You can actually freeze cake and cupcakes without getting freezer burn. As long as you follow a few easy tips, you can defrost them and you won’t be able to tell they were ever frozen.
I love freezing cakes and cupcakes. It makes things so convenient to work ahead, or to just save leftovers. I actually think they taste better and are more moist when they’re frozen first.
In this post, I want to give you my best tips for how to freeze cake layers plus cupcakes before frosting them.
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So, I like to do things ahead of time. I like to bake my cakes in advance and I thought why not share with you how I freeze them.
I think there are a lot of people who don’t realize that you actually CAN freeze cakes and cupcakes successfully.
It’s an absolute time saver, especially if you have a cake business as a side job, or if you just like doing things ahead of time.
I never have freezer burn on my cakes, probably because I go a little overboard on wrapping them, but I thought I’d share with you my tips and tricks.
Psst…this post will show screenshots of the tips, but don’t forget there is a video close to the end of this post that shows my process.
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:
When I pull my cakes out of the oven, I set them on racks to cool for 10 minutes. I don’t let them sit in their pans any longer than that.
After ten minutes, I then turn them out of their pans and onto the racks to cool completely.
I’ve heard of people actually wrapping their warm cakes and sticking them directly into the freezer, but honestly that makes me a little nervous.
Isn’t it moisture that causes freezer burn? I just don’t want steam in there when I wrap them up, so I let them cool almost completely before wrapping them.
I may have mentioned it a time or two, but I have a love-affair with Press-n-Seal Wrap. I can’t seem to work regular saran wrap (plastic wrap).
Call me weird, but it always just crinkles up on me and sticks to itself. I find TOO clingy. Press-n-seal is just so much easier to use.
Now, if you can’t get press-n-seal where you live, don’t worry. Regular plastic wrap will work just as well. I just don’t find it as easy to work with.
Now, take a large piece of press-n-seal and set it sticky side down on the counter, set a cake layer on it and wrap it up.
Oh, yeah, you can also go ahead and cut the domes off the cakes, if there are any. You don’t have to do this right now though. You can certainly do this after you’ve defrosted them.
Next set a second piece of press-n-seal sticky side up on the counter, set the cake (seam side down) on it and wrap it up.
Now take a strip of foil and wrap them up.
Here’s my method for the foil: Press down the ends of the foil, fold them in like a present and then roll up the ends. Wrapping it like that, keeps the foil from denting into the cake, or causing the cake to get misshapen.
After you’ve wrapped it once with foil, place the cake layer (seam side of the foil face down) and then wrap it up all over again. At this point you’ll have two layers of plastic wrap and two layers of foil.
This may be a little overkill, but I just feel like it’s better to me safe, than sorry and I definitely don’t want any chance of freezer burn.
You can then stick a piece of tape on the top and write what kind of cake it is, the size and the date.
I do use a lot of materials, but like I said earlier, I never get freezer burn.
It’s possible you only really need one layer of foil, and that’s totally okay if you’re making cakes for home, but when I was selling cakes, I always wanted to be dang sure, they were as fresh as I could get them and just went the extra mile.
Freezing cupcakes:
Yes, you can make cupcakes ahead of time and freeze them. Freezing cupcakes is almost the same procedure as freezing cakes.
Take the cupcakes out of the oven and let them set in the pan, on the rack for about ten minutes.
Then take your cupcakes out of the pan and set them on the racks to cool completely.
Spread out a strip of press-n-seal (sticky side down), or you can use regular plastic wrap, and set 6 to 8 cupcakes on it and then wrap it up.
Set another strip of press-n-seal on the counter (sticky side up) and wrap them up again. At this point you’ll have two layers of press-n-seal, or two layers of plastic wrap.
Next, place one or two of these cupcake packets into a gallon freezer bag. Then label the bag with the flavor and date.
Again, it may be a little overkill with the wrapping, 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:
It’s not my first choice to freeze frosted cakes and cupcakes. It can be done though.
I have known people to freeze whole frosted and decorated cakes before, although I wouldn’t do that unless you absolutely needed to.
Rose from Rose Bakes has a wonderful tutorial on how she froze an entire fondant covered cake and you can see how she did it here: Can You Freeze a Fondant Covered Cake?
You can also freeze iced or frosted cupcakes as well. You have to think ahead a little, but it can be done. I honestly prefer to freeze them without icing and then ice them once they’re defrosted, but sometimes you don’t have that option.
I have an entire post about how to store cupcakes that goes through what to store them in and what to freeze them in. You can see that post here.
In short, you want to place them in a container that won’t squish them.
How long can I freeze cakes and cupcakes?
Personally, I don’t like to keep cakes or cupcakes frozen over three to four weeks.
Yes, technically they are still fine to eat after that, but if you’re selling these, then you want them as fresh as possible.
I have an entire post that goes through how far in advance you can bake cakes (and decorate them). If you like to work ahead, then you’ll want to check that out here: How Far In Advance Can I Bake a Cake?
How to defrost cakes and cupcakes:
I think most people would assume you just take the cakes or cupcakes out of the freezer, unwrap them and then just let them defrost that way. YOU DON’T WANT TO DO THAT! Ok, I’m sorry I yelled at you, but I had to get your attention.
Here’s what you DO want to do: Take your cakes or cupcakes out of the freezer, but leave them in their packaging to defrost.
The reason? Well, defrosting will cause some condensation and if you leave them in their packaging, then the condensation will form on the outside of the packaging and NOT on your cakes or cupcakes.
Too much moisture on your cakes can cause air bubbles when you try to ice it. The icing may go on smoothly, but a couple hours later, you’ll look at the cake and there will be a blow out or icing bubble on the side of it.
For more info on why that happens and how to prevent it, you’ll want to check out this post: Should I Refrigerate my Cakes before Decorating Them?
As for cupcakes, if you allow condensation to build on the actual cupcake, it could cause the liners to pull away from the cupcake, or perhaps the icing won’t stick to the cupcake.
And unless your cake or cupcakes have perishable fillings in them or are frosted with them, then it’s not necessary to let them defrost in the fridge. In fact, keeping them there can sometimes dry them out.
Video:
Ok, now it’s your turn to try freezing your cakes and cupcakes and tell me what you think! I think you’ll be surprised at how fresh they taste…like you just baked them actually.
Don’t forget to pin it below!
Martina
Hey there! Have you ever tried filling and crumb coating your cakes and then freezing them? Is that recommended? Also, if not, could you fill/coat before they thaw? Thanks for the advice 🙂
Kara Jane
Hi Martina, I know there are people who do that and have no problem with it at all. I’m not one of those people though. 😉 The condensation that forms on cakes when they’re thawing out, can wreak havoc later on when you’re trying to ice and decorate them. I just try to freeze each layer and then let them thaw completely in their wrappings, then add the filling and decorate. I don’t fill or ice them when they’re frozen or even cold. There are people who do that and that seems to work for them, but I always have problems later on with icing bulges and blowouts if I ice a cold cake. I have an entire post about that if you’d like to check it out here: https://iscreamforbuttercream.com/should-i-refrigerate-my-cake-before-decorating/
I will say that each person is different and we each have our own way of doing things. One way isn’t right and one way isn’t wrong…it’s just what works best for you.
carmen
Hi Kara, first of all thank you for this post. i wanted to ask in your experience does this method work with all kinds of cakes? say Angel food cake, chiffon and sponge cakes?
I’m planning to make one of those cakes and freezing it, it will be transported to a location that an hour and a half away, and then frozen again. will freezing thawing and freezing a cake again change its consistency. thank you in advance for your time.
Kara Jane
Hi Carmen, thanks for your question. I don’t make a lot of Angel Food and chiffon type cakes, so I’m not sure if that would make a difference, or not. My guess is that they would probably be okay as long as they’re wrapped really well. I don’t know that thawing them and then refreezing them is a good idea though. That’s generally when you get texture problems…when you refreeze things. If you could keep it mostly frozen during the transport, that would probably be better. Maybe add it to an ice chest or something?
carmen
thank you so much for your quick response.
Kara Jane
You’re welcome and I hope everything works out!
Felicia
Thank you for all the helpful tips. I’m going to be baking a grand manier cake that calls for a grand manier simple sugar soak, do you recommend doing this before freezing or apply after thawing. Thank you cake guru!
Kara Jane
‘Cake guru’…I love it! 😉 Ok, now to your question…I would probably do this after freezing and then fully thawing. I would be concerned about what it would do to the texture of the cake when frozen and then thawed. I think the safest and best bet is to do it afterwards…that’s what I would do. I hope it all goes well! 🙂
Rebecca
I use your method for freezing cakes and cupcakes, works great. Will pumpkin spice freeze well? Also for about 2-3 weeks left frozen? Thanks.
Kara Jane
Hi Rebecca, I’m glad it’s been working for you! So do you mean pumpkin spice cake? If so, then yes it should be just fine. I’ve frozen pumpkin bread tons of times (which is super close to pumpkin cake) and it’s always been fine. And freezing cake for 2-3 weeks should be fine as well. I do that all the time. 🙂
Jenn
Hi Kara,
What are your thoughts on freezing cupcakes that were baked with an oreo cookie at the bottom of the liners? I have a busy schedule and love freezing a few days ahead but am afraid of the cookie becoming soggy.
Thank you!
Kara Jane
Hmmm yeah I tend to agree with you. I haven’t frozen those types of cupcakes, but I’d be afraid it would get soggy as well.
Linda
hi Kara
i was wondering how long cakes last unfrosted in the freezer?
thank you
Linda
Kara Jane
I like to freeze mine no longer than about three weeks for maximum freshness. They’re good for longer than that, but I just feel like they’re best before about three weeks or at the most four.
Sofia
Hi I realize this was posted a while ago but I might as well ask. I’m looking to freeze two cakes for just a few days do you think I could just use plastic wrap if I can’t find the press-n-seal at my supermarket? Have you ever tried it with plastic wrap or heard of someone who did and the cake come out just as well?
Kara Jane
Yes you can use regular plastic wrap. I’ve used it myself and it works just fine. I just like the press-n-seal because it sticks to itself and I get get a better seal. But you can wrap it real well with the regular plastic wrap and it should be fine.
Kate
Hi Kara,
I was wondering how long it typically takes for the cakes to defrost at room temperature. I’m making my daughter’s first birthday cake and want to make sure I have everything timed properly. Thanks!
Kara Jane
It really depends on how big the layers are. Smaller ones will defrost much quicker. I don’t have an exact time, but I’d give yourself a couple hours just to be safe. I normally just set them out on the counter the night before I need them, or in the morning if I’ll be using them that afternoon. Hope this helps!
Danielle Wallace
Hi! I used this method for freezing cupcakes for my daughters party this weekend, and I was wondering how long should I allow them to thaw for?
Kara Jane
It really depends on how large the cake layers are. I’d usually just set them out on the counter and go off to work and when I came back, they would be defrosted, or just set them out before you go to bed and they’ll be defrosted in the morning. It really only takes about a few hours at room temp. for regular sized 8″ round cake layers. You want to leave them in their wrappings though while they’re defrosting.
Jamie
Will this work with gluten free cakes and cupcakes too? Making 75 cupcakes for my daughter’s wedding, who is celiac, so we are making the desserts ourselves. Would love to make the cupcakes the week before and freeze them because we will have a lot to do the last few days before the wedding. If we frost them the day before the wedding, do we have to cover them after? Will they stay fresh till the next evening? Thanks so much!
Kara Jane
Jamie, I think freezing gluten free cakes and cupcakes would be fine. I haven’t personally tried it, but I did a quick search online and it looks like it should be just fine. I can’t think of any reason why it shouldn’t work. So if you frost them the day before, that should be fine too. I used to do that a lot. You do want to cover them well though, because cupcakes will dry out super fast. I don’t normally keep mine in the fridge, because that seems to dry them out quicker, but if you have perishable icing on them, you’ll have to chill them. I like to put my cupcakes in large plastic containers with lids, or you can get large cake boxes with cupcake inserts. I have a whole post on how I keep cupcakes from drying out. You can see that here: https://iscreamforbuttercream.com/keep-cupcakes-from-drying-out/ I hope this helps and I hope everything goes well!
Mercia
Hi,
I do leave my cakes to cool completely before icing them. But i cover them with a plastic and cloth on top. When i open the cake before icing it has a soft top like raw batter? How come is that?
I bake my cakes in a gas stove and like most recipes on 350.
Kara Jane
Are you covering the cake with plastic when it’s still warm? That could be the issue with the sticky top. I let mine cool completely before covering with plastic wrap. It also may be because you just have moist cakes, which is a good thing. Sometimes a sticky top just happens though. 😉
Allison
I know this is an older post but I see you are still replying. Anyway, I am planning on making and taking cupcakes for my sons out-of-town wedding and wanted to bake ahead of time and freeze. I need to travel (wedding is 3 hours away) on a Friday so will need to take them out of the freezer Friday morning, and the wedding is Saturday afternoon. My thought is to keep them wrapped as you suggest, and on Saturday morning, unwrap and transfer them to 24 count cupcake boxes. Then frost with buttercream before the wedding. (which I plan to pre-make as well – maybe make Friday morning before hitting the road, or make ahead and freeze too). My questions are: will the cupcakes dry out after being out of the freezer for 30 or so hours?; will the cupcake papers loosen as a result of freezing and thawing?; does this sound like a crazy plan?; if I make and freeze the buttercream, do I need to take a mixer to cream it up again before piping on or will whipping it up with a spoon work? Thanks for your input.
Kara Jane
Hi Allison…all good questions and I don’t think that’s a crazy plan. Ok, so it’s possible that the cupcakes could dry out a bit within 30 hours, but it depends. If you keep them really well covered, they may be just fine though. As far as the cupcake liners pulling away…Some cupcake liners are worse than others. So, I suggest trying an experiment first. Just bake one small batch and then freeze for a couple days, then defrost them and see what happens. If the cupcake liners pull away, you may try a different brand and see if that helps. I am big on experiments and testing out first. Also with defrosting cupcakes, you’ll get a bit of condensation on the top of the cupcakes. I usually dab that off with a paper towel.
So for the buttercream, I’ve done it both ways. You don’t necessarily have to whip it again unless you want a super light and fluffy buttercream. I’ve just mixed it with a silicone spatula once it defrosted and it worked just fine. I hope this helps! I think it will be just fine…just make sure those cupcakes are well covered in the containers. You could even add some extra plastic wrap over them inside the containers and then pop on the lid. The less space and air in the container, the better. Also, if they’re chilled in the fridge, they tend to dry out faster.
Titi
Hai.. I’ve read all the tips about freezing cupcakes. I’m really worry because I got cupcake order for 1300pcs! This is my first time. Can you advise me when should I start bake? Wrapping and unwrap cupcake is going to be one hell of a work. So I really need a good time management for me. Thanksss❤️
Kara Jane
Wow that is a huge order! If it were me, I would estimate how many cupcakes you can bake in one day. That’s different for each person, so I’d figure out how many you’re comfortable making. Then figure out from there how many days before the event you’ll need to start baking. Give yourself some extra time to decorate them (that amount of time depends on the type of decorations that will go on them). It’s always helpful to get pen and paper and write out your plan…like literally write out every task you have to do. That’s what I do. Then sort of divide it out into how many days you need to get it all done. I wish I could give you exact times and a schedule, but that just depends on what else you have going on and what type of decor will go onto the cupcakes. My best advice is to just write down everything you have to do to complete the order and then divide it out among how many days you have to complete it. Give yourself some leeway time though in case you run into issues. Hope this helps!
Maria B Rugolo
I am making my banana cake layers on Tuesday to have for cake done and ready for Sunday. If I freeze Tuesday using your fool-proof method, would I defrost in refrigerator or on counter fully wrapped on Friday to torte, fill and frost on Saturday? Also can cream cheese frosting be made in advance and kept refrigerated in an airtight container? If so, how many days before Saturday when I will need it? If you are able to reply, I am very grateful. If not, still grateful for your wonderful tips, recipes and tutorials.
Kara Jane
Hi Marie, I’m happy to help. Ok, so freeze the cake layers before torting them. I usually just set my cakes out to defrost on the counter in their wrappings. Before torting them though, you might chill them a bit so they don’t fall apart on you. Defrosting on Friday to serve on Sunday should be just fine. Just make sure you keep everything covered well, so the cake doesn’t dry out. For the cream cheese frosting…yes you can make that ahead of time. It’s probably fine to make it a couple days before you need it, just keep it chilled.
Veronika
Hi, thank you for the tips, very helpful.
How long can they stay in the freezer for and taste great after defrosting? I’m going to do some cupcakes for our christening in one month, and i will be crazy busy just before the event… thank youuuu
Kara Jane
Technically they can stay in the freezer for months, but I don’t like to keep them frozen for longer than 3-4 weeks for best taste.
Tricia
Hi,
I found that when I take the cupcakes out of the freezer to defrost in the packaging, once I take them out, they have a goey layer on top. Is there a way to prevent this?
Kara Jane
Yes this sometimes happens. I haven’t really found a way to prevent this though. What I do sometimes is once they’ve defrosted, I set them out for about 15 minutes or so and then dab a paper towel on top of them and that sort of takes off that thin gooey layer. Generally you won’t be able to see that part anyway, since it’ll have buttercream on the top of it. Hope this helps!