I need to pre-bake the cakes tonight for a wedding cake for Saturday. Do I need to go ahead and dirty ice the cakes before I freeze them? Also, if I freeze them and then pull them out to decorate do I need to let them completely thaw so I do not acrue condensation on the cake? I am then going to pour chocolate ganache over the top of each tier. Will having the cake cold help with that? Sorry so many questions. I am so confused! Thanks!

If you baked them tonight, there is no need to put them in the freezer. That's just three days until they will be eaten.

TexasSugar, will freezing them help to make dirty icing them easier? I have heard that before but I have never frozen a cake. I have such a hard time with cake crumbs in the icing...

I don't have enough freezer room to freeze cakes, so I never do it.

What is the recipe you are using for your icing? Have you tried the cake icer tip?

I am planning on IndyDeb's crusting bc recipe. I have no clue what cake icer is. I am still very new! Kind of learning as I go! LOL

Jenn- yes I freeze my cakes alot of times even if for only one night. I have found that it does make it easier to to put the crumb coat on. I haven't tried it with the ganache (frozen cake) yet, but I don't think it would make a difference. I try to let my cakes thaw in the fridge, still in the saran wrap and baggie (or whatever you will be putting the cakes in) and I've not had any issues with condensation. HTH!!

http://www.wilton.com/decorating/icing/using-decorating-tip-789.cfm

This tip allows you to put a far amount of icing on the cake, so that when you use the spatula to smooth it, it never touches the crumbs.

You also want to make sure you are using a soft creamy icing when icing the cake. Too thick and it will pull up crumbs or not want to stick to the cake. And when using a spatula to ice the cake, work the spatula in one direction. Back and forth movements can cause crumbs to be picked up into the icing.

Thank you so much! I bet I have been making my icing too thick AND spreading it too thin! It makes complete sense to me now! THANK YOU!!!

Glad I could help.

I would not try to pour ganache on a frozen cake. It will cause the chocolate to set up so fast that you will have no time to work with it and will end up with a lumpy coating.

Good point. Thank you!!!