Hey all! New here.

I am making a birthday cake for my mother and am going to start baking the layers tomorrow. 5 Layers total.

I understand refridgeration is bad, and freezing is best to store for long term use, however...

I will be making the cakes Wednesday, but will not be building the cake until Friday. Would it be better to leave the cakes out at room temp, or freeze them for a day and thaw them Thursday night?

Any tips for how to store them either way?

Thanks!

I always try to get the layers into the freezer, if only for one night. It really helps. 5 layers? All in one tier?

Leah, I have the same question. I usually wrap my cakes in layers of saran wrap and put in the fridge, but have wondered about freezing. If you freeze, I am assuming you wrap in layers of saran wrap, but how long before you want to use them do you take them out and do you leave them on the counter or in the fridge? Thanks for you help.

So even if it's only frozen for a day it's better to freeze then leave at room temp for 3 days? I have never frozen a cake before and this is a special cake so want to be sure I do this right!


It will be a 2 tier topsy-turvy cake with a 3 layer chocolate bottom tier and 2 layer vanilla top tier. Covered in fondant.

I am with Leah--I always try to freeze my cake layers even if only overnight. I would not leave on the counter for three days. I know the refrigerator dries out the cake, but, IMO, leaving it on the counter for three days will dry it out also.

my ultimate favorite to store baked cake layers in is tupperware pie storage they are round hold up to a 12 in cake layer, and if I put wax paper between them I can store two 2 in tiers in each one with wax paper between them and wax paper on the bottom and on top * which keeps the cake from sticking to the lid or bottom, If I am baking I bake one day before I decorate. I bake on Friday, decorate Saturday and deliver for them to serve on Sunday. I bake on friday , store overnight in the pie carriers, room temp * but a cool room ** These stack very nicely and I can put them in the fridge or the freezer if needed. **these are expensive but I have found some at garage sales, and on craigslists. I bet even Walmart has a version of them. *just make sure they stack because that is the great part. . best wishes on your cake

hi, I always freeze three days ahead of delivery. I bake and top the layers wrap in saran wrap and freeze. (this actually keeps the cake moist) next day i fill stack and ice(if doing fondant} next day i fondant and decorate. Works like a charm your not stressed out and if you have a problem you have time to fix it.If it is just a buttercream cake you can do it two days ahead, but always freeze it makes putting the layers together so much easier because they dont bend! especially when you get into bigger cakes. Since you are doing a topsy turvy having it frozen makes it alot easier to carve too.. good luck

Alright guys thanks! I have one more question.

Do you wrap the cakes while warm or completely cool? Same when freezing, do you put them in the freezer still warm or wait till it gets to room temp?

Wow, I've always left them out room temp and covered, too scared to freeze them. But so many people say to freeze them, so I will have to try it now!
Thanks!

Freezing actually improves the texture of the cake. Refrigerating speeds up the cake going stale.

I freeze my layers after they're cooled, often putting them back in the same pan and double wrapping in saran. I defrost out of the pan & wrappers.

Rae