I read somewhere on this site that if you freeze a cake, you don't have to thaw it before decorating...any condensation would dry up.
But, now I have just read that you must wait and completely thaw out a cake before decorating.
Which should I do? I am making my first cake for my kids and would like it to come out right.
Lisa
I don't wait until the cakes' completely thawed, it makes icing/carving much easier.
Good luck and I'm sure you will get more help on this from others.
what are you using to decorate your cake with??? Fondant or buttercream?
If I am using fondant, I usually let my cake come to room temp. If I am using buttercream, I don't always wait that long. I also find that it can be easier to torte a cake while it is still partly frozen. I get a cleaner line.
I am sure there is someone out there who has more experience that can give their take on this.
I read the same thing you did, but my experience is that cakes "do things" --like expand--when they defrost.
I, personally, wouldn't decorate a frozen cake. It only takes a little while for a cake to defrost, so I just wait. My cakes are moist and the icing stays were I put it--who could ask for more???
Rae
Great post....I have iced a partially frozen cake before because I needed to carve it into the shape of a pirate ship. I noticed while icing it that over time the icing appeared "wet" and I'm sure this was the condensation you mentioned (lu9129), however, my icing never crusted. Whenever I frost a frozen cake, the crusting never happens? Is this due to the cake being frozen and is it normal? Is there a way to avoid that?
I always and I mean always decorate my cakes while they are frozen I will not touch a thawed cake I guess this comes from when I worked in a store bakery everything came frozen but its much easier this way very little crums the cake doesnt come apart and stick to the frosting and I have had no problems with condensation while using buttercreme granted i have never covered a cake with fondant so that might be a different story.
" however, my icing never crusted. Whenever I frost a frozen cake, the crusting never happens? Is this due to the cake being frozen and is it normal? Is there a way to avoid that?
That's exactly what happened to me. I did some mini cakes for valentines and I froze them becaouse they were little and crumbling and well, just difficult to frost. 
But then my icing wouldn't crust. 
For those out there who do frost while frozen, is there a trick? Will it crust if it sits longer?
The one time I iced a cake frozen, I had a problem with the icing. Since this was the only time I did this, it could have been some other factor but ....?
Anyway, I iced the frozen cake, and yes, it did ice much easier, but the next morning, the icing was all crackled. My theory was that as the cake thawed, it expanded (cold contracts ..... warm expands) and cracked my perfectly smooth icing! I compared it to holding your stomach in to try on the new outfit .... and then exhalingand popping a button ! 
I will crumb coat a frozen cake. I have iced a cold ... not totally thawed ... cake. No problems with either of these.
Again, mine could have been a fluke and could have had nothing to do with whether the cake was frozen or not. My icing crusts pretty well and pretty quick, so maybe that was a factor as the cake warmed and expanded.
I too have had problems with the condensation on cakes. But I find it depends on the weather. (But then cakes are weather tempermental aren't they!) I'm in New Orleans, and it's extremely humid here pretty much year round. That's why our cold is bitter, even though it's not that cold, it's damp! The worse for me is in that cold dampness, even worse than the warm dampness. It is easier to put the icing on frozen, I agree, but I do find that I cannot get a good crust on it either. And more than once I've had to repair a crack, a bubble, or running color from a thawing decorated cake. So I've started only freezing the really big sheet cakes, just for the purpose of being able to stack them, and not quite all the way frozen, just till it firms up some. Then I pray to the cake gods for a nice crust so that I can smooth that sucker!!!
I always decorate my cakes while they are frozen. They are so much easier to work with IMO. I've never had any problems with the icing cracking or not crusting. And my cakes are always very moist!
I have a good friend that used to work at a bakery and she told me that if I try to put my bc on a frozen or even partially frozen cake that the bc would slide or like melt off. Has that happened to any of you???
I've always iced cakes when they are completely thawed. I initially learned to decorated from my grandmother and she was the one who told me icing when the cake is frozen or very cold can cause condensation and if the icing is moist then it won't crust. I've never had the nerve to change how I ice a cake. Some decorators here have mastered a technique that could be very time saving.... hmm, a possible tutorial maybe?
maybe it depends on the type of BC you are using?? Those who have no problems with cracking icing once the cake is thawed which BC icing recipe do you use?
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