Dear Sugar Source,
I’m going to a party mid-week and I want to bake a cake for the event but I only really have time to do so on the weekends. Can I make the cake on Saturday, freeze it and bring it to the function the following Friday? Will this ruin the cake? I’m making a basic yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Please let me know!
Sincerely,
Concerned Part-Time Cake Baker
Dear Concerned Part-Time Cake Bakery,
I’m not sure the occasion, but I’ve found that homemade treats are received well at most functions. Regarding your concerns, you can absolutely bake ahead and freeze. Frozen cakes are actually easier to decorate – less crumbs flake off during the frosting process, and there isn’t a chance that the cake’s temperature will start melting the icing either. I’ve provided a few pointers below:
– Freezing works best with rich, dense cakes. Angel food, for example, may not hold up to this approach.
– Once the cake is completely cooled on wire racks, place in the freezer. Once completely frozen, wrap the cake in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of tin foil. If you have multiple layers, wrap them individually.
– Cream cheese frosting can stand up to being frozen. However, I would recommend leaving the frosting until the day-of.
– On the morning of the day you would like to serve the cake (Friday, in this case), take the cake out of the freezer. Whip up the icing and frost as usual. By the evening’s festivities, the cake should be thawed while still remaining moist for your guests.
Good luck with the cake – I’m sure it will be wonderful!
Until next time,
SugarSource
SugarSource 