She says to freeze the cake immediately after it comes out of the oven and also to ice it frozen. This doesn't seem to be the way most people do it. Any ideas on this? Why it would be good or bad?
Also, what attachment do you use on your mixer for icing?
Thanks!!!!

I do freeze my cakes directly from the oven. I let them cool about 5 minutes or so in the pan, turn them out directly onto plastic wrap, wrap tightly (2 layers of wrap), place in a labeled freezer bag, and freeze. Got this tip from a friend and I agree with her, it keeps more moisture in the cake cuz you don't lose it from the cooling process.

Now, I have never iced mine frozen so I can't speak to that. I've heard it keeps the crumbs down. I've always just crumb coated the cake, hmmm maybe I should try this?!

As for mixing the icing, I always use the paddle. HTH!

My instructor recommended icing the cakes frozen too. I haven't frozen them directly out of the oven. I wait for them to cool and then wrap tightly and freeze. Icing the cake frozen is supposed to make it easier to ice. Less crumbs. Then you also seal in the moisture. I was also wondering if this was the right way to do it too since most people here recommend icing the cake thawed. But I've never had a problem icing it frozen. I think people mentioned condensation as a problem. But I would flat ice my cake and then let it set overnight and then decorate after that. It has always been fine.

Oh, and I use the paddle attachment for icing.

I always frost my cakes frozen...I rarely need a crumb coating and I like how it keeps the icing cool.

I have never tried freezing from the oven, tell me more about this. You let it cool (out of the oven?) for 5 minutes, then take it out of the pan? Does the cake come out in one piece? It would seem that it would be really warm and break. I am very interested in learning how to do this.

I've never had a cake break. I bake all from scratch so maybe a mix would be different. All my cakes are very moist, not dense and dry like some scratch cakes. Let it cool like 10 min max then turn over directily on top of the plastic wrap. I've not had a problem thus far. I slide a cardboard underneath it once it is wrapped to carry it to the freezer (it's in the garage) mostly to keep from burning my fingers, LOL. I was a little leary at first but I love doing it this way. Try it!

Oh and I'm gonna try icing mine frozen. I never thought about keeping the icing cool, I like the idea of that. Thanks!

I let mine cool a bit and then wrap in plastic and freeze also. I think they are more moist that way. Also I usually ice them frozen as well. I think everyone has their own methods though. Like the freezing thing, I tried it many ways before deciding to do that. Just figure out what works for you.

I have never had an issue with my cake Icing them or them not being moist! I do bake them at a lower temp and use a 729 tip to ice and I use a plastic spatula to smooth the icing I got that tip from the frosting your cake up side down method. WHich I love and is an awesome method! .( I also love the pressing a towel method when the cake come ot of the oven to suish it and make theit flat)
Personally, I say do what works best for you. Try it .If it works Great if it doesn't try something else. I am an instructor and I always try to give my students an alternate way of doing something if they are having difficulty

This is a tough one. I have heard two different schools of thought on this issue about freezing cakes right out of the oven. One instructor said it makes the cakes moister. The other said it was a myth and cooling a cake too rapidly results in more shrinkage.

I have based coat a cake that was partially frozen and it is easier to torte and to ice. I normally dont have time to do this step though.

LOL I suggest we all run a big science experiment to see which one is true. LOL

Thank you all for the input. Now I feel confident that she is not insane, having others use similar methods. I think I'll experiment on my own also!

For a GREAT and very rich scratch chocolate cake i always use:

Chocolate Fudge Groom's Cake Recipe
I used this for my teachers wedding and i had all 300 people hooked.

I just added my own touch with 2 or 3 huge rounded tablespoons of cocoa. Just add it at the end and mix just until its incorperated(if you do it anymore your really pushing very close to overmixing).

That chocolate cake is my absolute favorite. its extremely easy to tort and fill. Even when its 16 inches.

I have NEVER heard of either of these methods! I would think that once the cake started to thaw that the icing would start to sweat! HMMMMM!!!!!

I have a side by side so I don't have room in my freezer for any size cake I make, well maybe a 6-10 inch but that's about it! I don't want to lower the temperature in my freezer. Maybe it won't make that much of a difference/ It's not like a fridge! HMMMMM!!!!!

I'll just have to give these methods a whirl!


Thanks everyone! Ya'll were holdin' out on me!!!!!



Amy

Well, I just have to comment on this because it worries me to see my fellow cake decorators to be put at risk by following unsafe freezing practices.
Unless you have a dedicated cake freezer, a freezer that is used soley for the purpose of freezing and storing frozen cakes, freezing any item, cake or otherwise while hot is an extremely dangerous practice. You are compromising the safety of all other items in your freezer like meat, poultry and fish. Sealing a hot cake in a freezer will cause your freezer temperature to rise to a point where other items are at risk for growing dangerous bacteria. This is an even greater risk in frost free freezers where the temperature fluctuates normally which is how these freezers remain frost free.
In addition, you are putting your other items at risk for freezer burn that though not hazardous, does effect taste and appearance.
I am quite surprised that this or any instructor would suggest this, it is such a dangerous practice, perhaps she assumes people all have dedicated cake freezers. She might we wise to read up on the many government sites concerning safe freezing practices.
It is an interesting theory about wrapping cakes while cool to get them to turn out more moist. I don't think you will find that this practice has ever been recommended in any cookbooks, they generally state to let cakes cool to room temperature on a cooling rack before covering. But at least this is not a dangerous practice as long as the cake is sealed hot but cools to room temperature on a counter before it is frozen, if that is going to be the next step.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

Yea that might make a difference. I haven't had to do research for that because I do have a freezer just for cakes.

I have always cooled my cakes completely before freezing...SquirlleyCakes, I was thinking of trying the freezing out of the oven, but from what you have said, this would not be the right choice. Just to confirm, it is ok to freeze after it has cooled.

[quote=" But at least this is not a dangerous practice as long as the cake is sealed hot but cools to room temperature on a counter before it is frozen, if that is going to be the next step.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes[/quote]

I normally don't freeze my cakes( except for the upside down method for iciing) but I too am inerested in if I should have a freezer deicated to cake only. In her quote it sound like it's ok if you freeze after is cooled.
can't wait to hear her reccomendation

Sure, freezing cakes after they are cool is fine. I personally don't believe in wrapping a hot cake and sealing it to air circulation even at room temperature, because of the effect on the texture of the cake. But that is a matter of personal preference. Wrapping and freezing a cooled cake which has slightly overcooked edges will soften up the edges somewhat but we cannot expect miracles.
The theory behind wrapping a cake while hot is that you will be trapping in the condensation that will normally evaporate as a cake cools unwrapped. And that is true, you are going to be sealing in that bit of moisture. To test this, cool a cake on a rack on your counter or tabletop and you will see moisture form underneath the cake and this same moisture will evaporate eventually. But you know, the recipe took this into account when it was formulated. Of course leaving a cake unwrapped for hours or days at a time means that the inside moisture and exterior moisture will evaporate and your cake will dry out. So you should always wrap a cake shortly after it is completely cool or at least seal a cake with a thinned down apricot glaze or a simple sugar syrup if you know you will not be able to cover it right away once it has cooled.
But yes wrapping a cake completely and allowing it to cool at room temperature while sealed will in fact trap a bit more moisture in. It will also allow your cake to continue cooking to a degree, in effect steaming. With some cakes this will give you a bit of a rubbery texture and a bit of a slimey exterior. Also, when a cake is hot, it is more susceptible to breakage so it is ideal to allow your cake temperature to reach at least a maximum of 140F before handling it.
The ideal maximum freezing time before there is a measurable deterioration in the product is 1 month for most cakes. This doesn't mean the cake will be bad at 2 months it just means that there is a more noticeable deterioration in the molecular structure of the product after 1 month and at that point there is actually a measurable but slight, deterioration in taste, according to scientific freezer studies. Fruit cakes, as in Christmas type cakes, can be frozen for up to 6 months. The larger the flat surface, the better a regular cake will freeze which means that a sheet cake is less effected than a small round cake.
When you defrost your cakes, always leave them sealed in their original wrappings. You want that condensation on the exterior edges of the cake to be reabsorbed back into the cake. If you unwrap your cakes you will lose this moisture.
Personally, even with a dedicated freezer I would not freeze a hot cake but that is because of the risk of freezer burn. Also a personal preference in the overall presentation of the cake. I like to have a cake that is moist but not with a slimey or filmy top or bottom, rather a dry exterior, but not dried out. But we are all different in our likes and dislikes.
Hugs Squirrelly

HI, This is an interesting topic. I just started cake class and my instructor baked a cake the first class and took it out of the oven flipped it out of the pan and immediately covered it in saran wrap and put it in the freezer, she said "it makes the cake very moist, and also its great for cooling it down if you are in a hurry". She never said anything about icing it frozen, but the one she did in class, was still a bit warm and she said, it was really a bit warm to ice, but our class is only 2 hours. I agree with SquirrellyCakes, it does raise the temperature of the freezer, not only putting your other food at risk, but making the freezer work harder. My teacher seems to be very old school (she is 75 after all) and has apparently done this all the time. I think I will stick with letting it cool completely then if I need to freeze it, let it completely thaw first then ice.
Jeanne

I made a cake and I was in a hurry to decorate it, so I took it from the freezer, waited a bit and then started to decorate. All of my decorations ran when the cake began to thaw. I'd definitely wait until it was thawed to start the decorating. I was so upset. It was for my mom's 50th bday party. No one else noticed (or at least sid anything). I'm my own worst critic.

I remember my mother always telling me that you have to allow food to cool before you put it into the freezer as a general rule (because of the whole warming of the freezer thing). This is why I have never put warm cakes in the freezer and have NEVER had a problem with the moisture of my cakes. I don't wrap them while they are hot either. I do wrap them as soon as they are cool enough to handle. I think that you need not worry so much about the moisture of the cake if the cake recipe or mix is a good one. Just my thoughts.