Cake and Cupcake Freezing Instructions

Cake and cupcakes can be frozen without incurring freezer burn. You can thaw them without ever knowing they were frozen if you follow a few simple steps.

Cakes and cupcakes freeze well. It is quite easy to plan ahead of time or just keep leftovers. I believe they taste better and are more moist when frozen first.

In this piece, I’ll share my favorite strategies for freezing cake layers and cupcakes before icing them.

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So I prefer to plan ahead of time. I prefer to make my cakes ahead of time, so I thought I’d show you how I freeze them.

I believe that many people are unaware that cakes and cupcakes may be properly frozen.

It’s a huge time saving, particularly if you have a side cake company or simply prefer making things ahead of time.

I never have freezer burn on my cakes, perhaps because I overwrap them, but I thought I’d share my tips and tactics with you.

Psst, this article will provide screenshots of the advice, but don’t forget to watch the video at the conclusion of this post to see my method.

Supplies Needed:

• Glad Press-n-Seal (or plain plastic wrap)
• Foil
• Cake layers or cupcakes (Some of my favorites are my vanilla bean cake recipe, moist white cake recipe, or chocolate butter cake recipe)

Freezing cakes:

I remove my cakes from the oven and place them on racks to cool for 10 minutes. I don’t leave them in their pans for any longer than that.

After ten minutes, I remove them from their pans and place them on cooling racks to cool entirely.

I’ve heard of people covering their warm cakes in plastic wrap and freezing them right away, but it makes me anxious.

Isn’t freezer burn caused by moisture? I don’t want any steam in there when I wrap them, so I let them cool nearly fully before wrapping.

I may have mentioned it before, but I have a thing for Press-n-Seal Wrap. I can’t seem to get standard saran wrap to work (plastic wrap).

Call me strange, but it always crinkles on me and adheres to itself. VERY clinging, in my opinion. Press-n-seal is just simpler to use.

Don’t worry if you can’t find press-n-seal in your area. Ordinary plastic wrap may also suffice. It’s simply not as simple to work with for me.

Put a big sheet of press-n-seal sticky side down on the counter, place a cake layer on it, and wrap it up.

Oh, and you may also remove the domes from the cakes if there are any. But, you are not required to do so right now. You can surely do this once they’ve been defrosted.

Then, place a second sheet of press-n-seal sticky side up on the counter, top with the cake (seam side down), and wrap it up.

Take a piece of foil and wrap it around them.

Here’s how I do the foil: Push the foil ends down, fold them in like a gift, and then roll up the ends. Covering it in this manner prevents the foil from denting the cake or causing it to become deformed.

After wrapping it once with foil, set the cake layer (seam side of the foil facing down) and cover it again. You should have two layers of plastic wrap and two layers of foil at this stage.

This may seem a bit excessive, but I believe it is better to be cautious than sorry, and I do not want to risk freezer burn.

Stick a piece of tape on top and write what kind of cake it is, the size, and the date.

I do utilize a variety of materials, however as I previously said, I never have freezer burn.

It’s conceivable that you just need one layer of foil, which is OK if you’re baking cakes for yourself, but when I was selling cakes, I always wanted to make damn sure they were as fresh as I could get them and went the additional mile.

Freezing cupcakes:

Yes, you can prepare and freeze cupcakes ahead of time. Freezing cupcakes is almost identical to freezing cakes.

Remove the cupcakes from the oven and leave them on the rack for approximately ten minutes.

Finally, remove the cupcakes from the pan and place them on the racks to cool entirely.

Lay a piece of press-n-seal (sticky side down), or standard plastic wrap, then place 6 to 8 cupcakes on it before wrapping it up.

Put another strip of press-n-seal (sticky side up) on the surface and wrap them up again. At this point, you should have two layers of press-n-seal or plastic wrap.

Fill a gallon freezer bag halfway with one or two of these cupcake packages. Finally, write the flavor and date on the bag.

Again, the wrapping may be a touch excessive, but I’d rather be safe than sorry, and I’ve never had a cake or cupcake come out of the freezer with freezer burn.

Freezing iced/frosted cakes & cupcakes:

Freezing iced cakes and cupcakes is not my first option. That is, nonetheless, possible.

I’ve known people to freeze whole iced and adorned cakes previously, but I wouldn’t do it unless absolutely necessary.

Rose from Rose Bakes has a great lesson on how she froze an entire fondant covered cake, which you can see here: Is it possible to freeze a fondant-covered cake?

Cupcakes that have been iced or frosted may also be frozen. You must plan ahead of time, but it is possible. I honestly like to freeze them without frosting and then ice them once they’ve defrosted, but that’s not always an option.

I’ve written a complete article on how to preserve cupcakes, including what to keep them in and what to freeze them in. The post may be found here.

In a nutshell, you want to put them in a container that will not squash them.

How long can I freeze cakes and cupcakes?

I don’t like to keep cakes or cupcakes frozen for more than three to four weeks.

Certainly, they are still edible after that, but if you are selling them, you want them to be as fresh as possible.

I wrote a whole piece on how far in advance you can create cakes (and decorate them). If you prefer to plan ahead, you should look into this: How Far Ahead Can I Make a Cake?

How to defrost cakes and cupcakes:

Most people would believe that you just take the cakes or cupcakes out of the freezer, unwrap them, and let them thaw that way. THAT IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO! Sorry for yelling at you, but I needed to grab your attention.

What you DO want to do is: Remove your frozen cakes or cupcakes but keep them in their container to thaw.

What’s the reason? Defrosting will result in condensation, and if you leave them in their packaging, the condensation will collect on the exterior of the package rather than on your cakes or cupcakes.

When you attempt to ice your cake, too much moisture might generate air bubbles. The frosting may put on nicely, but after a few hours, you’ll notice a blow out or icing bubble on the edge of the cake.

Check read this page for additional information on why this occurs and how to avoid it: Should I cool my cakes before decorating them?

In the case of cupcakes, allowing condensation to form on the actual cupcake may cause the liners to come away from the cupcake, or the icing to fail to adhere to the cupcake.

Moreover, unless your cake or cupcakes include perishable contents or are iced with them, it is not required to thaw them in the fridge. In fact, leaving them there might sometimes cause them to dry out.

Now it’s your job to freeze your cakes and cupcakes and let me know what you think! I believe you’ll be astonished at how fresh they taste, as if you just cooked them.