How to freeze cake layers

This 12 months I’m making an attempt to weblog my solutions to the questions you guys ask probably the most! One standard query is how far upfront you may make cake layers. To reply this, we have to discuss freezing cake layers!

Some persons are hesitant to freeze their cake layers, fearful that the freezer will dry them out.

Reading: How to freeze cake layers

I promise freezing cake layers doesn’t change the feel or style in any respect, in the event that they’re correctly wrapped!

I’m hoping this submit may also reply different widespread questions, like:

• When do I freeze a cake?
• How do I freeze cake layers?
• Ought to I stage my layers earlier than I freeze my cake layers?
• Do I thaw the layers earlier than I make the cake?
• How far forward of time can I make cake layers?
• How ought to I retailer my cake layers?
• Why ought to I freeze my cake layers?

Making a cake from scratch takes hours of labor, from baking all of the layers, to getting ready the frosting and decorations. Should you attempt to do all of it in in the future, it takes without end, and looks like a lot extra of a chore.

I used to work full time in company finance, and ceaselessly baked after work or on the weekends.

I beloved to bake my layers one night time, prep my frosting and cake fillings one other, after which benefit from the adorning course of over the weekend.

Whereas baking is therapeutic in it’s personal means, my favourite a part of making muffins is adorning them! It brings me a lot pleasure, and is actually my artistic outlet.

I discover I’m in a position to get pleasure from it most after I’m not worrying about how for much longer my layers have to bake, or cleansing up the clouds of powdered sugar that appear to coat my kitchen at any time when I make frosting.

How to Freeze Cake Layers in Advance

I virtually at all times make my cake elements upfront! When making my cake layers forward of time, I take my pans out of the oven, then run an offset spatula across the fringe of the pan to separate the layers from the pan.

After this, I place the nice and cozy pans instantly into my freezer.

Sounds loopy, proper?? Scorching pans proper into the freezer?? It dramatically accelerates the cooling course of, and I really like with the ability to pace up the method a bit.

Read more: How to make garlic bread from scratch

After about half-hour, as soon as the pans are cool to the contact, I take away my cake layers from my pans by gently tapping the pans upside-down on my counter, and thoroughly eradicating the layers with my palms.

To be fully trustworthy, if I’m simply freezing my cake layers in a single day, I don’t wrap them.

I simply place them again into the freezer, on cardboard cake rounds to make sure they freeze flat. I’ve discovered it makes no distinction in style, and makes the entire course of less complicated.

Making a Cake a Few Days in Advance

However, if I’m making my layers greater than a day upfront, I both wrap every layer in Saran Wrap, or place them into a big tupperware container (if the layers are sufficiently small).

I want the Tupperware route because it’s much less wasteful, however when freezing cake layers for longer intervals of time (quite a lot of days), I feel Saran Wrap works finest.

Making Cake Layers Additional in Advance

Should you plan to make your cake layers quite a lot of days upfront, I extremely suggest doubling as much as defend your cake layers from freezer burn.

There are just a few alternative ways you are able to do this:

• Wrap cake layers in two layers of Saran Wrap
• First wrap cake layers in Saran Wrap, then wrap in second layer of foil
• Wrap in Saran Wrap then place in air tight tupperware container
• Wrap in Saran Wrap, then place into giant ziplock freezer bag

My vanilla layer cake recipe might be made three weeks upfront, if wrapped correctly. I’ve solely made layers three weeks upfront, and I haven’t examined the higher limits.

If any of you’ve frozen my cake layer recipe for longer, please let me know the period, and the way they tasted.

I’ve talked to different bakers, and a few like to right away pop their layer out of their pans, wrap them in plastic wrap whereas they’re nonetheless sizzling, after which place them within the freezer.

Each strategies assist preserve moisture within the layers! If you concentrate on steam rising from a baked good sizzling out of the oven, it’s moisture evaporating proper out no matter you simply baked!

By decreasing the steam that leaves your cake layers, you’re serving to them keep moist and scrumptious.

How to Thaw and Use Frozen Cake Layers

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So now that you just’ve frozen your cake layers, what do you do when it comes time to make the cake?!

I wish to take away my layer from the freezer about half-hour earlier than I need to start frosting a cake.

I unwrap every layer and lay them out on my counter to thaw. Simply after doing this (and whereas they’re nonetheless fully frozen), I wish to trim the caramelization from the edges of my layers with a serrated knife.

I then let the layer thaw for half-hour (this could fluctuate relying on the dimensions of your cake layers). At this level they’re nonetheless chilled, but in addition barely agency. That is after I stage my cake layers utilizing a serrated knife.

Should you attempt to stage the cake earlier than it has thawed, it is going to be extraordinarily troublesome to chop by means of, making it extra probably that the layers break.

The Advantages of Frosting Chilled Cake Layers

As soon as the layers are trimmed, leveled, and nonetheless barely chilled, I start to make the cake. I do know this sounds unusual, however chilled cake layers are a lot simpler to stack and frost!

Chilling the cake layers reduces the quantity of crumbing, and helps the buttercream agency up as soon as it’s added to the cake. This minimizes any shifting of your cake layers as you add a crumb coat.

Chilled cake layers are additionally a lot simpler to carve, in the event you’re engaged on a sculpted cake.

If my cake layers are at room temperature, and I attempt to carve them, I discover that my layers form of crumble, and are very troublesome to form.

When my layers are chilled, I can minimize and form them into no matter form I’m after.

Key Takeaways

This ended up being for much longer than I meant, so right here’s a bit recap of the primary takeaways of creating cake layers upfront:

• Cake layers might be made a number of weeks upfront if correctly wrapped as described above (doubled wrapped!)
• Layers must be thawed for about half-hour earlier than leveling and constructing the cake
• Making a cake with chilled cake layers (thawed out of the freezer for half-hour) reduces crumbling
• Chilled cake layers are simpler to stack and carve

Please let me know in the event you use any completely different strategies for freezing cake layers, I’d love to listen to about them!!

Also read: Jalapeno cheese bread machine recipe

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