Ok, a client just called and had a last minute change of date on a party and they need the cake today, Tuesday, but may not eat it till Saturday. I usually freeze right out of the oven, unthaw the next day and decorate, then give it that day or the next. If they keep the cake in the box, wrap it with saran wrap then back to the freezer or fridge till saturday will it be ok? I don't want to tell them it will be OK and then it turns out stale.

How long has it been in your freezer, is it fully decorated with fondant? I wouldn't refreeze anything once it has been thawed.

If its just a case of moving a frozen decorated cake to another freezer to be defrosted until they are going to eat it, and its boxed and saran wrapped that shouldn't be a problem provided they follow your instructions. This of course is a problem of their making by switching round contract dates.

Its been in the freezer one night. Its not decorated yet. I need to decorate it with mostly buttercream with a few fondant 2d decorations. 

You are fine to thaw it . I freeze my cakes a few minutes after I remove them from the oven, never had an issue. I work on my cakes partially frozen. It won't be stale, freezing it locks in that moisture.

I thought the cake then had to hang around until Saturday? I've never let buttercream sit around that long in a domestic fridge (esp the clients fridge) I'd be interested to know how it turns out.

She can have them put it in the freezer until they need it. I had a cake to do for my sister and she switched the date, after I had already started it. I finished it, boxed it, wrapped it and threw it in the freezer until the day before, put it in the fridge, then on the counter. I couldn't even tell it had been frozen. It has a better chance in the freezer than just sitting in the fridge.

Fantastic advice! Thank you so much..so I can freeze a cake..defrost it...decorate it...and freeze it again for a few days...then defrost it again! Wow that is going to save so much cash!! Thank you  for that. I used to get myself so wound up about these things. x

So you can freeze the cake, thaw to decorate and then refreeze?  Wow, that IS fantastic!  I may need to invest in a bigger freezer so I can work on cakes at my own convenience ... this is sort of revolutionary.  

I do it often Lol you can search the forums and find more info on the topic.

My upright freezer is this hobby baker's BFF!   A key to successful freezing is to wrap well with either or both plastic wrap and heavy duty aluminum foil.  Avoid other frozen foods in the same space that may impart odors/tastes [like meat with onions...].  Do NOT remove the plastic wrap or foil until the item has defrosted completely or to the point that condensation is no longer forming on the plastic wrap/foil. 

I have frozen pre-baked, UN-decorated cake layers to use in large projects. 

Example: for a 4 tier cake I may bake and freeze:  two 2"x12" layers, two 2"x10" layers, two 2"x8" layers, and two 2"x6" layers.   I place each 2" high layer on a cardboard that is the same size as the cake layer.  THEN I wrap in plastic wrap, then I wrap again in heavy duty aluminum foil.  I place the layer flat on a freezer shelf until it is frozen, then, once frozen and hard,  I stack the frozen, wrapped, layers to save freezer space.  Once the layers are wrapped, and frozen hard, they can be stacked without distorting the shape until they are needed.

I have frozen pre-baked, FULLY decorated cupcakes (decorated with buttercream, not fondant or gumpaste decorations).    Here's an example of the clear plastic clamshell containers I use as "freezer" containers.  I only wrap these in additional plastic wrap if they are going to be in the freezer for a month or so.

https://christinascakes.shutterfly.com/pictures/489   

I have frozen FULLY decorated buttercream cakes, torted and filled.  I put them in the pink bakery delivery box, wrap again with plastic wrap. 

I nearly always make a double recipe of buttercream and freeze the un-used portion in Tupperware [or similar freezer container].   When I have colored buttercream left over after a project, I'll create "frosting bullets", then freeze those.   You can "stripe" your bullet or mix colors.  Use the defrosted bullets without any mixing needed.

http://bekicookscakesblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/icing-bag-bullet.html   

Here's an excellent blog about freezing a FONDANT COVERED CAKE:

http://rosebakes.com/can-freeze-fondant-decorated-cake/

I have also frozen naked and fully decorated cakes successfully for years using Apti's method, my worry was this cake has already been frozen.

Thawing  and then refreezing  in a clients domestic freezer then defrosting it again for consumption  was where I felt it was iffy.

I always freeze my cakes as I like the extra moisture this gives them...I've never allowed the defrosting process twice, so this is very interesting.

Thank you Apti ... I always learn something new from your posts.

@Nancylou -- Aw Shucks..... thanks

@Cakebaby2-- I used to worry about "re-freezing" until I researched a commercially produced fancy desserts site which proudly proclaimed that desserts can be re-frozen up to 5 times!  

I have frozen decorated cupcakes before and they came out perfect. I am going to try this with a fully decorated cake tonight. I will keep you posted on how it turns out.

The customer made arrangements to pick the cake up on Friday. So I will pull my baked cakes out the freezer early in the morning and have it done by pickup. She can either refrigerate or keep it out one night. Thanks guys.

Ha, ha....The customer picked up the cake and then told me the party changed to Monday! That will be 3 days. I said wrap the box with plastic wrap and keep it refrigerated. I almost said to just refereeze it, but I was scared to. I'll have to just try it myself. I'm to sceptical I guess. Lol. I'm just starting to get cake orders and I want every cake to be super moist. The freezing method works wonders but the refreezing I'm just not sure how it would affect the taste. Thanks for all of the replies.

I've been freezing cakes and cupcakes for years - both iced and in-iced at a semi-professional level.

After baking a cake, I wrap it well with a suran wrap if sorts, then wrap that with foil and place the cake layers in a freezer bag. Then freeze the cake until ready to ice and decorate. 

Or I'll partially freeze the cake unwrapped for about an hour - then crumb coat it, later I'll ice the cake and put it into the freezer (protected in a cake box). The icing will help keep your cake moist. Then the day before the decorated cake is due, I'll defrost the iced cake and decorate it - then store it in a cool environment till I deliver. 

If I need to refreeze the cake (or cupcakes), no problem. Remember the icing protects the cake part from drying out. 

Always defrost iced cakes and cupcakes in their box or protected carrier or container - this helps prevent condensation (drops of moisture all over the icing) from forming. Even a partial defrost of like 15 minutes while protected will help prevent the water droplets from forming on the icing. 

I've never had a problem with this procedure...I hope it helps.

cheryl

Thanks for that Cheryl and Apti, I regularly freeze cake and do it in short burst when I'm decorating too. It was just the thought of multiple freezing and defrosting rinse repeat that had me a bit stumped!

I'll never look at a restaurant goodie quite the same way again. Any time I've ever bought frozen goods the warning is "do not refreeze once thawed" I guess I just took them at their word.