So you want to freeze your wedding cake. Good for you!
There are a lot of reasons why couples decide to freeze their wedding cakes. The great news is that most cakes freeze very well. The key is to prepare the cake properly, so it’s good to eat later. Having the right materials, and doing everything in the right steps, will ensure your cake will be tasty months after the wedding.
There are some caveats you should know before you freeze your wedding cake. First, your cake may not taste the same once it’s thawed out. And, some cake ingredients freeze better than others. It’s important to understand that even when you take all the proper precautions, there’s still some risk to freezing your wedding cake. I will promise you, though, that the right steps will ensure the best case scenario. There definitely is a right way and wrong way to do it.
How To Freeze Your Wedding Cake
My method of freezing wedding cake is much like others you will find online. It’s simple, and it’s straightforward. However, hopefully you find some tips in this post that you aren’t finding in other tutorials on how to freeze your wedding cake, and they will set you up for success.
Let’s get into it!
WHY FREEZE YOUR WEDDING CAKE?
Before we go over the steps on how to freeze your cake, let’s talk about the reasons why people do it at all.
For some, the thought of eating frozen cake is just gross. And for others, it’s appealing. I’m one of those people who is really into it. We absolutely froze our cake after our wedding. I thawed it eventually, and I ate it. It was delicious. I wanted to freeze our cake because I wanted to eat it. Plain and simple.
Let’s go over some other reasons why couples freeze their cakes.
- Some couples want to enjoy their cake on their first anniversary. Don’t you agree that it’s a very sweet thought to reminisce about your wedding while actually having something from your wedding?
- Cake is good. Some people just don’t want to waste it. I’m one of those people.
- In some cases, the cake is set aside to share with people who were not at the wedding. For whatever reason, sometimes guests can’t make it. Sharing cake with them can be a special way to include them after the fact.
- The cake may be saved for a baby christening. This tradition has fallen out of style, but decades ago couples would freeze their wedding cakes so they could serve it after their baby’s christening. The thought was that the baptism would take place about a year after the wedding, so the timing was perfect.
WHAT KIND OF CAKE DOES BEST FROZEN?
As I mentioned earlier, not all cake does well frozen, and throughout the thawing process things can go wrong. Before you bother going through the steps to freeze your cake, and taking up valuable freezer space, you should analyze whether it’s worth it in your situation.
Here are elements of cake that freeze very well:
- Cakes with basic batters
- A buttercream frosting
- Nut fillings
- Fondant (which doesn’t really get eaten anyway)
- Carrot cake
- Chocolate cake
- Ganache
Here are elements of cake that do not freeze very well:
- Delicate decorations (which can be removed before freezing)
- Cakes that are dry to begin with
- Custard fillings
- Fresh fruit
- Meringues
The main issue with the elements that do not freeze well is that they can warp and the flavors can change. It’s not that the cake will be inedible, it will just be a matter of being appetizing to eat.
THE RISKS OF FREEZING YOUR WEDDING CAKE
Before we get into the steps of freezing your wedding cake, let’s talk about what can go wrong when you freeze your cake.
Freezers are icy, cold environments. While they slow down the aging process of food, they open up opportunity for new issues. Cake can become quite dry in a freezer, especially if there is opportunity for air to get to it. They can also gather frost right on the cake, so properly wrapping it up is crucial. Freezing itself can cause flavors to change, and delicate flavors can become stale.
Why do I tell you all this? Because I want you to be prepared. There are risks with freezing, so you should think about a back up plan if you have a special goal for your defrosted cake.
HOW TO FREEZE YOUR WEDDING CAKE
Okay, the reason why you came to this page. Let’s go over how to freeze your wedding cake!
1. PRE-FREEZE YOUR CAKE
The first step is to cut your cake into manageable slices or pieces, and do a pre-freeze of your wedding cake. I suggest cutting it with a sharp knife, or unflavored floss. This will make it easier to pull out smaller slices and defrost, and help you maximize the space used in your freezer.
Once the slices are made, it’s time for a pre-freeze. You want the slices to be very hard, so they can be sturdy as you maneuver them in the wrapping process. To do this properly, place each slice in the freezer for three to 24 hours, on a lined baking sheet. You’ll know that the slices are properly frozen when the icing is hard. The goal is to avoid finger prints and damage to the cake, as well as prevent plastic wrap from sticking.
During this step, be sure to remove any decorations from the cake. They will not help the cake stay airtight, but they most likely will run into issues when the cake is thawed anyway.
2. WRAP YOUR CAKE
Once your cake is pre-frozen, it’s time to start wrapping. I like to start with a layer or two of plastic wrap. You want it to be close to the cake, but not incredibly tight. Aim for as little air as possible to be in the plastic wrap, without “constricting” the cake. Air is one of your cake’s enemies, which is why we want to keep it out. It will cause your cake to dry out and ice to form.
Once the cake is entirely wrapped in plastic, give it another wrap in aluminum foil. Now, some articles will not recommend aluminum foil. I think that it helps give a little more integrity and protection to your cake, though. Plus, once the cake is wrapped in plastic, it will not absorb flavor from the foil.
3. PROTECT THE CAKE
Ideally, once wrapped you’d put your wedding cake in a box or airtight container. This is where having it pre-cut into slices comes in handy.
Once the cake is placed in it’s container, wrap plastic around it as well. Be sure to write a note on the outside of the container about it’s contents, and date it. This will help you reduce any risk of it getting accidently tossed out. Plus, it helps avoid anyone peaking inside to see what the content is, and risk getting air into the cake.
Place back in the freezer once you feel your cake is protected. If you don’t have a proper box or container, don’t worry. Some sturdy foil and strategic placement of the cake is fine.
4. TAKING THE CAKE OUT OF THE FREEZER
When it’s time to thaw your cake, things are very straightforward.
All you need to do is remove your cake from the freezer, and take all the wrapping off of it. Thaw your cake in your fridge for a day or two before you want to eat it. You may want to place it in a bowl or airtight container during the thawing process, to keep other odors and flavors away from it while it’s in the fridge.
Once the cake has been in your fridge for an adequate amount of time, put it on your counter for a few hours. This will help it get to room temperature and perfect for consumption.
Bon appetite! At this point, you’ve done it!
OTHER TIPS BEFORE YOU FREEZE YOUR WEDDING CAKE
Need additional tips for freezing your wedding cake?
- Ask your baker for pointers. Every cake is different. They may have tips for you. They may point out if it’s even worth it.
- See if your baker can give you a box to keep your cake in, while it’s frozen.
- While you pre-freeze your cake, make sure there’s nothing else in the freezer that has a strong smell. The cake can absorb it while it’s exposed.
- If you’re going to freeze your cake, do it as soon as possible. This will prevent the cake from getting stale before it’s frozen.
- If your cake doesn’t defrost well, get a replacement. Your bakery may even make you a replica at a discounted price.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Friends, there you have it. Everything you need to know about how to freeze your wedding cake. It’s not a complicated process, but it’s a strategic one. Every cake is different, and not all will do well with being frozen. However, and I can speak from personal experience, some cakes do very well. They taste amazing and fresh once thawed out. So, bon appetite! Happy wedding planning!
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Thanks for sharing these tips! Freezing a wedding cake sounds like a great way to preserve those sweet memories, and your step-by-step guide makes it seem pretty straightforward.
Thank you! Yes, freezing your cake (the right way) is a good thing! Thank you for the comment!