I'm Convinced...freezing Cakes Rocks!!!
Decorating By Maria925 Updated 28 Nov 2016 , 2:14am by Mrs_Smith85
I freeze them whole. Then after they're completely thawed, I torte, fill, etc. I feel like the cake is sturdier after freezing. So I get a cleaner cut, with less chance for damage than I did when I used to torte before freezing.
I freeze them whole. Then after they're completely thawed, I torte, fill, etc. I feel like the cake is sturdier after freezing. So I get a cleaner cut, with less chance for damage than I did when I used to torte before freezing.
This is what I did and it worked great for me!
I sent the rest of the cake to work with DH. Normally when I have sent cakes with him, there is still some for people to eat after lunch. Today, he told me that the cake was completely gone before lunch. People just loved it 
I also freeze cake, and love the results. I would suggest being careful about freezing cakes before they've cooled completely if you plan on selling it to someone. Reason being that once the cake is made airtight with the plastic wrap, an environment is created that could allow bacteria to grow.
Not saying it's ever happened to anyone I know, or to me, or will happen, but I am saying that there is an environment or chance for it to happen, and that is enough for me. I let the cakes come to room temp before freezing no matter what. Not worth risking someone getting sick. Again, I've never, ever heard of this happening, only that it COULD.
If you're not selling your cakes, it's not necessarily an issue. If you are, I would think any way you can reduce your liability would be the way to go.
...I would suggest being careful about freezing cakes before they've cooled completely if you plan on selling it to someone. Reason being that once the cake is made airtight with the plastic wrap, an environment is created that could allow bacteria to grow....
This has been a debate here before. The other side claims that the cake has just come out of hot oven that has killed any bacteria. If it's wrapped and frozen while still hot, it has no chance of being exposed to new bacteria. So it is safer than leaving it out on a counter, exposed to the world while it cools.
As far as the cake raising the temp in the freezer, the other side claims that it never raises the temp above 40°. So the rest of the food remains safe.
I've heard food safety inspectors come down on both sides of this issue. But in my opinion, some of them substitute their own opinion for fact.
I do agree with the part about the cake being safer if you freeze it hot. It's the bit about raising the freezer temp, putting the other food at risk that I'm not sure of, either way. Next time I do this, I'll have to toss a few freezer thermometers in there to test this.
I actually learned about freezing cakes from the bakery I worked for. Here's how they (and I) do it.
Bake and cool to room temp. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze. If you're going to keep it frozen for very long, wrap with foil too. When ready to torte, cut frozen cake. Fill, stack and crumb coat. Put back in the fridge (not freezer). We would add layers of BC until we didn't see cake, refrigerating between layers --primarily because the butter cream I use is real butter and not crisco. Keeping the cake cold like this makes the butter cream harden and it's easier to smooth on layers. The cake itself thaws slowly in the refrigerator and when it's time to decorate, the fondant or gum paste adheres nicely to the surface. I always deliver a cold cake--NOT frozen. When it comes to room temp everything is moist and delicious.
NOW...when you're dealing with heat and humidity and , and you have to keep a completely decorated cake overnight before delivery, it's best to box your decorated cake and wrap the box with cling wrap and refrigerate. When it's time to deliver, let it warm a bit while still in the box. There is less condensation.
I have to laugh when I hear people say they can always tell if a cake has been frozen. Like it's not fresh or something. Please! The one comment I always hear about my cake is how moist and delicious it is. So there! 
preciouspjs ,
I wait 10 minutes then CAREFULLY (using 2 pieces of cardboard or even the pan) level, torte,(no paper inbetween) wax paper, plastic wrap one way, then flip and the other way. Then foil. And Freeze in the deep freeze. Take out of the freezer and let it come to room temp wrapped. Then fill and crumb coat as normal. (unless I am carving, then I fill and carve while still cold, but not frozen)
thanks Karen I'm going to give it a try.. it would save me loads of time, so its worth a shot.. thanks for the directions!
Ok, so here are my reasons on why I do what I do when it comes to freezing. This has all been trial and error over the past 22 years. If you try to freeze without leveling or torting you can find the cake too hard to cut properly when you take it out of the freezer. Also, it's hard to stack unleveled cakes on top of eachother in the freezer because the dome can cause the cake to crack. I also level and torte after the cakes are cooled because then I can see the middle of my cake and KNOW for sure there are no air pockets, no undone centers. If I need to bake longer or rebake I can do so on that day and not find out the sad news in the morning. This also lets me taste the cake top so I can see if the cake is dry or moist or even not done in the center. So I always level and torte after the cakes have cooled on a rack before wrapping.
Now, I wrap after leveling/torting/cooling because I have tried to put them in the freezer early and ended up with soggy cake due to the moisture/humidity from the warm cake. I don't have this issue if I wait till it cools.
I unwrap/fill/crumbcoat to keep the mositure crystals inside the cake. If you let it thaw out inside the wrappings then you can end up with soggy cake again due to the plastic trapping the moisture in. And what a mess to then try to work with after. Crumbcoating goes more smoothly with a frozen cake as well. Faster and easier. Lastly, if you unwrap and let it thaw then you could end up drying your cake out. If it's sealed under the crumbcoat there will be some evaporation but not enough to make it dry.
Last thing....find out what works for YOU! The one thing I have found out recently is that what works for someone say, in California, isn't going to work the same way as someone in say, Georgia...or England, etc. So experiment with different techniques and you will find the one that works for you.
Cat
I also level before wrapping and freezing. Forgot to mention that earlier. I do, however torte it frozen because while it's true that it's harder to cut, it's better for me because when I cut a thawed cake, I slice it too fast and can get very uneven. The frozen cake allows me to cut more evenly. but as catlharper said, it's best to find what works for you!
Thanks Cat
I'm so glad someone answered the question about letting the cakes thaw out in the sealed plastic wrap, or unwrapping when you take the cakes out of the fridge. Thank you. I tried freezing this past weekend, and read on another post about this subject to leave your cakes in the plastic wrap while they thaw. Well, I had a mushy mess on top of my chocolate cake! Yuck!!!! The cakes were still very moist though. Thanks for clarifying this for me. I'll give it a try again.
Kathy
Welcome to the dark side, Maria...or is it the cold side?
I let mine cool completely, double wrap in plastic, then double wrap in foil. Then freeze, even when I don't need to. With all the futzy little details and decorations I work on, it's so nice to have the cakes always done and out of the way until I need them.
Clarke Scott Woolley recommends wrapping them in plastic 5 minutes out of the oven! Then let them sit, wrapped, until cool before freezing.
I did try it once when I made his chocolate cake recipe. And it worked really well. I haven't done this with my own recipes because I haven't found the need to. What I do now works perfectly for me and I don't think I'd want my cakes any moister. there is such a thing as too moist.
LOVE his fudge brownie cake...I've been wrapping to "steam" all my cakes since reading that he advised that!
Ok, so here are my reasons on why I do what I do when it comes to freezing. This has all been trial and error over the past 22 years. If you try to freeze without leveling or torting you can find the cake too hard to cut properly when you take it out of the freezer. Also, it's hard to stack unleveled cakes on top of eachother in the freezer because the dome can cause the cake to crack. I also level and torte after the cakes are cooled because then I can see the middle of my cake and KNOW for sure there are no air pockets, no undone centers. If I need to bake longer or rebake I can do so on that day and not find out the sad news in the morning. This also lets me taste the cake top so I can see if the cake is dry or moist or even not done in the center. So I always level and torte after the cakes have cooled on a rack before wrapping.
Now, I wrap after leveling/torting/cooling because I have tried to put them in the freezer early and ended up with soggy cake due to the moisture/humidity from the warm cake. I don't have this issue if I wait till it cools.
I unwrap/fill/crumbcoat to keep the mositure crystals inside the cake. If you let it thaw out inside the wrappings then you can end up with soggy cake again due to the plastic trapping the moisture in. And what a mess to then try to work with after. Crumbcoating goes more smoothly with a frozen cake as well. Faster and easier. Lastly, if you unwrap and let it thaw then you could end up drying your cake out. If it's sealed under the crumbcoat there will be some evaporation but not enough to make it dry.
Last thing....find out what works for YOU! The one thing I have found out recently is that what works for someone say, in California, isn't going to work the same way as someone in say, Georgia...or England, etc. So experiment with different techniques and you will find the one that works for you.
Cat
thanks for the detailed explanation. i will definitely follow your lead and do this to my cakes. i've been freezing my cakes to get it more moist but now i actually know what i'm doing and why i'm doing it. hehehe
When you freeze the cake, do you take it out the day before or the day of? I froze mine before but made the mistake of wrapping it in plastic wrap while it was still a little warm (I thought it was cool enough at the time but it wasn't) do you wrap it in only plastic wrap (I also used waxed paper around it and then the plastic wrap)
it is not a mistake at all. I started wrapping my cakes 25 years ago right out of the oven. You have to know how to handle them properly and do not let them fully defrost before torting, filling and icing them. They must be fully baked, make sure of that or else you will get a gummy cake if you underbake it.
I wrap in press N seal wrap, freeze in a dedicated cake freezer (don't use your freezer at home with other foods in it) Let them sit for about 10 minutes after removing from freezer. Level, torte, fill & crumb ice semifrozen. Place back in fridge to firm icing completely then ice smooth or cover with fondant and allow to finish defrosting. Because it is semifrozen the cake is very easy to deal with, and then the defrosting completely while you are decorating gives a very fresh product to you customer or whom ever is going to partake in the cake. I don't have gummy issues ever, and the cakes are always wonderful tasting and I don't have cratering issues or broken cakes due to trying to manipulate a very moist fully defrosted cake.
Ok everyone. I'm finally trying the frozen cake thing. I had some leftover batter from a cake today and I made a 6in cake. I let it cool for about 10mins, it as still warm. I wrapped in cling wrap 3xs and wrapped in foil 2xs. I don't need it anytime soon BUT I'm dying to see what it will taste like after a couple of days. So, I will take it out on Mon or Tues to test. Well, I'm going to let my tastetesters eat it and see if they can tell any difference. Wish me luck! Thanks to all. I will give update soon.
Careful with the foil...it can dent and, of course it's foil, hold it's shape leaving a dent in your cake. I double wrap mine in press and seal and that's it....fresh and yummy!
Wow, thanks for that info. Of course, I would have never thought of that bc I would have never thought of freezing bc I'm scared, LOL. Luckily this is a tester but if I like the results I will definitely watchout for the foil dents. Thanks again I'm so excited. Oh, and I will try the press n seal, I read others use it too. All I had on deck is foil, lol.
I am going to be making my own wedding cake and want to know how far in advance is safe to make the cakes?
My mom thinks its too much to do with the stress of a wedding, but I have told her I can do it if I make the cakes a few days in advance. I just need to know how soon I can make them.
Tina - I have to agree with your mom! My daughter is getting married in April and she already has a list of what and where she needs to be that day. You really won't need the extra stress on you. I am making her cake and will have to have some friends help me that day.
I used to wrap the warm cakes in plastic wrap but noticed the wrap shrinks and effects the shape of my cake. Plus, the costco wrap almost melts and puts off a weird chemical smell!! So, after much experimentation, I've found the best technique...Pop out the warm cakes from their pans after 5 minutes right onto a square of PRESS and SEAL (sticky side up)! Then, take another square of press and seal and place it on top of the cake and seal it all around the bottom square...sealing the cake and all that yummy steam/flavor, but without changing the shape or shrinking! Then I pop them right into my freezer.
Works beautifully!!!
LIGHTBULB moment, here... I always freeze my cakes, and use the Costco wrap, and never even thought about it shrinking while on a warm cake, and distorting my cake! AH HA! That explains it... Thanks!!!
Ok everyone. I'm finally trying the frozen cake thing. I had some leftover batter from a cake today and I made a 6in cake. I let it cool for about 10mins, it as still warm. I wrapped in cling wrap 3xs and wrapped in foil 2xs. I don't need it anytime soon BUT I'm dying to see what it will taste like after a couple of days. So, I will take it out on Mon or Tues to test. Well, I'm going to let my tastetesters eat it and see if they can tell any difference. Wish me luck! Thanks to all. I will give update soon.
Just make sure it's thoroughly thawed before eating. Frost it like you normally would--even if frozen--and then let it set I'd even say 2 hours just to make sure it's at room temp. I've never delivered a frozen cake...only cold and I deliver at least an hour before an event knowing the cake won't be cut for quite a while to give it time to warm. One thing I would never do is warm a frozen cake up in the microwave...not that you're thinking of doing that...just mentioning it. I've done that for personal use and even for a few seconds it's not good.
Thanks carmijok, sure will follow what u said, thanks again everybody. Stay tuned. I'm so excited. Its crazy, but everytime I go to the freezed I look at the bag as if its going to move or something, lol. I prob need cake therapy, lol.
Thanks carmijok, sure will follow what u said, thanks again everybody. Stay tuned. I'm so excited. Its crazy, but everytime I go to the freezed I look at the bag as if its going to move or something, lol. I prob need cake therapy, lol.
Cake therapy = Indydebi!
Tina - I have to agree with your mom! My daughter is getting married in April and she already has a list of what and where she needs to be that day. You really won't need the extra stress on you. I am making her cake and will have to have some friends help me that day.
Unfortunatley I do not have someone who will make a cake for me. I also can't afford to have a nice cake unless I make it. I guess I just want to know that if I finish it the day before if it can be put in the cooler in the hotel's kitchen and have it be ok for the next night?
Does one need to be back to room temp before covering in fondant?
Tina - I have to agree with your mom! My daughter is getting married in April and she already has a list of what and where she needs to be that day. You really won't need the extra stress on you. I am making her cake and will have to have some friends help me that day.
Unfortunatley I do not have someone who will make a cake for me. I also can't afford to have a nice cake unless I make it. I guess I just want to know that if I finish it the day before if it can be put in the cooler in the hotel's kitchen and have it be ok for the next night?
Are you using fondant or buttercream? When is your wedding? Where are you located? I ask because of the fondant sweating thing. I refrigerate all my cakes, but they do sweat, if I don't box them and let them stay boxed until they come to room temp. I have timed it on several occasion with different fondants and I know that it will take approximately 2 - 2 1/2 hours for the sweating to dry and it will be perfect. Just don't touch it, until it is dry, or you will get finger prints. Good luck!!!!
im curious...just started freezing cakes and I absolutely love the outcome...the taste...the moistness..the texture.. everythings...but before I started freezing I always used a sugar syrup on my cakes. My question to those of you who freeze your cakes....as you torte...fill..crumb coat....do you still use a sugar syrup or are cakes that have been frozen so moist they no longer need the sugar syrup? Do you think the syrup would be overkill?
Sometimes syrups are used to impart flavor to the cake, so I'd keep using them. When I add syrup to my cakes, I put the syrup on after the cake has thawed, but I generally don't use as much. You're right about the cakes being - and staying - moist after they are frozen.
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