Hello everyone! I'm new to these forums so I thought I'd say a big hello to you all!!

I would like to ask something that I've been wondering about since my interest in cake making developed, and I havn't been able to find an answer to anywhere! I would like to know how long you have to ice cakes from the time they come out of the oven to when the client wants it for.

The main one thats confusing me is sponge-type cakes as they can go stale quite quickly. Would icing the cake seal it in from the air and therefore making it last for a longer time? Is this just a case of trying out the different types of cake or is there an average length of time they last for? I wouldn't want to spend so much time icing a cake just for the cake to taste stale!!!

Sorry it's a bit of a long question! Thanks for everyones help!
Beth x

I do mine different ways.....I will let a cake cool, and if I need it the next day, I just crumb coat it so it doesnt dry out.....

when I dont need it for a few more days, I might cool it, wrap it in saran wrap with no open areas, and then cover it also in freezer paper careful to not smash the cake...and freeze it....when I need it I take it out unwrap it and let it sit until its no longer frozen....and ice.

I found they taste as if they just came out of the oven.

For me it depends on the type of cake weather its a basic round cake, sheet cake or a tiered cake. If its a simple basic round or simple sheet cake (like just with boarders and flowers) I usually bake same day depending on pick-up time, or if I'm really busy or if it is a more complicated design I bake the day before and fill, crumb coat, and ice the cake, once thats done you can decorate it or decorate it the next day before pick-up. (baking and decorating the same day as delivery can only be done if you are fast. I can mix batter, bake, cool, make icing, crumb coat, ice, and decorate with boarders and flowers in 2 ½ hours) if I have too but I much rather go slower and enjoy it, if you dont take you time and enjoy the process youll get burnt out a lot faster.
For tiered cakes I bake 2 days before the due date, fill, let settle, crumb coat, ice, then the next day (the day before delivery) I fondant and decorate, I always have the cake completely decorated the day before delivery.
Mark-Mexicano

By "how long to ice" do you mean decorating time, or the time just applying the frosting? Anyhow, yes, the frosting does seal the cake's moisture in. Also, remember, sponge cakes are designed to be, well, sponges, and to take a generous amount of liquid after baking.

Thanks for all your replies They're all really helpful!

2txmedics: I'd never thought of freezing a cake, my initial thought would be that it would either end up soggy from moisture, or dry out the cake itself. But if you say that it tastes like it's freshly baked I might give that one a try sometime Thank you!

Mark-Mexicano: 2 days would give me enough time to get everything sorted I think I'm still only a learner and I'm quite slow with everything just now, so I admire that you can get a cake fully completed in 2½ hours!!! Wow! Thanks for your reply!

prterrell: Yess I did mean decorating time I hadn't thought of adding moisture to the sponge cakes, which is silly as we usually add liquid to our Christmas fruit cake so I don't know why I didn't link the two together! Ha ha! Thank you though!

xxx

Just wanted to say welcome to CC and have fun here. There is alot to learn form everyone. Happy Caking!

Well, fruitcake isn't sponge cake, it's a different beastie altogether. But, yes, sponge cakes are so named as they are designed to be sponges.