I'll have to try this with a small fondant cake. I would love to be able to freeze fully decorated fondant cakes.

As for the cake boards, they do lose a little of their strength in the freezer. I usually line my board with parchment and switch cake boards once I remove the cake from the freezer.

I use foam core boards and have never had a problem.

Do you let your cakes cool completely before you wrap and freeze?

I do let my cakes cool completely before wrapping and freezing.

I typically level and cut my tortes prior to freezing. I find it easier to get started on the decorating that way.

Wow this thread has been SO informative and I am definitely going to freeze my cakes from now on but I just have one question. When you take the cakes out to defrost do you unwrap them and then let them set out to defrost or do you defrost them and then unwrap them? Also, about howlong does it take for them to thaw? Do you just set them out on the counter or in the fridge? Sorry for all the questions, I just want to make sure I do it right! Thanks all!

Here's what I do:

Bake at least the day before you're going to decorate, and up to 2 weeks (or longer) ahead. Cool completely and double wrap (on boards) with Press-Seal saran wrap. Label outside of saran with flavor or bride's name. Freeze overnight or at least until very firm.

Morning of decorating: Pull all layers and put on counter to thaw, wrapped, while I make fillings and frostings. By the time I have them made, I can torte the smallest layers, fill, crumb coat, and chill, and work my way up to the largest layers.

I use logicpic boards, so I toss the cardboard cake circles that were in the freezer. For a big cake with various flavors, I'll usually bake Wed, freeze overnight, fill and crumb coat Thurs, decorate Friday (small cakes I'll do the whole thing Fri, but I prefer to have lots of time), and deliver Sat. Fridge in between.

Definitely frozen is good--I too am always amazed at the bakers who advertise "always fresh, never frozen." Big whoop. I've never had anyone get a cake from me that WASN'T frozen at least overnight, and usually the response is "OMG, that was the best cake we've ever eaten!!" so by all means, freeze with pride. Maybe we can break that "fresh only" stigma.

Besides, have you ever tried to torte and frost a just-baked, fluffy, crumb-y cake? no thanks

If you have several cakes to do what is the longest time you would feel comfortable in freezing a cake.

I typically will freeze a cake up to 4 weeks prior to the event. Since I work at FT office job, I'll pull my cakes out of the freezer before work in the morning (still wrapped in plastic wrap), and they are completely thawed by the time I get home. The 9 hours allows the cake to thaw, as well as the condensation on the outside of the plastic wrap to evaporate. It works very well for me.

I am really surprised that everyone lets their cakes thaw before icing!
I love to ice the frozen cake. it is so much easier to get the really smooth finish and the crumbs are a non issue. Yes, the cakes will sweat a little as they thaw out, but as long as you don't mess with them, they have always been fine and no bleeding. I do usually put the iced (still frozen , mostly) cakes in the fridge for a while to cut down on the condensation, but really...no problems. I don't always have room in the fridge, so sometimes they just sit on the table.
Does anyone else ice frozen cakes?

I had an order canceled when the cake was already iced completely! I put this cake in the freezer, not sure what to do with it (It was a 2 tier square).Two days later someone ordered a cake and I used this iced one. I just thawed and put the Royal Icing flowers they requested on the cake. Since people I know were the ones eating the cake, I got tons of compliments on it! Who knew! Makes me tempted to have some pre-iced cakes in the fridge for last minute orders!

I freeze mine. If I have a ton of orders I don't want a bunch of baked cakes getting stale on me. I also tend to say it makes the cakes A LOT moister (sp?? LOL)

My cakes are frozen before they go on boards...also I wrap in a very tight plastic wrap then stick them in a HUGE ziploc bag (if they are big cakes)

You all are awesome!
I have a wedding this Saturday,deliver at 4pm , so what do you suggest to do?
I have a dummy ( except for the top tier) already decorated, so the rest will be a series of sheet cakes.
It is for 200 people, but I like to give generous portions...How big do you suggest?
I was thinking to bake Wednesday, than what?
I can freeze them , but when is better to thaw ?
When to level?
The filling is a simple buttercream, when do I have to ice and decorate?
How to store the finished cakes? Can they be outside the fridge? Where?

Thank you for your help!

I have a big commerical freezer that I just use for cakes. I also bake up to a week before hand. I double wrap mine in commerical plastic wrap. Never used foil, never needed it, but then again, there are no other foods in the freezer, so it doesnt have other odors to get to it. I used to think a week was max, till I had a huge amount of tastings to do and I had these 2 8 inch yellow cakes in the back of the freezer that I had baked, then the order was changed to another flavor. They were in there a good month. I pulled them out and actually used them for a tasting and nobody noticed the difference! I agree, Freezing is the only way to go..not only does it keep things moist, but you can plan your orders so much better!! I dedicated entire days to just baking, and nothing else.

I do recommend you have a good theometer in your freezer. I read on here somewhere that some people wrap them right out of the oven. I do wrap them slightly warm, as I think it keeps them fresher, but I have never been brave enough to wrap them right out of the oven.

Good luck with your new shop! I wanna see pics too!

This is such a great thread! I also bake, torte, and freeze the layers separatly beforehand. I too, like tmassey5, like to fill and ice before they thaw. It's much easier I think with the crumbs.

So, here's a question for y'all. Do you think it is possible to fill a cake with a mousse filling, ice and then freeze? Since the filling has whipped cream in it I'm a little sceptical to freezing. Has anyone done that? If so, did it taste good? I would love to have filled, iced cakes in the freezer ready to just take out and decorate, but since mousse filling is the only thing people want here, I just don't know if it can be done...

If you don't have enough room in the freezer, can you wrap the cakes tightly in saran wrap an put them in the fridge for 3 days max?

What if you do not have enough space to let the cakes ( filled and crumbcoated with buttercream)sit overnight in the fridge?

This is a great thread. I am learning soooooo much. I started freezing my cakes a few months ago. I cool & level them, wrap them in plastic and then double wrap in foil. I thaw them out on the counter in the morning and when I come back from work, they are ready to fill and ice.
Since I have a full time job, it makes it so much easier to freeze in advance.
I made a cake this sunday and gave it to the customer. It has to be served next Monday. so after reading this thread, I told her to double foil it and put it in the freezer. I didn't know that you can freeze fondant covered cakes. She will take out the cake the night before it is being served and defrost it in her frige.
Thank you guys for that tip.

Maywest,
I also live in Florida. The heat here is unbearable. To answer your question, I have wraped cakes before and left them in the fridge. The logic behin that is, when you buy a cake in the grocery store and leave it in the fridge, it's still good after several days. And G-d only knows how long it's been on their shelves.

I found this thread and I hope one of you can answer this question.  once the cake is thawed and decorated can it sit on the counter 2 days?  shelf stable frosting.

@luvbn_mrs_coates ‍  The cake will be just fine on the counter for 2 days....just know that any leftover cake would have a shortened shelf-life then.  IF there is any left :)

Wellll.......depends on how hot/humid your kitchen is, but in general yes, it will be fine.   And as 640 said, it does shorten the shelf-like of any leftovers. 

Ok great!  Thank you so much!  I tried starting my own thread but no one has commented.  

I am crumb coating and leveling now.  Then they'll go in the freezer until Thursday.  Thursday I will take them out to thaw then decorate.  

Plan to leave unrefridgerated until Saturday.

good luck! all my best wishes