Can You Freeze A Cake Finished In Ganache?

Baking By SandraSmiley Updated 8 Oct 2019 , 1:34am by SandraSmiley

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SandraSmiley Posted 30 Sep 2019 , 6:27pm
post #1 of 22

Hello lovely cake geniuses!  I've frozen just about everything, but am wondering if I can freeze a cake that is filled and crumbcoated with buttercream, then finished  with ganache (my new fondant substitute, lol).?  I know I can freeze it up to the point of adding the ganache, but I've never frozen one with the ganache already applied.

Thanks so much, in advance!

21 replies
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kakeladi Posted 30 Sep 2019 , 7:06pm
post #2 of 22

I have NO IDEA but........one of the best ways to find out is to take a bit of b'cream on something/anything , coat it w/ganache & fz.    Let us know.   It's weird to see a ? from you.....you always have the answers  LOL

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SandraSmiley Posted 30 Sep 2019 , 7:10pm
post #3 of 22

Thanks, Lynne!  Oh no, I have many questions when it comes to the actual cake.  I know a little more about working with modeling chocolate.  And I did only get brave enough to try ganache about a year ago.  Big head slap on that one!  It is sooo easy and a dream to apply and I love the stability.

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MBalaska Posted 30 Sep 2019 , 9:35pm
post #4 of 22

I've frozen lots of brownies with chocolate ganache on top.  They've all come out just as nice & delicious as can be.  No cakes with only

ganache on it though.

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SandraSmiley Posted 1 Oct 2019 , 3:04am
post #5 of 22

Thanks, MBalaska.  I took kakeladi's advise and frosted a small wedge of cake with buttercream, then covered with ganache.  It is in the freezer right now.  I will take it out, probably tomorrow afternoon, and see how it works.  I'll let everyone know.

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Fabricake Posted 1 Oct 2019 , 1:54pm
post #6 of 22

I do it often when I'm really busy and never had a problem, just defrost slowly in the fridge.

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SandraSmiley Posted 2 Oct 2019 , 12:04am
post #7 of 22

Thanks so much, Fabricake!  I suspected as much, but was wondering, since it is chocolate, if the cold would make it "bloom" and acquire a grayish patina.  Great to know!

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joaaaann Posted 2 Oct 2019 , 5:16am
post #8 of 22

I would like to ask "sort of" the same question.  Can I fill and frost cake with buttercream and then after chilling, go over the buttercream with "super White Confectionary Coating" aka bakery supply store candy melts like someone would with actual chocolate ganache.  I understand chocolate tastes better and is fancier, but this is for a family member and they won't mind that it's not actual Guittard Chocolate ganache, trust me. I think candy melts are tasty and way cheaper too but wonder how it holds up compared.  I want to have strait firm sides and corners and actually plan on covering with fondant afterward as well.

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Fabricake Posted 2 Oct 2019 , 9:05am
post #9 of 22

SandraSmiley- I tend to use white chocolate ganache so I wouldn't know if dark chocolate ganache would blooms. 

Joaaann- I was always told to use the most expensive chocolate you could afford in chocolate ganache. I mainly use white chocolate ganache so you use far more chocolate than you would in a dark chocolate ganache and it can be really expensive to make.  I have tried so many different chocolate brands from cheap to really expensive. But for me the cheap, cheap supermarket own brand works best. Here it costs 30p per 100g, I think that's about 37cents. It seems to be less oily than the expensive brands, it works well and tastes the same as the more expensive chocolate. If it's a cost issue I would go for cheaper chocolate rather than candy melts.

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SandraSmiley Posted 2 Oct 2019 , 10:55pm
post #10 of 22

I've made ganache with candy melts several times, the white ones for me too, and I think they taste fine on the cake.  My one complaint with ganache, on anything besides a chocolate cake, is that the chocolate is over powering, so I really prefer the mild candy melts.  Joaaaann, they work just as well as real chocolate for ganache.  I liek that you can get different colors too.

I took my little experiment out of the freezer and it appeared to be perfect.  I cannot be certain, for sure, because I gobbled it right up!

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kakeladi Posted 3 Oct 2019 , 2:39am
post #11 of 22

No self control !?? 

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SandraSmiley Posted 3 Oct 2019 , 3:43am
post #12 of 22

Haha!  Not much, kakeladi!  Actually, I've been doing pretty well with self control.  I've lost 30 pounds in the last 3 months and only have four to go to get back to my goal, 120 lbs.

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joaaaann Posted 3 Oct 2019 , 10:09pm
post #13 of 22

Thank you ...I appreciate the replies.  I have read so many posts and its exhausting.  I've read " white chocolate isn't actually chocolate. so may as well use candy melts..." Then I read " only the finest actual white chocolate otherwise the texture of the candy melts over buttercream and under fondant changes when temperature changes and most likely  will negatively affect the appearance ..." and others say "Don't use under fondant!"...as well as "candy melts have a high water content, bacteria need food, warmth, and moisture to multiply so compound chocolate (as in Wilton candy melts, etc. ) with their high water content provide a food safety risk".  I just wanna be sure that I can fill and crumb coat with buttercream, chill, go over that with tempered and cooled candy melts to a nice finish, then cover with fondant, let it stay in the fridge a couple of days and then out of the fridge 1 or more days at room temp.  I think I have this vision in the back of my mind that if it were 'jarred' like when moving it around and picking up and placing down, that it might compromise the 'shell' of the candy-melts-ganache and it may 'crack' under the fondant and cause a problem visually.  I'm sure I'm just being melodramatic.  Why is this such a difficult answer for so many? One will be better than the other but I just wanted to know do both actually work regardless of the bragging rights for the finest confection? I think I will trust your answers here most.  I'm going to try it out and cross my fingers, lol.  I don't have the time to do a trial test cuz I work too much away from home, so here's hoping it goes right the first attempt.

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joaaaann Posted 3 Oct 2019 , 10:13pm
post #14 of 22

Oh, by the way...do you know if almond bark is considered equal to or 'above' candy melts?

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joaaaann Posted 3 Oct 2019 , 10:25pm
post #15 of 22

Ok, and last question...when using candy melts, should I use cream when melting them or just microwave them without adding anything?  I'm guessing 'no cream' :)

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SandraSmiley Posted 3 Oct 2019 , 11:33pm
post #16 of 22

I use them interchangeably, joaaaann, for both modeling chocolate and ganache.  I've used Wilton Candy Melts, Food Lion brand Melting Chocolate and Walmart brand Candy Bark with equal results.  Actually, I think the melts and bark result in an even more smooth and creamy modeling chocolate.  I do use cream at the same rate as for white chocolate, four parts chocolate to one part heavy whipping cream.

I did a cake this morning using that formula with Walmart Candy Bark.  FYI, it took a little less than 48 ounces of chocolate and 12 ounces of heavy cream to frost an 8" x 6" cake which had already been filled and crumb coated.  It was a pretty thick cover of ganache.

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bubs1stbirthday Posted 7 Oct 2019 , 1:49am
post #17 of 22

You can but just bring it to temp slowly or the ganche may crack. If it does get a hairline crack you can easily fill them though. I use ganche that I spread on with a palette knife as it is lovely and thin and somewhat flexible. 

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SandraSmiley Posted 7 Oct 2019 , 7:18pm
post #18 of 22

Thanks, bubs1stbirthday.  I thawed it in the refrigerator overnight and it looked exactly the same as it did when I put it in the freezer.  By the way, the coffee is made from a piece of modeling chocolate on top of cake with a little smear of piping gel on top to make it appear wet.  Both the modeling chocolate and the piping gel froze and thawed perfectly, as well.  I froze the cake with the cup already in place, but added the writting and stickies after it thawed.  Here's the cake.Can You Freeze A Cake Finished In Ganache?

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BettyA Posted 7 Oct 2019 , 8:35pm
post #19 of 22

cute cake.:))

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MBalaska Posted 7 Oct 2019 , 8:52pm
post #20 of 22

spectacular cake! 

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kakeladi Posted 7 Oct 2019 , 8:56pm
post #21 of 22

Sandra you are so talented:)   Was This for a customer 

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SandraSmiley Posted 8 Oct 2019 , 1:34am
post #22 of 22

Thank you, Betty, MBalaska and kakeladi!  Yes, Lynne, it was for a customer.  This is not my original design.  She sent me a picture of a cake done by Fancy That Cake.  

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