how long after baking do you let your cakes sit before filling ,damming, dirty icing etc.
I have been leaving them overnight, to let it settle is this a common amount of time?

I let mine sit over-nite some people make theirs days in advance then freeze the I have no luck in doing that mine seem to just fall a part

Molly

Depending on time, I just let sit till cool, then fill, crumcoat, refridgerate a few min and then shape if need be and frost. I have had no luck freezing either and I think they taste better fresh.

I use the WASC recipe and I bake, let cool, wrap then freeze the layers about two days before I need them. Then I thaw (in the plastic wrap), then fill, stack and dirty ice. I let that rest for four to six hours then cover with fondant and decorate. I started doing it that way after getting some advice from CCers and I really like the results.

I was told that freezing the layers first will give a better texture and taste to the cake and I really believe that it does.

But hey, I'm not a professional by any stretch of the word. But I do like the results much better than just baking and decorating like I have done before.

You should let your cakes settle at least 4 hours after you fill and crumb coat them. That way if they are going to bulge they should do it by then. HTH

I freeze all my cakes for moistness so I bake, cool, level, torte then wrap each layer and freeze. The next day I take them out, unwrap, fill, crumbcoat then let them settle for at least 3 hours to allow them to come to room temp and the cake to settle. Then I cover with the final coating of BC or fondant.

Cat