I made a madeira cake last week for a party this coming saturday and put it in the freezer. Can anybody tell me how it should be de-frosted and how long it should take. It is a 10" cake and it is double wrapped in cling film.

I am panicking that it might not taste good as it is the first paid for cake that I have made.

Thanks for your help.

When I freeze cake I just take it out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator. I either do this very early in the morning to frost that night or I do it the night before to be able to frost and decorate the next morning. I find freezing makes a cake more moist if done right and better flavor!

It should take a few hours at room temperature.  Leave it on the counter and keep it wrapped.  That way the condensation develops on the wrapper, not on the cake.
 

I wrap all my cakes like you do, in double cling wrap, freeze them (even if only overnight) and then do what Annie Cahill does - thaw them at room temperature with the wrap still on. It works like a charm, so don't worry!

Ditto. I just did a wedding cake this weekend. I had my layers frozen since the end of November. I took them out of the freezer, left them wrapped in the cling wrap and the aluminum foil. Freezing the layers locks in the moisture AND the flavor. Leave them wrapped sitting on the counter. Before they were completely thawed I unwrapped one and brushed off crumbs and did my crumb coating icing layer. As one layer crusted, I did the next. By the time I was done with the fourth layer, i was able to go back to the first and icing it. Turned out great. I used the White Velvet wedding cake recipe and got all sorts of compliments. I think the heavier cakes freeze better than the lighter ones, but I wouldn't swear to it.

Thanks Marianna46 and Bessiesbakery, I will take them out then today and do what you do. Thanks for your help.