My staff and I’ve frozen our fair proportion of desserts and have made sufficient errors to know what actually works. Let’s be taught freeze desserts in order that they style the freshest and that you simply’re the one one who is aware of the cake was beforehand frozen!
I initially printed this tutorial in 2019 and have since added new images, a video tutorial, and extra success ideas.
Making desserts upfront and freezing them is an effective way to get forward and have much less to do on the day of a celebration or celebration. At the moment I’m sharing my tried and true methodology for freezing desserts.
I’ve tried many methods through the years, and the best way I’m exhibiting you at the moment is the easiest way to make sure the cake tastes recent and scrumptious after freezing and thawing. Earlier than we get into the nitty-gritty, let me let you know…
My #1 Tip for Freezing Desserts
My number-one tip for the best-tasting outcomes is to freeze the cake layers earlier than frosting, and make the frosting recent the day you intend to assemble and serve the cake.
You can freeze a cake with frosting, however the texture is simply by no means fairly the identical after thawing. Plus, a very adorned cake will contract and increase in the course of the freezing/thawing course of, ruining a few of your onerous work. That’s why I like to recommend freezing the cake by itself, after which making frosting (recent frosting actually does style greatest!) and assembling the cake after it’s been thawed.
That stated, it’s wonderful to freeze leftover frosted cake. It’s simply left over and doesn’t have to impress anybody! And clearly, ice cream cake is an exception to this rule as effectively.
How you can Freeze Desserts
First, right here’s a full video tutorial so you’ll be able to perceive the tactic:
The cake pictured right here is my vanilla cake, however you can too freeze one thing with add-ins, reminiscent of carrot cake, or this darkish chocolate peanut butter cake (which has chocolate chips within the cake batter).
STEP 1: Bake and funky your cake(s). It’s vital to verify the desserts are utterly cool earlier than you wrap them to freeze. In any other case, the steam from the cooling cake will condense on the within of the wrapping, leaving you with a really soggy cake after thawing. Let’s keep away from that!
In case you’re making a layer cake and the layers require leveling, degree them off now earlier than you freeze them. (Study extra about degree desserts on this tutorial on How you can Assemble a Layer Cake.)
STEP 2: Wrap every cake layer individually in a layer of plastic wrap. I like to make use of Glad Press & Seal to wrap desserts for freezing. I’m not working with this model, however that is actually the perfect product I’ve tried for wrapping desserts.
STEP 3: Write the kind of cake and use-by date on a big piece of aluminum foil. For greatest style and texture, don’t freeze desserts for longer than 3 months. You can stretch it to 4 or 5 months, however the sooner you serve it, the more energizing it tastes. I write on the aluminum foil earlier than wrapping the cake simply in case the ink seeps via. (It has earlier than!)
STEP 4: Wrap every cake layer in a layer of aluminum foil.
The double layer of wrapping is vital to preserving taste and texture.
The primary layer retains the cake tight and recent and the aluminum foil ensures no condensation will seep in. That is additionally how I wrap banana bread and different fast breads, too. Double layer = most freshness and no freezer burn.
You may place your labeled, double-wrapped desserts within the freezer now, however for even extra safety, place them inside an hermetic freezer-safe container.
STEP 5: Place the cake(s) in a freezer-safe container. Or in case you don’t have a large enough container, wrap in one other layer of aluminum foil. After all be certain that the foil with the date on it’s what’s on the surface.
Be happy to stack the individually wrapped cake layers on prime of each other if that works greatest to your freezer area:
STEP 6: Freeze for as much as 3 months. Once more, I like to recommend writing the “use by” date on prime of the foil, 3 months from now.
Keep in mind, the earlier you thaw and benefit from the cake, the more energizing it would style.
You should utilize this similar freezing methodology for spherical or sheet desserts, any measurement or form. Bundt desserts and loaf desserts, too! For cheesecake directions, see “How you can Freeze Cheesecake” in my basic cheesecake recipe.
How you can Thaw Frozen Cake
To thaw the desserts, switch them from the freezer to the fridge a day upfront to provide them time to thaw. Or you’ll be able to thaw them at room temperature for a number of hours.
Both means, depart them of their wrappings to thaw, to forestall condensation from forming and making the desserts soggy.
The period of time it takes to thaw relies on the scale of your cake, however you’ll want to permit at the least 8 hours to thaw within the fridge.
As soon as they’ve thawed, you’ll be able to merely unwrap the layers and proceed together with your cake recipe‘s instructions for frosting, assembling, and adorning.
For greatest style and texture, don’t freeze desserts for longer than 3 months. You can stretch it to 4 or 5 months, however the sooner you serve it, the more energizing it tastes.
You may freeze nearly any cake after they’ve cooled utterly. Mega-flavorful desserts reminiscent of banana cake, chocolate cake, carrot cake, and pumpkin cake freeze and thaw fantastically when wrapped in a pair layers, as detailed above. I discover their taste is even higher after the freezing/thawing course of! Bundt desserts and pound cake freeze splendidly as effectively, simply be certain that they’re utterly cooled and wrapped tightly earlier than freezing.
Delicate desserts like angel meals cake, vertical cake, and pavlova don’t maintain up effectively within the freezer as a result of their texture tends to endure. It’s greatest to get pleasure from these recent.
The period of time it takes to thaw relies on the scale of your cake, however you’ll want to permit at the least 8 hours to thaw within the fridge. Or you’ll be able to thaw cake at room temperature for a number of hours.
How about cookies? See my publish on How you can Freeze Cookie Dough for extra. Since you ought to ALWAYS have chocolate chip cookies on the prepared 🙂
Description
Use this video tutorial and step-by-step information to freeze your desserts so that they style as recent as doable.
- Bake and utterly cool a cake/cake layers. These step-by-step images present spherical desserts, however you’ll be able to freeze sq., rectangle, Bundt desserts, and so forth. See my 10 greatest Cake Baking Ideas for greatest practices on baking and cooling desserts.
- As soon as the cake(s) cools utterly, wrap it in Press & Seal. That is the perfect product for wrapping desserts. Skinny plastic/saran wrap is extremely clingy and irritating. Common plastic wrap positively works, however Press & Seal is a lot simpler to make use of and I’ve actually discovered that it retains my meals more energizing. (Not working with this model, simply actually find it irresistible.)
- Write the kind of cake and use-by date on a big piece of aluminum foil. I write on the aluminum foil earlier than wrapping the cake simply in case the ink seeps via. It has earlier than!
- Wrap the cake within the aluminum foil.
- Place the cake(s) in a freezer-safe container. Or in case you don’t have a large enough container, wrap in one other layer of aluminum foil. (Make sure that the foil with the date on it’s what’s on the surface.)
- Freeze for as much as 3 months. For greatest style and texture, don’t freeze desserts for longer than 3 months. You can stretch it to 4 or 5 months, however the sooner you serve it, the more energizing it tastes.
- When able to thaw: Switch the wrapped desserts from the freezer to the fridge someday earlier than adorning/serving. Take them out of the freezer container to thaw, however depart them wrapped in Press & Seal/aluminum foil. The desserts take at the least 8 hours to thaw utterly within the fridge. Ensure you’re thawing the desserts whereas they’re nonetheless within the wrapping. Condensation types as meals thaw. This manner the condensation will kind on the wrapping, not the cake.
- Assemble, beautify, and serve cake.
Notes
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Press & Seal | Aluminum Foil | Freezer-Secure Container
- Don’t Freeze Adorned Cake: For greatest style and texture, assemble and beautify the cake as near serving as doable. A very adorned cake will contract and increase in the course of the freezing/thawing course of, ruining a few of your onerous work. You may make the frosting forward of time and refrigerate it for 1 day, however recent frosting actually does style greatest.
