I really want to try this. I have one question though. Do you have to frost it frozen? If not, do you unwrap it and let it come to room temp. I'm a slow "froster" and was worried abou the cake sweating while frosting it And thanks for sharing this tip!

I thaw mine, still wrapped, in the refrigerator for 24 hrs - then frost while it's cold.

Thanks for sharing!

I frost mine partially frozen. They are easier to level still slightly frozen. I never have a problem with icing them in this state either, but I have heard of others that do. It could be a difference in the icing being used. My bc recipe is a meringue based bc with butter and shortening.

I wouldnt be as scared of the creepy crawling bacteria as Iam of the serious toxins that are released when plastic is heated! Perhaps I will try this method with foil...

That is usually attributed to microwave use and certain plastics.

I LOVE this cake method, best cakes ever!!!!! Try it, it works for me, and everyone loves the cakes.

This is a great tip and I do this but my concern is this, if the cake is just out of the oven and you do the plastic wrap, with all the concerns with plastic leeching I might want to wait until the cake is warm but no fresh out of the oven. Just a precaution because they say not to microwave with plastic wrap because it causes the plastic to leech into the food breaking down the chemicals with the steam. Sorry to be a pooper her guys. I again love the wrap in plastic and then freezing the cakes . I am not bashing anyone here, just wanted to say what I have heard about HOT items and plastic.

Hi a little more inforamation regarding the plastic

I called the GLAD 800 835-4523 and spoke with a customer service rep who was very friendly.

According to him Press and Seal it is a #4 plastic called Polyethelene. It is not recyclable (spelling?). According to him it would not leach out toxins.

He recommends for the use of freezing to use the Press and Seal Freezer which would do a better job in regards protecting against freezer burn.

He said they are currently working on creating a recyclable Press and Seal.



Hope this helps.

Press & Seal wrap will not be effected by the heat, But regular plastic wraps can melt from the heat...USE PRESS N'SEAL from Glad!

Or you can buy the heavy duty food wrap from Sam's - it doesn't melt from the heat of the cakes, and you can get 3000 ft for around $11 bucks.

This may be a silly question but I'm going to ask anyway.

Does his method work for any type of scratch cake? Being a butter cake or using whipped egg whites? I am just asking because I remember reading that someone made a butter cake and it did not freeze well, but that was just one person.

I have no clue how this method will react to this. I do know that I have done it with a box mix butter cake and all butter cakes are heavy and have a gritty texture, the freezing made it more moist but not to the level a non-butter cake will hold the moisture.

I add pudding mix to my cake mix to make it extra moist and dense. If i also used the freeze method would it break apart when i try to ice it.

Also I was always told to not frost frozen cake because it will crack is this a myth?

That is why you line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. It won't crack or break if you have the parchment in place. Re read the original post to learn how to do it correctly. I have been using this method for about 20 years and once Press N seal came on the scene it has worked even better!

I'm so confused.

Advice can get downright contradictory. I'm not questioning cakesdivine's proven 20 year old technique, but I remember reading (on another CC thread) that steam trapped in a cake was a bad thing!

Their advice said to flip the cakes from the pan no more than 3 minutes after the pans come out of the oven and allow the cakes to cool on a rack. They said if you leave the cakes in the pan as it cools, steam will get trapped and cause the cakes to get soggy and mushy.

Cakesdivine, is "freezing" the key difference? The steam gets frozen before it has a chance to make the cake soggy?

This sounds like a question for Alton Brown!!

Thanks so much Cakesdivine for posting the detailed instructions! I can't wait to try it

I honestly don't understand how anyone can think that a blazing hot a$$ cake that you can't even touch with your fingers, that is say about 250 to 300 degrees, placed in wrap and put immediately into a subzero environment is going to get germy. Excuse my elementary vocabulary on the subject, but it just doesn't make sense.

You took the words right out of my mouth jamie...LOL!

OOps double post...

But to answer the mushy soggy cake issue. The reason leaving in pan causes that is because the trapped moister remains totally trapped on the sides and bottom, while the top moisture escapes. But with the wrap freeze method the steam is equally distributed and you unwrap the cake and let it defrost out of the wrap thus allowing the excess moisture to evaporate. The cake will be extremely moist but shouldn't be soggy as if someone poured a liquid on it. The cake will require a really good support system if being tiered and does not fair as well on 3D cakes. If I have a 3D cake I carve it semi-frozen and crumb coat. Allow it to fully defrost and settle before placing it back in the fridge then cover with the fondant or second BC layer is applied.

Thank you Cakesdivine for your awesome tips and information! I'm about to bake a cake right now and I don't have any 'press & seal' handy...is there an alternative to that? I do have heavy duty foil and regular suran wrap?? please help I really do want to try you method but don't have time to run to the store this very moment...

Thank you again!!

I just now saw this so I have no idea if I got to you in time. Foil or other plastic wraps can be used, however they are problematic. Foil isn't the best sealer and can misshape the warm cake. Plastic wrap can melt from the heat or shrink in the freezing process causing mishaping of the cake as well. It is a crap shoot trying anything other than PressN Seal but before it's invention I too used regular plastic wrap, but can't remember the brand I used that didn't shrink. I think it was Glad wrap as well.

I've been having a problem with my cakes lacking moistness. I'm definitely going to try this one! Thanks Cakesdivine!

my wilton instructor gave the exact same method of freezing cakes in plastic wrap, hot! right out of the oven. Works for me.

I have been using this method for about the past year (Ha the time I started baking seriously) I swear by it 100%. I am a completly scratch baker and freeze each and everyone, butter, merigue floded in, chocolate, you name i bake and freeze. I have never had a dry cake (with the help of my other baking tip)

To answer the plastic concern, they now make a microwavable safe saran wrap that wont leach the bad stuff.

My cakes never fall apart (except one chocolate but its ober moist and takes a bit a pratice!)

I freeze defrosted I hate torting a frozen cake...

I like to torte my cakes and fill, how do you do that, when they are still frozen?