Dear SugarSource: My Cake is Stuck!

Dear SugarSource,
I thought I properly greased my cake pans, but it turns out I must have missed several spots. I can’t get my cake out! Are they ruined, or is there something I can do?

Sincerely,
Stuck Baker

Dear Stuck Baker,
The good news is that there are a few steps you can take to try to mitigate the damage! After the cake has cooled for about an hour, pop it into the freezer. It is less likely to crumble or fall apart as you work it out of the pan when it’s cold.

After about six hours (or overnight), use a butter knife to loosen the cake around the edges. Hovering over a cutting board, flip the pan over and tap on the bottom. If it does not slip out, use forks to dislodge the cake’s edges, moving toward the center. Once it has been fully removed, let the cake defrost for a few hours before proceeding to frosting or decorating.

To avoid in the future, use a pastry brush to effectively coat all of the nooks and crannies of your pans with (very soft) butter. Good luck!

Until next time,
SugarSource

Dear Sugar Source: Freezing A Cake

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