Quick Tip: Freeze Pre-Baked Cakes

When we're throwing a dinner party or any other kind of gathering, we like to do as much of the cooking ahead of time as we possibly can. We love this trick of freezing baked, unfrosted cake rounds because it means we can do the baking a week or even a month before the party! It's super easy...

Just bake the cake as normal and let it cool completely on the counter. Then wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of tin foil to protect it from freezer burn, and lay it flat in the freezer. Don't forget to label it with the type of cake and the date!

Frozen cake rounds will keep in the freezer for several months and no one will know the difference once they're thawed and frosted. If you're making a layer cake, an added bonus is that cake is easier to slice into layers when it's slightly chilled.

The only trick is remembering to take the cake out of the freezer and put it in the fridge the night before you want to frost it. Cake really needs to thaw slowly so it can reabsorb the moisture evenly. Cake left on the counter to thaw can sometimes end up mushy.

(Image: Emma Christensen for the Kitchn)

Comments (7)

Did you mean to title this just 'baked' cakes? Because wouldn't pre-baked cakes be, well, not baked?

In a more constructive comment, I do this often with cupcakes. I'm a 1 person household but I love cupcakes. So I make them, bake them, and then defrost one or two at a time to enjoy. Thanks for the reminder about larger cakes!

posted by laetitiae on April 20th 2009 at 1:06pm
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Great suggestion. My daughter's birthday is New Year's Eve, and baking the cake on December 30th after all the holiday baking that had already gone on was a stressor--and not a great cake. Birthday cake is going to be coming out of the freezer in '09.

posted by cmcinnyc on April 20th 2009 at 1:28pm
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I've done this before! I did it for my Grandad's birthday because it was on the friday and I had a superbusy week ahead, so I made it the weekend before. Really good time saving tip. Good idea to do it with cupcakes too, I hadn't thought of that before! I freeze buttercream sometimes when I have loads left over though.

posted by afeitar on April 20th 2009 at 1:43pm
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Great idea! I thought I'd attempt a layered ice cream cake for my boyfriend's birthday, and now the task doesn't seem so daunting! And I can slice it when it's cold... excellent.

posted by a_sanzie on April 20th 2009 at 1:45pm
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I did the for the first time when throwing a bridal shower. Though I was NOT the maid-of-honor I quickly realized none of the other bridesmaids were going to help at all, and my friend really deserved something nice. I had to do ALL the food, decorations, entertainment/games, and if I hadn't been able to make the cupcakes ahead of time and freeze them, they would NOT of gotten done! Everyone commented how moist and yummy the cupcakes were!

I'm doing it again this week too! My friend's birthday party is Saturday, but I'm making the cupcakes tonight!

posted by UptownGirl on April 20th 2009 at 2:19pm
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I do this, but quickly learned to do it early in the morning so the fragrance of cake would be gone before Husband came home from work.

Pound cakes keep especially well in the freezer, and I like to divide the batter, and make two loaf cakes instead of one round pound cake. Then Husband is happy, and I have a cake tucked away for emergencies.

posted by SunnyBlue on April 20th 2009 at 4:27pm
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Thawing is the tricky part - watch it! I just had to serve a mushy carrot cake last week b/c I didn't thaw it properly! It was more like carrot pudding. Oh well. Next time I'll know!

posted by buzzybee on April 21st 2009 at 2:36am
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