I apologize for asking if this has been answered in another thread, but I couldn't find it by searching.

I've never frozen my cakes before, but having a "spare" in the freezer sure would have come in handy yesterday when my freshly baked cake would NOT behave itself and I didn't have time to bake another one! It would also make it possible to fill those last-minute orders that I have to turn down now. So my questions are:

1. Do you cool the cake before freezing, or freeze right out of the oven?
2. Wrap in wax paper, parchment, or Saran Wrap? Then place it in a freezer bag?
3. What's the maximum time you can freeze a cake?
4. Approximately how long does it take for a cake to thaw before you can start decorating it? Should it be completely thaw...somewhat thaw...still frozen? (I assume a 14x2" cake would thaw in the same time that a 6x2" cake would, since they're both the same thickness?)
5. Can you thaw it in the microwave, say at 50% power, to speed up the thawing process?
6. Do you leave the cake completely sealed while thawing or unwrap it?
And most importantly...
7. Is the cake truly as moist after freezing as it is freshly baked? Does it have any hint of a "frozen" taste?

Thanks so much!!

Yes, you can freeze cakes. They freeze really well right out of the oven. That way the steam remains in the cake for moisture.
Wrap them in saran wrap very well.
If you are going to freeze them for a month or so then make sure you wrap them well.
I keep cake balls in the freezer all the time. That way when I need something for donation I have it ready.
Freezing cakes is a great idea and good for a back up as you needed.
Yes, the cakes are very moist and do not taste like they have been frozen.
They thaw pretty fast. Cakes have a lot of fat in them. I would not recommend the microwave. That would make the cake stale and loose some of the moisture.
In order to avoid condensation thaw in the fridge first. You can also freeze partially decorated cakes too. I froze my class final which was a 4 tier wedding cake and used it for a friend's wedding cake a month later. I froze it stacked even in a big freezer and it was fantastic. So I killed two birds with one stone.
I leave the cakes sealed while they thaw. I don't expose them to air for any length of time in order to keep them fresh tasting.
I think I have answered all of your questions. If not just post again.
good luck Claire

1. I freeze right out of the oven.
2. I freeze in saran
3. the most I will freeze for is 3 weeks, though many people will longer
4. have no clue? maybe 30 minutes? people like to torte on a semi frozen cake
5. I dont think it would be needed they really do thaw fast, or you can do it frozen
6. i leave it sealed until im torting
7. SUPER SUPER Moist! If you wrap well there wil be no frozen taste

people rav over how moist my cakes are and i frezze each and everyone, even if im making it that day... hth