My staff and I’ve frozen our fair proportion of desserts and have made sufficient errors to know what actually works. Let’s study how one can freeze desserts in order that they style the freshest and that you simply’re the one one who is aware of the cake was beforehand frozen!
I initially revealed this tutorial in 2019 and have since added new pictures, a video tutorial, and extra success suggestions.
Making desserts upfront and freezing them is an effective way to get forward and have much less to do on the day of a celebration or celebration. At this time I’m sharing my tried and true methodology for freezing desserts.
I’ve tried many methods over time, and the best way I’m exhibiting you immediately is one of the best ways to make sure the cake tastes contemporary and scrumptious after freezing and thawing. Earlier than we get into the nitty-gritty, let me inform you…
My #1 Tip for Freezing Desserts
My number-one tip for the best-tasting outcomes is to freeze the cake layers earlier than frostingand make the frosting contemporary the day you propose to assemble and serve the cake.
You can freeze a cake with frosting, however the texture is simply by no means fairly the identical after thawing. Plus, a totally embellished cake will contract and broaden through the freezing/thawing course of, ruining a few of your exhausting work. That’s why I like to recommend freezing the cake by itself, after which making frosting (contemporary frosting actually does style greatest!) and assembling the cake after it’s been thawed.
That mentioned, it’s nice to freeze leftover frosted cake. It’s simply left over and doesn’t have to impress anybody! And clearly, ice cream cake is an exception to this rule as properly.
Find out how to Freeze Desserts
First, right here’s a full video tutorial so you possibly can perceive the strategy:
The cake pictured right here is my vanilla cake, however you may as well freeze one thing with add-ins, akin to carrot cake, or this darkish chocolate peanut butter cake (which has chocolate chips within the cake batter).
STEP 1: Bake and funky your cake(s). It’s essential to ensure the desserts are fully cool earlier than you wrap them to freeze. In any other case, the steam from the cooling cake will condense on the within of the wrapping, leaving you with a really soggy cake after thawing. Let’s keep away from that!
If you happen to’re making a layer cake and the layers require leveling, stage them off now earlier than you freeze them. (Study extra about how one can stage desserts on this tutorial on Find out how to Assemble a Layer Cake.)
STEP 2: Wrap every cake layer individually in a layer of plastic wrap. I like to make use of Glad Press & Seal to wrap desserts for freezing. I’m not working with this model, however that is actually the very best product I’ve tried for wrapping desserts.
STEP 3: Write the kind of cake and use-by date on a big piece of aluminum foil. For greatest style and texture, don’t freeze desserts for longer than 3 months. You may stretch it to 4 or 5 months, however the sooner you serve it, the brisker it tastes. I write on the aluminum foil earlier than wrapping the cake simply in case the ink seeps by way of. (It has earlier than!)
STEP 4: Wrap every cake layer in a layer of aluminum foil.
The double layer of wrapping is vital to preserving taste and texture.
The primary layer retains the cake tight and contemporary and the aluminum foil ensures no condensation will seep in. That is additionally how I wrap banana bread and different fast breads, too. Double layer = most freshness and no freezer burn.
You possibly can place your labeled, double-wrapped desserts within the freezer now, however for even extra safety, place them inside an hermetic freezer-safe container.
STEP 5: Place the cake(s) in a freezer-safe container. Or if you happen to don’t have a large enough container, wrap in one other layer of aluminum foil. After all make sure that the foil with the date on it’s what’s on the surface.
Be at liberty to stack the individually wrapped cake layers on prime of each other if that works greatest in your freezer house:
STEP 6: Freeze for as much as 3 months. Once more, I like to recommend writing the “use by” date on prime of the foil, 3 months from now.
Keep in mind, the earlier you thaw and benefit from the cake, the brisker it’s going to style.
You need to use this identical freezing methodology for spherical or sheet desserts, any dimension or form. Bundt desserts and loaf desserts, too! For cheesecake directions, see “Find out how to Freeze Cheesecake” in my traditional cheesecake recipe.
Find out how to Thaw Frozen Cake
To thaw the desserts, switch them from the freezer to the fridge a day upfront to offer them time to thaw. Or you possibly can thaw them at room temperature for a number of hours.
Both means, go away them of their wrappings to thaw, to forestall condensation from forming and making the desserts soggy.
The period of time it takes to thaw is determined by the dimensions of your cake, however be sure you enable no less than 8 hours to thaw within the fridge.
As soon as they’ve thawed, you possibly can merely unwrap the layers and proceed along with your cake recipe‘s instructions for frosting, assembling, and adorning.
For greatest style and texture, don’t freeze desserts for longer than 3 months. You may stretch it to 4 or 5 months, however the sooner you serve it, the brisker it tastes.
You possibly can freeze nearly any cake after they’ve cooled fully. Mega-flavorful desserts akin to banana cake, chocolate cake, carrot cake, and pumpkin cake freeze and thaw superbly when wrapped in a pair layers, as detailed above. I discover their taste is even higher after the freezing/thawing course of! Bundt desserts and pound cake freeze splendidly as properly, simply make sure that they’re fully cooled and wrapped tightly earlier than freezing.
Delicate desserts like angel meals cake, vertical cake, and pavlova don’t maintain up properly within the freezer as a result of their texture tends to undergo. It’s greatest to take pleasure in these contemporary.
The period of time it takes to thaw is determined by the dimensions of your cake, however be sure you enable no less than 8 hours to thaw within the fridge. Or you possibly can thaw cake at room temperature for a number of hours.
How about cookies? See my submit on Find out how to Freeze Cookie Dough for extra. Since you ought to ALWAYS have chocolate chip cookies on the prepared 🙂
Description
Use this video tutorial and step-by-step information to freeze your desserts so that they style as contemporary as doable.
- Bake and fully cool a cake/cake layers. These step-by-step pictures present spherical desserts, however you possibly can freeze sq., rectangle, Bundt desserts, and so forth. See my 10 greatest Cake Baking Suggestions for greatest practices on baking and cooling desserts.
- As soon as the cake(s) cools fully, wrap it in Press & Seal. That is the very best product for wrapping desserts. Skinny plastic/saran wrap is extremely clingy and irritating. Common plastic wrap undoubtedly works, however Press & Seal is a lot simpler to make use of and I’ve actually discovered that it retains my meals brisker. (Not working with this model, simply actually find it irresistible.)
- Write the kind of cake and use-by date on a big piece of aluminum foil. I write on the aluminum foil earlier than wrapping the cake simply in case the ink seeps by way of. It has earlier than!
- Wrap the cake within the aluminum foil.
- Place the cake(s) in a freezer-safe container. Or if you happen to don’t have a large enough container, wrap in one other layer of aluminum foil. (Make certain the foil with the date on it’s what’s on the surface.)
- Freeze for as much as 3 months. For greatest style and texture, don’t freeze desserts for longer than 3 months. You may stretch it to 4 or 5 months, however the sooner you serve it, the brisker it tastes.
- When able to thaw: Switch the wrapped desserts from the freezer to the fridge at some point earlier than adorning/serving. Take them out of the freezer container to thaw, however go away them wrapped in Press & Seal/aluminum foil. The desserts take no less than 8 hours to thaw fully within the fridge. Be sure you’re thawing the desserts whereas they’re nonetheless within the wrapping. Condensation varieties as meals thaw. This manner the condensation will type on the wrapping, not the cake.
- Assemble, embellish, and serve cake.
Notes
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Press & Seal | Aluminum Foil | Freezer-Protected Container
- Don’t Freeze Adorned Cake: For greatest style and texture, assemble and embellish the cake as near serving as doable. A very embellished cake will contract and broaden through the freezing/thawing course of, ruining a few of your exhausting work. You can also make the frosting forward of time and refrigerate it for 1 day, however contemporary frosting actually does style greatest.
