Help! Cake Cooling Question

Decorating By cakeatty Updated 11 May 2006 , 9:49pm by AmyBeth

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cakeatty Posted 2 May 2006 , 5:00pm
post #1 of 20

what does everybody use to cover their cakes if you let them cool overnight? I've got 2 8" layers I made last night that I put on a cooling rack and a fairly thick dishrag over them to keep them from drying out. I had also put my "dump cake" on a plate with some foil over it to make cake balls today. When I checked the cakes on the cooling racks this morning, they seemed a lot more stiff/hard than what I put on the plate under the aluminum foil. I'm very concerned about this since this is sort of what happened with my "Groom's Cake Gone Bad" episode. Help yall!! Should I rebake them? This is for a B-day cake for tomorrow.

19 replies
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KHalstead Posted 2 May 2006 , 5:05pm
post #2 of 20

Just brush em with some simple syrup....equal parts sugar and water, microwave until sugar dissolves, cool completely and brush over layers of cake before you frost them it will make them NICE and MOIST!!! No worries....I usually throw foil over top of my cakes when they're uniced. I always use the simple syrup though so I never worry too much about them getting dried out.

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candyladyhelen Posted 2 May 2006 , 5:09pm
post #3 of 20

As soon as my cakes come out of the pan, I cover in saran wrap type plastic. It keeps the heat & all the moisture stays in the cakes. I get raves from my customers about my cakes & how moist they are. I only use box mixes, no doctoring either.

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cakeatty Posted 2 May 2006 , 5:12pm
post #4 of 20

Really, Helen?? Do your cakes not get really wet and mushy doing that? The cakes I made last night were box ones too.

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loriemoms Posted 2 May 2006 , 5:22pm
post #5 of 20

I let my cakes cool completly, usually a few hours, and then cover them in saran wrap, and if I am using them in a few days, put them in the freezer. Longer then a few days I put some foil around them too.

I take them out of the freezer a few hours before I frost them.

I am surprised wrapping a warm cake doesnt make them well, wet!!

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kerri729 Posted 2 May 2006 , 5:24pm
post #6 of 20

I agree with Helen- I wrap while still warm in Saran Wrap and either freeze them (if making a week ahead) or let them sit on the counter, wrapped to decorate the next day and they are very moist and delicious, not mushy. And I use the enhanced cake formula with all of my cakes.

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Bettycrockermommy Posted 2 May 2006 , 5:35pm
post #7 of 20

I have also had the problem of cakes drying out on the counter. I'll have to try the simple syrup and see how that helps.

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loriemoms Posted 2 May 2006 , 5:48pm
post #8 of 20

well, I will have to try that...I would think wrapping while still warm would make them condense..would sure save me time!

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jlewis888 Posted 2 May 2006 , 6:04pm
post #9 of 20

I have always wrapped my cakes in plastic wrap while they are slightly warm and placed them in the fridge over night. I get nervous when I handle cakes, and I like the fact that they are a little firm when I take them out. I ice the cakes as soon as I take them out. People have always said that my cakes are very moist.

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AmyBeth Posted 2 May 2006 , 6:09pm
post #10 of 20

I wrap mine with saran while they are still warm too. I usually make my cake the day before I decorate it so that it can completely cool overnight in the saran. People always tell me how moist my cakes are.
They aren't wet at all. It helps all of the moisture stay in the cake.

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candyladyhelen Posted 2 May 2006 , 6:09pm
post #11 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by cakeatty

Really, Helen?? Do your cakes not get really wet and mushy doing that? The cakes I made last night were box ones too.



Honest! I have been doing it that way for many years. I never have a problem of wet cakes.

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cakeatty Posted 2 May 2006 , 6:54pm
post #12 of 20

Amy & Helen, I'm going to have to try that on the next cake I make. I think I may have to go the simple sugar route this time or rebake them and just frost them tonight too to make sure they're very moist and fluffy. Thanks so much everybody!

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jen1977 Posted 2 May 2006 , 7:42pm
post #13 of 20

cakeatty...my first thought as to why the cakes on the rack were a little stiff was because they were sitting on the cooling rack overnight, and only covered on the top. On the rack, air still gets under the cake and can dry it a bit, but just sitting on the counter covered, there is no air coming underneath the cake.

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cakeatty Posted 2 May 2006 , 9:01pm
post #14 of 20

Jen, actually, the towel went underneath and covered most of the bottom portions and I didn't even really check under there icon_cry.gif The tops of the cake is what I was so concerned about. But I'll have to remember to check the bottoms of the cakes next time and maybe let the cakes cool and THEN put the Saran Wrap on them. I think I'm going to have to try that "taking it out of the pan while it's still warm and wrap it in Saran Wrap" method on a tester cake and report back icon_smile.gif

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traci Posted 2 May 2006 , 9:09pm
post #15 of 20

You can also brush them with apricot preserves glaze. I use it all the time with or without freezing. I have noticed that even if I overbake a cake a little bit...the glaze will make it moist again.

I overbaked my son's cake a little and did this and the cake tasted great! icon_smile.gif

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cakeatty Posted 11 May 2006 , 1:59pm
post #16 of 20

Amy & Helen, I tried the Saran Wrap suggestion last night on my boss' wife's b-day cake and a small cake for us. The small cake this a.m. was still very moist. I'm a little concerned about the larger one (10") because I had to bake it about 10-15 minutes longer than the Wilton book called for. My oven is on the fritz again icon_mad.gif . Either of you ever do the Saran Wrap thing on a cake you've had to bake a little longer to get it done?? Thanks ya'll!!

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AmyBeth Posted 11 May 2006 , 2:25pm
post #17 of 20

I used a doctored recipe that always take FOR-E-VER to bake!
I have even accidently (oops) overbaked cakes. I wrap them EVERY time and every time they come out moist. icon_smile.gif

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MariaLovesCakes Posted 11 May 2006 , 2:49pm
post #18 of 20

I have around the house air tight cake keepers or containers. When the cakes are too big, I wrapped in plastic wrap real good so no air gets in.

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cakeatty Posted 11 May 2006 , 2:53pm
post #19 of 20

Thanks Amy! I would have never in a bazillion years believed that wrapping cakes in Saran Wrap wouldn't make them yucky. But the fact that you and Helen have done it with such great success is what made me try it and now I think it's something I'll definitely do from now on. I'm freaking a little because this cake is for the boss' wife and there's the potential there for a LOT of business if she likes everything.

When you're not in a huge rush (like I was last night) and can freeze a cake, do you let the cake come to room temp. after you wrap it and before you put it in the freezer or do you just wrap it right out of the pan and put it straight in the freezer? Do you just wrap it in Saran Wrap or you double layer it and do aluminum foil? How long will they keep? Sorry for all the questions, I just want to make sure I'm doing it right icon_smile.gif

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AmyBeth Posted 11 May 2006 , 9:49pm
post #20 of 20

Honestly, I have never frozen a cake, so I am not sure. I usually just bake my cake the day before I decorate. With all of the fondant and icing in my freezer, I don't think I could fit a cake if I tried. icon_smile.gif

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