Freezing Cakes?

[LSpencer916]

How long do most of you freeze your cakes for? I know some people don't, but with 2 kids its sometimes hard to just make it and decorate the same day.

I had the Squadron cake stored in the freezer for 2 weeks and it tasted like I just made it. Maybe it was the extra pudding in the mix?

[Amanda]

I understand the kids part. I have 3 boys, 6,5 and 16 mos.
I have never frozen cakes, but I do certainly take my time. I usually make them in the evening and let them rest overnight. Then I crumb coat in the morning and decorate in the evening after the boys are in bed.
Sometimes, if I have to start a bit earlier and my husband isn't home to help watch the boys, I'll fend off the boys by giving them fondant and telling them to make me something specific (like and animal or a house). When they are done I let them eat it. I've also been known to use extra icing to do face painting. It keeps them out if my hair. They'll go look at themselves in the mirror, laugh at each other and play for a little bit, not to mention the time it takes a while to lick off all the icing.
I know that doesn't help you with the freezing part of your question, but that's how I handle decorating with kids. I hope it helps.
Amanda

oh, one more thing...My children are scared to death to touch a cake because someone told them that the cake fairy will tell Santa Claus

[LSpencer916]

Great ideas on the kids part! Mine are only 3 and 1 so they are on their own programs...lol.

I love the Santa thing. I should try that with my oldest...hehe

[jpprobst]

Originally Posted by LSpencer916

How long do most of you freeze your cakes for? I know some people don't, but with 2 kids its sometimes hard to just make it and decorate the same day.

I had the Squadron cake stored in the freezer for 2 weeks and it tasted like I just made it. Maybe it was the extra pudding in the mix?

I have heard that it can be frozen up to a year. The secret is to wrap the cake(which is completely cold in saran wrap secured with duct tape, then foil secured with duct tape, then finally in freezer wrap secured with duct tape. Repeat this step 3 times. My customers swear by it.

[cakebaker]

I almost always have my cakes frozen at some point in the decorating process. If I'm carving them or torting, I like them slightly frozen. It's much less messy. I also like to really get the crumb coat good and cold, so I'll sometimes freeze then too.

I always bake the cakes a day or two ahead and freeze them. Honestly, I think the cakes are more moist after freezing. I have no idea why that is, but my best cakes are ones that are frozen after baking.

Freezing cakes has a bad connotation because as customers we know that if a cake has been frozen, we have no idea how old it really is. But, since I'm the one doing the baking, I know my cakes are fresh whether they got passed through the freezer or not.

For longer term freezing, I agree, proper wrapping is essential. I cool mine completely, wrap in plastic wrap (not the saran wrap, but commercial quality), then double wrap in foil. They'll last for months!

[mssweetie24]

I tried freezing 2 cakes just this past weekend...I had wrapped them really good..One turned out really good but the other one wasnt so good.. I had to throw it away. So I guess it just depends what kind of cake and how much luck you have with them..

[MtBaker]

Originally Posted by Amanda

I understand the kids part. I have 3 boys, 6,5 and 16 mos.

Amanda,
God bless you, I thought my hands were full with one five almost six year old. Boy, I'm sure as the heck not going to get any sympathy here.

[2sdae]

I am a stay at MOM of 3 girls 2, 3, & 15. Then we have 2 dogs a 51 pounder beagle and a 110 pound Israli desert dog and 1 very spoiled Siamese cat.
So I have 2 days a week I bleach and sweep and vacuum EVERYTHING.
So those are the days I bake. I take cake out of oven, cool just long enough to release from pans without burning myself and immediately I wrap in press-n-seal wrap and put into freezer. So mine are usually frozen between 1 and 3 days to ensure My area is always clean and pet and child free.
Now when I de-thaw them I leave then wrapped and out on cooling rack till they are dry inside the wrapping so all condensation is absorbed into the cake.
This ensures a moist tender edged cake every time.
If I need to tort and fill I can always do that later and I never had a problem with any of my cakes.

[MtBaker]

Originally Posted by 2sdae

I am a stay at MOM of 3 girls 2, 3, & 15. Then we have 2 dogs a 51 pounder beagle and a 110 pound Israli desert dog and 1 very spoiled Siamese cat.

I think that line needs to be corrected into:

I am an exhausted MOM of 3 girls 2, 3, & 15. Then we have 2 dogs a 51 pounder beagle and a 110 pound Israli desert dog and 1 very spoiled Siamese cat.

[2sdae]

Originally Posted by MtBaker

I think that line needs to be corrected into:

I am an exhausted MOM of 3 girls 2, 3, & 15. Then we have 2 dogs a 51 pounder beagle and a 110 pound Israeli desert dog and 1 very spoiled Siamese cat.

NAHH! That's what keeps me young and vibrant...not to mention helps with all the cake scraps and icing tests I have to do too!!!!