I had a sheet cake for a kid's B-day party this weekend. I baked, than froze the sheet cake. I unwrapped the frozen cake, placed it on the board and draped the saran wrap on top-not sealed or tucked in. I just didn't want it uncovered as I worry about something random floating/landing on the cake! Plus the ladybugs are trying to get in!
Anyway-the cake was out for 6 hrs and it was still slightly cold in the middle and not dry yet! I had to do a chocolate transfer that took a couple hrs (grrr..) and then iced the cake since I had to sleep sometime!!
I was at the party and was able to eat the cake-the frosting peeled right off my piece-an end piece.
I am assuming the cake wasn't dry enough before icing. I love the ease of freezing cakes ahead-but how long does it take to thaw/dry before icing? I would think they would dry out with longer than 8hrs totally uncovered-the cake was leveled, 2" layer. What do I need to do?

On the upside-this was a shared party and the other little boy's cake was homemade, I think-canned icing, choc cake crumbs in white icing, domed, etc.
So another parent took my card for a cookie order!

That would be my guess as well. If the surface is not dry, the icing won't stick to it. Also, cakes should be at room temp before icing..

Jen

Ok, so does that mean that greater than 8hrs-uncovered to thaw/dry is ok?? It won't dry out the cake? That is what worries me

I would not leave the cake out uncovered. But you don't want the surface "wet" either. Normal thawing and cake at room temp should work just fine. I've done it with no problems.

Jen

I freeze all my cakes (well wrapped). I thaw them in the fridge - still wrapped. On the morning I want to decorate, I take them out of fridge (still wrapped) and put on the counter for maybe a half hour to an hour. Then, I unwrap them to get rid of condensation and leave on the counter for maybe a half hour at most. I haven't had trouble getting icing to stick after that.

OP I never froze cakes until I joined this site and read that others do it all the time without issues.

Well I decided to give it a try and all I can say is after almost 30 yrs of baking and NOT freezing.......I went back to NOT freezing ever again.

I had the same exact problem you had.....it was the ONLY time I had problems with my icing sliding off of the cake and with blowouts.....

There is no doubt in my mind it was because the cakes had been frozen, even though I allowed them to thaw for approx 12 hrs (wrapped), then unwrapped them for about 1 hr to "dry" the surface before icing.

All I can say is I will NEVER AGAIN go there! For ME it doesn't work.

Sorry you had the same bad luck I had.

I freeze cakes all the time. I fill them frozen. Thaw them in the fridge. I work on as cold a cake as possible. I have never had a problem.

After reading Scott Clark Woolley's book years ago I gave it a try...and it worlds great!! Less crumbs, firmer surface, better texture.

However, going from the freezer to room temperature is going to cause problems. I always go freezer to refrigerator to room temperature. Never have problems...whether fondant or buttercream.

I also work in as in cool a room as I can stand..so my room temperature is cool. Just makes the whole process easier.

From what I understand, a frozen cake must be thawed while still wrapped. The condensation will collect on the outside of the plastic wrap so that the cake doesn't get covered in the moisture and absorb it.

I freeze my cakes everytime, and I also frost them when frozen, and most of the time put them back in the freezer until delivered. Is there some reason you're not supposed to frost a frozen cake? I've never had problems?

I work a full time job so I usually bake and freeze mine on Sun. and Mon. make my icing on Wednesday.move cakes to fridge wrapped. Then I ice them cold on Thurs and Fri, never had any problems with icing seperating from cake.

I freeze all my cakes and never have had this issue. I wait for them to cool completely, wrap in Press and Seal, freeze for 24 hours and then take them out, torte/fill/crumbcoat while still frozen. If using buttercream for the final coat I just continue the frosting process but if using fondant I let it sit out (as long as the filling is ok for sitting out) on the counter for at least two hours before placing the fondant on. I've never had any problem with this. In fact, when I have to carve a cake it's SO much easier to do it while still frozen.

The only thing I can imagine is that since you didn't unwrap and crumbcoat it right out of the freezer that the wrapping kept the condensation on the cake and it was too wet when you finally did frost it.

Cat

Ok, I will definately try thawing while wrapped and thawing in the fridge. I can see that if the condensation is not on the cake, it would make a world of difference!