them out. Once a cake is frosted the frosting will keep the cakes moist, not reason to refrigerate it.
Heather
But what if you have cream cheese frosting? How long can you have cream cheese frosting out?
Ashlee Marie
cream cheese frosting is obviously one of the cases where you need to refrigerate the cake
Betta
What if the cake has cream cheese and cool whip icing? You still do not refrigerate the cake??
Ashlee Marie
obviously sometimes you have to. mousse, curd, custard… those all need to be refrigerated too
Anna leesha
Even with buttercream? I thought you needed to keep buttercream refridgerated cause of the butter and milk? It’ll be great if I don’t need to!
Ashlee Marie
nope buttercream doesn’t need to be refrigerated
Cheryl
What if the frosting has a dairy base? Like whipped frosting? That needs to be refrigerated.
Ashlee
I rarely use cream cheese frosting but when I do, yes I refrigerate.
Kelly
What type of frosting do you generally use? I make a lot of straight butter cream frosting and whipped cream frosting with coconut cream and thought it needed to be refrigerated..no?
Ashlee Marie
nope – if it has egg in it like a custard, mousse or curd or whipping cream – only those need to be refrigerated. buttercream is fine
Cat
I am VERY new to baking, had thought I read this somewhere, nice to see it again. May I ask:
1. I usually bake for just hubby & I, a small-ish sheet cake, usually it’s left in the pan. Can I wrap pan & all then pop in the freezer or no?
2. I just learned how to make a killer buttercream frosting (the lemon flavor is to die for!) ….can this be left unrefrigerated or must it be kept cool?
Ashlee Marie
no – this isn’t for sheet cakes, yes lemon buttercream should be fine left out.
Maliha
How long can you keep the cake frozen ?
Ashlee
depends on how early I make it. Sometimes I just freeze it long enough to cool it down, sometimes it’s frozen for a week or two or more. But at some point it will get freezer burn so not over a few months
Erika
Great ideia!!! Ill try it soon. Thanks for sharing your expertise. Would you recommend a baking book for beginners? Baking Secrets ? Thanks!!
Ashlee
my favorite cookbook is “the joy of cooking” I love learning the why behind it all.
Dee
I agree. The “Joy of Cooking” is magnificent! I bought a copy for myself when I got married 46 years ago. I didn’t want to take my mother’s copy because she used it all the time.
Ashlee Marie
it’s the best
Mel
Hai Ashlee, if i make the cake two days earlier before i decorate, how much time does it take to thaw? Should i let it out in room temp night before? Thanks
Ashlee
it just takes a few hours to thaw!
Vanessa
Hi. You mention that cakes should not be refrigerated as it dries them out. I agree with this. However what do you do with a cake that has whipped cream as a frosting and it needs to be refrigerated? Any ideas?
Ashlee
1. use stabilized whipped cream and 2. frost it as CLOSE to the event as you can so it doesn’t have to be refrigerated too long
I don’t use whipped cream as a frosting but I do use it in trifles and that’s what I do.
Valerie
What recipe for a buttercream do u know that uses non dairy I am getting my home processor to bake from home and if I do a buttercream it can’t be liquid dairy which takes away my fav recipe milk conf sugar butter and vanilla?
[email protected]
Ashlee Marie
sorry I’m an all dairy gal so I don’t have any non dairy frosting recipes. I’m so sorry!
Sandy
Valerie,
My son has to eat dairy free and I love baking! I have found Earth balance butter sticks and original unsweetened almond milk to work great for my frosting. My dairy loving guests did not know the difference until I told them. They were surprised! I have seen people recommend soy and rice milk as well.
Also search Pinterest and online for dairy free frosting recipes.
Charise
Hi, to clarify, when you carve your cakes are they thawed or frozen? I am making a friends wedding cake and want it to be perfect! Thanks!
Ashlee
I carve them frozen
Tina
Hey, thanks for this tip. I’ve got frozen cakes waiting to be frosted. Wish me luck!?
Ashlee
perfect! and good luck!
Angela Kear
A professional cake decorator friend told me to frost while still frozen because it entraps the moisture even more. I’ve done this a time or two and have gotten tons of compliments on how moist the cake is. I have only done this when covering with buttercream, not fondant.
What do you think?
Ashlee
I carve when frozen, but I NEVER frost when frozen, the cake will condense with thawing leaving drips of water down the side which ruins whatever decorating I do. freezing it while still warm and steaming, trapping that in, has always been enough for me!
FranG
Hi Ashlee…I was wondering if you’ve ever had fondant blow out on your cakes. And, if so, what was the cause and how did you resolve it?
Ashlee
it’s one of the reasons I don’t like using buttercream – since it crusts the fondant doesn’t always stick properly and you get air pockets and blow outs. American buttercream is the worst – italian meringue or swiss meringue are better options. I prefer Ganache under fondant. Also letting your cake settle before adding the weight of the fondant will help.
iretha Hunt
Hello, great information. What is your Ganache recipe. I’ve had blow out with buttercream numerous times.
Ashlee Marie
I use 1 parts cream to 2 part chocolate for my ganache frosting
Valerie
Recipe for those?
Ashlee Marie
here are some cake recipes https://ashleemarie.com/recipes/cake-recipes/
Mesti Harrell
I only lightly crumb coat when frozen to kind of seal it then when thawing is complete I decorate….I grew up my moms cake shop and this is what she always did and her cakes were always super moist….if you completely decorate when frozen you will get condensation and ruin your decorations, but lightly crumb coating first I’ve never had a problem with condensation
Ashlee Marie
agreed, don’t decorate until the cake is totally thawed
Aisha
Hi Ashley! Thanks for sharing this gem of a tip. If i read you correctly, you mean wrap and store them in the freezer as soon as they are no longer extremely hot..? So i can put the cake in the freezer even though the cake still feels warm to the touch?
Ashlee
yup, you want to seal the steam into the cake so you don’t want it to cool down very much, as soon as you can handle touching it go for it
Zoe
How long do you leave out the oven before freezing i know your saying touch warm but would you say 30-1hr out the oven before wrapping
Cheryl Martin
I wrap my cake right after it comes out of the oven and freeze it immediately. Always moist and I frost and decorate it before it thaws!!
Kelli
Hi.. so I froze my cakes and now thawed and stacked them. I put them in the freezer again to harden abit before I crumb coat it. Is that ok?
Ashlee
I don’t, I just frost and move on, but it won’t hurt the cake to be frozen again.
Laura
Hi Ashlee,
Thanks for sharing, I am about to start make and freezing my cakes ahead of time. I am going to attempt at topsy turvey cake. I have seen them carve a frozen cake on youtube. It all makes sense now, and looks easy (who I am kidding). Wish me luck. love your ideas.
Ashlee
good luck! it’s seriously so much fun to carve cakes!
Heena Patel
I like this idea! My son’s first birthday is coming up the day after a family wedding. I want to make it ahead of time. I saw on a different channel you can freeze the cake with the filling and stack, wrap then freeze for upto 2 months. Thoughts?
When I take it out I thaw it for a few hours, ice then fondant? Can I do this 1-2 days before even if there is dairy in the filling?
Ashlee
I only freeze them before frosting, not after. Some fillings would be just fine – like a buttercream, some wouldn’t like a mousse. Just make sure that you let them thaw completely before adding fondant – you don’t want to deal with condensation.
Mary
Ashley where can I find some straight edge round pans
Ashlee
I get mine at a local store. I like Fat Daddio’s http://amzn.to/2zXLgZy
Kerri
Thank you so very much for the tip. I have always refrigerated mine but have had problems with dry cakes. Can’t wait to try this!!!
Ashlee
let me know how it goes!
Carolyn
I bake a lot of cakes and while I wrap them while still warm I’ve never put them in the freezer just merely left them on the counter to cool,sometimes for a whole day,they are always moist.
Nicole
Hi! Will this work with. Cupcakes too? Will the wrappers peel from the cupcakes once thawed?
Alyssa
Please answer Nicole’s question Ashlee I have done this for my carrot cake with great results. I am hoping to bake carrot cupcakes for a bake sale and would like to know how you would freeze them? Will the paper liners be an issue when defrosting?
Ashlee Marie
I don’t freeze cupcakes, they cool too fast for it to be worth it, and unless your going to individually wrap them it doesn’t do a lot of good and yes as they thaw and condense and cause issues with the wrappers
Ashlee Marie
I don’t use this technique for cupcakes
Paulette
Hi Ashlee
how do you deal with ButterCream and Fondant covered cakes in high heat? We live in SA and have summer temps easily into high 30-40 degrees…
I dont like my cakes making little bubbles / cellulite as some call it…
Please advise…
Stavroula
Thanks for the great tips! I’ve freeze mine to make it easier to carve but never knew that it keeps it moist. If I’m using buttercream or cookies and cream filling is it ok to keep it out or should that be refrigerated?
Ashlee
buttercream is totally okay to keep out – not sure what is in your cookie and cream filling so hard to say on that one
Arlene
Hi Ashlee! If I decorated a cake on Saturday with buttercream, is it okay to leave out on the counter and deliver the cake the next Day? Thanks!
Hafiza Dakri
Hi Ashlee, thanks for the tip I am going to try it. I’ve noticed that if I keep my dry cake covered in a dome overnight even while frosted, it’s moist the next morning. Any advice on why this technique works too? Definitely doesn’t help when frosting a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting so i look forward to using your tip in future!
Ashlee
the cake is pulling moister from the frosting, once you cut it that won’t help of course, as the air will get in. and cream cheese frosting doesn’t have that much moisture to pull from, and a carrot cake is more dense, so it can’t pull as much from the frosting. you can also use a simple syrup
Carol
Hi Ashlee, I’m making a 4 tier wedding cake for next weekend. 1-10″ 2 layer… 2-8″ 2 layer(drum) and 1-6″ 2 layer. I’ve never baked and froze any of my cakes, but this is a big wedding and I’m also making 2-1/2 sheet cakes. So, I want to try this process to cut my time. I was thinking of baking all week long, freezing, and then taking them all out on Friday, filling, frosting and stacking the cakes. I have to refrigerate them again because the cake will be too tall to put back in my freezer and and I need to get the buttercream rock hard so that I can paint the entire cake gold. Any helpful tips you can give me would be appreciated ? I’m on facebook Crazy Confections By Carol
Ashlee
personally I don’t ever refrigerate cakes – just my own rule of thumb. and I only paint gold onto fondant – never buttercream. So I’m not very helpful on that front, sorry! esp since once you bring the cake out of the fridge and it comes back to room temp it will condense and could ruin the frosting and paint job.
Shokofe
Hi .i have a problem with butter cream.when i cover my cake or cup cake with butter cream i keep them in fridge but when i want to serve the frosting got tough and dry .please help me ❤
Ashlee
I never refrigerate cakes – it dries them out. once you frost them they are fine on the counter- the frosting will keep the cake moist. ALL bread products can be frozen or room temp but should never be put in the fridge.
Kay
Hi Ashley,
If im stacking a cake do I frost inbetween the layers before freezing or after?
Ashlee
After – you freeze while they are still steaming to trap the steam into the cake – if you wait until it’s cooled there really is no point
Linda
Hey Ashlee
Just wondering if i can freeze a cake that has sour cream in the batter?
Love all your tips!
Ashlee
once it’s baked it just fine to freeze
Jo ann dill
How do you keep the plastic wrap from sticking to the cake once it is thawed? I tried this freezing method , and the cake was very moist; however, the plasticstuck and peeled away a lot of the cake
Ashlee
is it a from scratch cake? or a box mix – box mixed don’t really work well with this technique as they get really gummy – make sure you peel it off when it’s still frozen if that’s the case and that will help.
ARLINE ORR
i AM FREEZING A FROSTED CAKE FOR ONE WEEK. WRAPPING WITH ALUMINUM FOIL AND PLASTIC WRAP.. WILL THIS BE MOIST WHEN REMOVING 1 WEEK LATER
Ashlee
I don’t freeze frosted cakes, just pre frosted – and I wouldn’t use aluminum foil – just plastic wrap – this techniques works best when you wrap a cake when it’s still warm cause it traps the steam into the cake instead of it evaporating. the reason I don’t freeze frosted cakes – is cause when it thaws the condensation will ruin the frosting
jan
Hi i tried this this week, but came across a problem, the cakes went out of shape, bout the were round, so had to bake some more, and use fresh, where did i go wrong? wrapped to hot, to tight??
Ashlee
I wait 10 mins then wrap and I bake VERY dense cakes so they are strong – but yes don’t wrap too tight – you could totally get it out of shape – also make sure your shelf in the freezer is flat
Candace
I’ve been told you have to have a separate freezer for cakes than with normal food. The temp of the hot cake can make the freezer temp rise and can cause bacteria to grow on the other foods. Your thoughts on this? I freeze my crazy banana cake but just to cool it off and I cool it in the pan.
Thanks
Ashlee
I happen to have a separate freezer – I have 3 in total so one is for my baking – but before I got the freezer I still did it this way. I think it depends on how close your cake is to the other foods and how cold and full your freezer are – when I did it before I had the second freezer I always put it on a shelf with a wide berth – and kept my freezer slightly colder than they recommend – but never in the pan – the pan will take a lot longer to cool then the wrapped cake
Lauren
Hi Ashlee, 2 questions-
Will a recipe using boxed cake mix + sour cream and other ingredients freeze well?
I am making two 10″, 3″ deep cakes. Do I freeze as-is or do I cut 1″ layers then individually wrap and freeze 6 layers? If the former, how long to thaw? Thank you!
Ashlee Marie
I freeze while they are warm, don’t cut them but box cake mixes don’t freeze well.
Meghan
Simple, fantastic idea. It solves two problems for me. I sometimes over-bake becauseI have a tiny apartment with a smoke alarm that goes off once the oven door opens. So I sometimes leave things in longer than I should, to avoid having to open the oven door to put things back in. So trapping some moisture in a slightly dried out cake sounds good. (I have mine on the counter now, defrosting.) Also, I’m often short on time and reducing the time I spend waiting on a cake to cool is wonderful. Thanks for sharing!
Suney Diedericks
I removed a cake that I froze 3 weeks ago and it came out perfect. If you don’t know it was frozen you would think its freshly baked. I found that the cake had less crumbs when cut and its still moist. I let is cool before I wrapped it for freezing. Thanks for the great tip.
Patricia Biernat
I live in florida where humidity is an every day occurrence…. i am making a wedding cake and need to frost ahead any recommendations to thicker firmer frosting to hold up in humidity they do not like fondant
Ashlee Marie
make sure it’s inside then. High temp shortening is a must if your going to be outside. make sure your client knows it’s not going to be your classic deliciousness.
Skye
Hi I’m just wandering I have a wedding cake to do and as its 4 tiers plus some sheet cakes it’s going to be a Madiera cake should I freeze it while it’s warm as they say Madieras should sit for 24 hours to rest. Thanks
Ashlee Marie
don’t freeze the sheet cakes – yes you can freeze the cake
Beryl
Have read all your posts and really found them helpful. Wondered why my cakes were rather dry. Will use your tips in future. Can’t wait. Thank you.
Nicki
Will this work for ricotta cake as well?
Ashlee Marie
I havn’t tried it – does it need to be more moist?
Jannie linn
Thank you for all the help!
Emily
Someone asked about whipped cream as icing..I use whipping cream and butter for my buttercream. How long would you keep that at room temp? I used to refrigerate my cakes and have now started keeping them in a cooler room of the house instead if they have to wait.
Ashlee Marie
a small amount of whipping cream in buttermilk isn’t enough to need refrigeration – butter is okay out, I don’t refrigerate buttercream
Campbell Miller
Hi Ashley, I saw you on the HBC and you were incredible! I was wondering if I could do this a couple of days before I am actually putting together my cake. Let’s say I make and wrap the cake on a Thursday and I put my cake together on a Sunday, is that too long, or is it Ok? Thanks so much and let me know.
STEFNEY
Hi Ashlee, thanks for the post. I was wondering,can this method keep sponge cake moist if left in the freezer for a week?
Nicole
Thank you so much for all the advice!! I make my kids birthday cakes and am now making a three tier wedding cake! So nervous, but this post has helped a ton!
June
Can you freeze gluten free cakes and not lose moisture? I make a gf carrot cake that is moist but by day four the texture starts to dry. Hoping freezing would help. Anyone out there with gf experience..
Thanks
Ashlee Marie
once you slice open a cake there isn’t much you can do but wait. Obviously don’t refrigerate either, that makes it dry out even faster.
Lola
I’ve tried this twice now and I love doing it. Thank you for sharing your knowledge! I think dry cake is very sad, especially the morning after you’ve worked so hard to make something moist and delicious. The other reason I enjoy cooling the cake quickly is that I have a toddler who can’t wait to sample the goodies, so the time between leaving the oven and offering her a slice with frosting is not too long. The post is very informative. Lots of the answers to some questions being asked are in there. Great job, Ashlee.
Ashlee
you are so welcome! so glad you enjoyed the tip – and yes, getting to the cake faster is always better 😉
Lisa Wilson
Thank you for this post on freezing cakes. I am making a blueberry wedding cake with fresh blueberries in cake so when I freeze it and then take out to frost the day before can I put in frig because of having blueberries I don’t want cake to spoil, also I live in hot Las Vegas and I don’t want frosting to melt or droop because I’m doing rosettes on one of the layers. Please help.
Ashlee Marie
sometimes you have to refrigerate the cake, it can’t be helped, I just try to avoid it when I can.
Kathy lail
I’m gonna be making a wedding cake in October..wedding is on a Saturday….will it be okay if I bake cakes and freeze them a week before
Ashlee Marie
yup – just don’t freeze once you add fondant to it.
Gretta
I love to read informative comments. You can sometimes get nearly as much information from the comments section as from the original topic. BUT I hate reading the same posts over and over, or questions that want to author to pull answers from the air…you get the point. My question is how do you keep from screaming or answering with “please read the comments before asking questions” or “use some common sense”. Sorry, this is not meant to be “mean” but I have always wondered…especially when I’m reading 200 comments and only about 1/10th are relevant. (I know, so don’t read them, right!!! lol)
Ashlee Marie
ha, it can get frustrating for sure, but getting upset doesn’t do much good
Dora Schubert
Hi Ashlee, we can’t finish off a cake right away, usually the cake is for my husband and me. Should I freeze the leftover cake? Should I slice the cake first and wrap the slices or leftover cake (if sliced big isn’t recommended) in plastic wrap for freezing? Till now I’ve always fridges my cakes. Appreciate any tips you have! Thank you.
Ashlee Marie
100% cut into wedges that you’ll want to thaw and enjoy for a day or two, and wrap in plastic then foil
Ashwini
Hi…. don’t know what went wrong always…. I fill the layers / frost my spongy, soft and moist cake with butter cream / heavy whipping cream and after keeping it in fridge for a while when I want to serve it, have noticed that the cake becomes tough and dry….. can u please help me with the reason n solution…… Thanks !!
Ashlee Marie
refrigerators dry out baked goods, I almost never refrigerate cakes. buttercream doesn’t need to be refrigerated, but of course whipped cream would need to. but yeah, a refrigerator will make the cake tough and dry.
Pat V.
I ALWAYS freeze my cakes for at least one night before thawing and frosting. And I even let them cool all the way, they are still moist when they thaw out. It makes the world of difference, I get many compliments for their moistness.
Lorrie
HI have you ever frozen an Italian Cream Cake.
Ashlee Marie
yup! worked just fine.
Chalotte
Hi Ashlee! I am making a wedding cake and freezing it per your specifications. I am frosting with cream cheese frosting the night before. I think I read not to put it in a dome or you will have moisture problems. What do you suggest? I have cats and was going to put the cake in a large box for stacked cake. What do you suggest?
Ashlee Marie
cream cheese frosting need to be refrigerated, or frozen, so that will protect it from the cat.
Lierin
I have been doing the freezing for a few cakes now and love. I am making a cake for a bday and have to be in transit for 45 min to an hour…it it SUPER hot in Arizona right now…115! Any tips on how to keep it looking good? When I have parties at the park and hot I have been putting them in fridge, but hoping you have other suggestions!
Ashlee Marie
any way you can frost the cake fresh when you arrive? driving with cakes that long in AZ is not a great option. fondant is the best choice, I wouldn’t do buttercream at those temps, not without a refrigerator car
Katrina Laughlin
I have a wedding this weekend, so i have and still am making the cakes during the week, My question is should i take the cakes out of the freezer and ice (using buttercream icing) them on Saturday morning (wedding is at 5 that evening) or should i do it friday night? So confused lol on which is better cause i want them to be amazing.
Ashlee Marie
the time is so close it really wont matter, friday night or saturday morning is both fine
Winifred
Hi Ashley,my sister’s wedding is coming up in September can I bake and freeze the cake a week before the wedding? And please when I cover it with fondant won’t it melt the fondant.
Ashlee Marie
you can freeze the cake after frosting but make sure you thaw it completely, and wipe off any condensation before adding the fondant.
Mary
Hi. I’m make cake for 140 ppl for outside event. I will set up cake table about 1 hr before eating.
I usually ice with buttercream which is yummy. I’m afraid it may fail outside so I tried 1/2 butter 1/2 Crisco shortening. I don’t like the taste. It tastes flat and greasy. Any suggestions for icing for outdoors please?
Ashlee Marie
high temp shortening salt to cut the grease and lots of butter emulsion for flavor. Or serve the cake indoors if possible. It sucks. Outdoor weddings is why they invented fondant – it doesn’t melt.
Tiffany
Do you have to let it thaw before decorating and how long does it take. This will be my first time to Do the freezing process for my daughter’s birthday cake
Ashlee
I leave it frozen if I’m carving it, and it thaws as I carve. But for a normal cake yes I leave it in the plastic wrap and let it thaw for an hour or so (leaving it in the plastic so that any condensation doesn’t get into the cake). then level, fill and frost.
Caroline
Hi Ashlee,
I’m making blueberry and plum cakes. Does the freezing effect the bits of fruit in the cake?
Ashlee
I’m not much of a fruit person so I don’t bake with fruit in my cakes, so honestly haven’t tried it! I would ASSUME it would work just fine, but I’d hate to promise it would work and have it get messed up!
Yvette
I am making my niece’s 15th birthday party cake… Ok so I think I got it down?? I am decorating it with fondant BTW. So freeze cake THEN crumb coat? Or do I let it COOL, level it (except the dome), packaged it well, freeze the layers individually, THEN crumb coat and apply Fondant? I am SO confused!!!
Ashlee
I wrap it then freeze it while it’s warm to seal in the steam, no point in freezing it once the steam is all gone – you’ve let the moisture all leave at that point. then I let it thaw completely in the plastic, unwrap it and level it, frost it then cover in fondant
Rozz
Hi Ashlee, My daughter is insisting on making her own wedding cake. She plans to make a 6 layered carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. She’s planning on baking and freezing the cakes a few days before the wedding and adding the cream cheese frosting the day before the wedding. My question to you is will the creamcheese frosting be ok ,if she doesn’t put the cake in the fridge or will it go off? Thanks so much for all this great advice so far.
Ashlee
She’d def want to refrigerate any cake with cream cheese frosting. There is a reason cake decorators use shortening based frosting or fondant – they don’t need to be refrigerated.
Lori
Ashley, thanks for the tips. I was asked to make a wedding cake for my nephew. And was given a recipe for a white cake that called for buttermilk. I was out of milk and could not make my own, in a pinch the only milk like substance in my fridge was vanilla liquid coffee creamer. Once the cake was done and taken out to cool it fell in the center. I was heart broken…never had a cake fall. Crazy thing taste wise was the best cake we have had in a long time. Any suggestion on how to keep it from falling and still use the creamer?
Ashlee
Buttermilk is more acidic so if you aren’t using it you need to balance the acid in the recipe in another way. Like decreasing the baking soda.
Linda Chattein
Hi I have just found your page and I have frozen my cakes, but they appear wet when I have defrosted them and one recipient said it was soggy. I thawed them properly and filled with buttercream, then fondant on the top, what did I do wrong?
Ashlee
Hmmmm, that’s odd, I’ve never had that happen. What kind of cake, at what point do you freeze them and do you leave them in plastic when defrosting so the condensation doesn’t get to the cakes? Do you use a simple syrup after – I almost never bother since my cakes are already so moist. And they are totally thawed before frosting, right?
nisha
U r an expert in cake decorating? So glad to meet u here. Please advise the right ingredient and measurement for buttercream to make roses or other flower designs.
Ashlee
I’m self taught so lots of trial and error. any buttercream recipe will work – it’s about getting the right thickness of the frosting, for frosting in buttercream you need it thinner and more spreadable, but for roses you want it to be thicker. of course only american buttercream has thick/med/thin – the meringue buttercreams, swiss and italian, are only in one thickness – both spreading and roses – but it’s a little trickier to make so most people start with american since it’s so easy
Ej
Hi Ashlee. I want to make a chocolate chiffone cake for my daughter and my son’s birthday this coming Dec 17. But my plan is i ‘ ll make the cake 4days before Dec 17. So i want to try to freeze my cake then thaw dec 16 afternoon then put filling swiss merigue buttercream and frosting also a swiss meringue buttercream. After that can i put in the refrigerate?
Ashlee Marie
I never refrigerate baked goods. Buttercream is fine on the counter
Liz E Villafane
This is a great idea! I will try it next time and bake a week ahead, to avoid all the stress of baking and decorating. I love decorate, but I really hate to bake. I will be happy to work in a bakery just decorating…🤣🤣🤣
Ashlee Marie
I don’t mind the baking but it is a lot of repetitive busy work, I wish I had a baker to do the baking, and someone to make the frosting – I would love to just do the decorating.
May
Hi! I made a cake for an event recently and some people said it was a tad dry. The cakes I make are typically moist, so I really want to try the freezing technique to make sure it stays moist. For this cake I frost the cake with buttercream. Should I refrigerate it at all, or will the frosting keep the moisture in? (I’m delivering the cake the day after I make it, and my customer is giving it away the following day as a gift.)
Ashlee Marie
never refrigerate a cake unless you have to (mousse, custard, curd, whipping cream) the frosting will hold the moisture in.
Shiloh Kennedy
Hi!
I am been freezing my cakes like this for years. I always get a ton of compliments on them! Can you tell me what is the best way to freeze cupcakes? Can I do so after frosting (i make a buttercream)? And if not… can I wrap them in saran on trays or does each one need to be wrapped to keep out any air? I am making about 150 wedding cupcakes. Plus..is it okay to use one of those standup freezers? I always worry whether or not it is too cold. Thanks so much!
Ashlee Marie
i would never freeze then in the cake pans or in the cupcake trays. I don’t bother with cupcakes, but yes if you wanted to individually wrapping would be the best options. and yes standing freezers are great.
Amanda
I make the thin layer chocolate cakes. I wrap and freeze my thin layers when I take them out of the oven. I usually let them thaw completely before icing them. I cook my icing and let the sugars melt. Recently, I had a cake where the icing crystallized after it set. Any idea why? Is it because the layers were cold? I can’t figure it out. My icing is always thin and creamy.
Ashlee Marie
As long as the cakes are thawed they won’t effect the frosting – maybe it was something else, maybe some crystallized sugar got mixed in when you were cooking the icing?
Lynne Jarvis
I’m going to make my Wedding cake, 4 tiers, no pillars , it will be bottom square. Then round. Then square and top round pleasing both of us, I hope!
Am curious about the deeper pans that are about the depth of 2 pans, have never used them, any suggestions or should I stick with the regular pans I’m used to as I’m not sure about the baking time or not getting them done? I am hoping to transport assembled with dowels. No fancy decor silk flowers. Appreciate your advice!😀
Ashlee Marie
taller cakes use lower temps and longer cook time there isn’t a specific rule to figure out the changes – just checking on the cake
Donna
Should I still brush simple syrup on my cakes if I freeze them, or do you think freezing is enough? Also, do you put your cake in the fridge after doing a crumb coat? Thanks in advance.
Ashlee Marie
I never do, but you can! it won’t hurt. I don’t usually bother with a crumb coat, if I do I toss it in the freezer for 10 mins.
Greta
Hi Ashlee,
I’m wondering about Angel Food. I’ve always heard you should leave it in the pan to cool completely. Is it safe to try removing it while still warm, in order to freeze it? I’m hoping to bake it a day in advance of the party where it’s being served. Thanks!
Ashlee Marie
Def don’t do this for angle cake – it’s a totally different dessert
Kari
If you frost and decorate a cake the day before can you leave it out overnight and should it be covered?
Ashlee Marie
it depends on the frosting and filling. Like a whipped cream frosting obviously it needs to be refrigerated. most of the time the frosting keeps the cake moist and can be left out uncovered, once you cut into the cake THEN you add plastic wrap to keep the cake itself from drying out but the frosting is usually good.
Nebun Dori
Hi Ashlee I only started to bake cakes, freezing a cake, does this mean in the deep freezer?
Ashlee Marie
I use a full sized standing freezer, not a chest freezer, but it doesn’t really matter – just whatever freezer you have, the type doesn’t really matter.
Darlene
How can I do this with cupcakes? Do I have to wrap them each separate?
Ashlee Marie
yeah it doesn’t work with cupcakes very well. Individually wrapping them is the best option for sure
Tammie
I will never decorate a cake again without freezing it first. Unbelievably moist!
Ashlee Marie
so glad you liked the technique
Regina
Hi Ashlee,
Do you wrap and freeze the cake in the pan or do you let it cool before taking it out of the pan then wrap and freeze? I read that if you take it out of the pan when it’s still warm the cake will collapse. Please advise.
Ashlee Marie
take it out of the pan to wrap and freeze, and it will only collapse if it’s under baked