My team and I have frozen our fair share of cakes and have made enough mistakes to know what really works. Let’s learn how to freeze cakes so that they taste the freshest and that you’re the only one who knows the cake was previously frozen!
I originally published this tutorial in 2019 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and additional success tips.
Making cakes in advance and freezing them is a great way to get ahead and have less to do on the day of a party or celebration. Today I’m sharing my tried and true method for freezing cakes.
I’ve tried many techniques over the years, and the way I’m showing you today is the best way to ensure the cake tastes fresh and delicious after freezing and thawing. Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let me tell you…
My #1 Tip for Freezing Cakes
My number-one tip for the best-tasting results is to freeze the cake layers before frosting, and make the frosting fresh the day you plan to assemble and serve the cake.
You can freeze a cake with frosting, but the texture is just never quite the same after thawing. Plus, a completely decorated cake will contract and expand during the freezing/thawing process, ruining some of your hard work. That’s why I recommend freezing the cake on its own, and then making frosting (fresh frosting really does taste best!) and assembling the cake after it’s been thawed.
That said, it’s fine to freeze leftover frosted cake. It’s just left over and doesn’t need to impress anyone! And obviously, ice cream cake is an exception to this rule as well.
How to Freeze Cakes
First, here’s a complete video tutorial so you can understand the method:
The cake pictured here is my vanilla cake, but you can also freeze something with add-ins, such as carrot cake, or this dark chocolate peanut butter cake (which has chocolate chips in the cake batter).
STEP 1: Bake and cool your cake(s). It’s important to make sure the cakes are completely cool before you wrap them to freeze. Otherwise, the steam from the cooling cake will condense on the inside of the wrapping, leaving you with a very soggy cake after thawing. Let’s avoid that!
If you’re making a layer cake and the layers require leveling, level them off now before you freeze them. (Learn more about how to level cakes in this tutorial on How to Assemble a Layer Cake.)
STEP 2: Wrap each cake layer individually in a layer of plastic wrap. I like to use Glad Press & Seal to wrap cakes for freezing. I’m not working with this brand, but this is truly the best product I’ve tried for wrapping cakes.
STEP 3: Write the type of cake and use-by date on a large piece of aluminum foil. For best taste and texture, don’t freeze cakes for longer than 3 months. You could stretch it to 4 or 5 months, but the sooner you serve it, the fresher it tastes. I write on the aluminum foil before wrapping the cake just in case the ink seeps through. (It has before!)
STEP 4: Wrap each cake layer in a layer of aluminum foil.
The double layer of wrapping is key to preserving flavor and texture.
The first layer keeps the cake tight and fresh and the aluminum foil ensures no condensation will seep in. This is also how I wrap banana bread and other quick breads, too. Double layer = maximum freshness and no freezer burn.
You can place your labeled, double-wrapped cakes in the freezer now, but for even more protection, place them inside an airtight freezer-safe container.
STEP 5: Place the cake(s) in a freezer-safe container. Or if you don’t have a big enough container, wrap in another layer of aluminum foil. Of course make sure the foil with the date on it is what’s on the outside.
Feel free to stack the individually wrapped cake layers on top of one another if that works best for your freezer space:
STEP 6: Freeze for up to 3 months. Again, I recommend writing the “use by” date on top of the foil, 3 months from now.
Remember, the sooner you thaw and enjoy the cake, the fresher it will taste.
You can use this same freezing method for round or sheet cakes, any size or shape. Bundt cakes and loaf cakes, too! For cheesecake instructions, see “How to Freeze Cheesecake” in my classic cheesecake recipe.
How to Thaw Frozen Cake
To thaw the cakes, transfer them from the freezer to the refrigerator a day in advance to give them time to thaw. Or you can thaw them at room temperature for several hours.
Either way, leave them in their wrappings to thaw, to prevent condensation from forming and making the cakes soggy.
The amount of time it takes to thaw depends on the size of your cake, but be sure to allow at least 8 hours to thaw in the refrigerator.
Once they’ve thawed, you can simply unwrap the layers and proceed with your cake recipe‘s directions for frosting, assembling, and decorating.
For best taste and texture, don’t freeze cakes for longer than 3 months. You could stretch it to 4 or 5 months, but the sooner you serve it, the fresher it tastes.
You can freeze just about any cake after they’ve cooled completely. Mega-flavorful cakes such as banana cake, chocolate cake, carrot cake, and pumpkin cake freeze and thaw beautifully when wrapped in a couple layers, as detailed above. I find their flavor is even better after the freezing/thawing process! Bundt cakes and pound cake freeze wonderfully as well, just make sure they’re completely cooled and wrapped tightly before freezing.
Delicate cakes like angel food cake, vertical cake, and pavlova don’t hold up well in the freezer because their texture tends to suffer. It’s best to enjoy these fresh.
The amount of time it takes to thaw depends on the size of your cake, but be sure to allow at least 8 hours to thaw in the refrigerator. Or you can thaw cake at room temperature for several hours.
How about cookies? See my post on How to Freeze Cookie Dough for more. Because you should ALWAYS have chocolate chip cookies at the ready 🙂
Print
How to Freeze Cakes
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cake
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Use this video tutorial and step-by-step guide to freeze your cakes so they taste as fresh as possible.
Ingredients
- baked & cooled cake(s)
- Press & Seal wrap or plastic wrap
- aluminum foil
Instructions
- Bake and completely cool a cake/cake layers. These step-by-step photos show round cakes, but you can freeze square, rectangle, Bundt cakes, etc. See my 10 best Cake Baking Tips for best practices on baking and cooling cakes.
- Once the cake(s) cools completely, wrap it in Press & Seal. This is the best product for wrapping cakes. Thin plastic/saran wrap is incredibly clingy and frustrating. Regular plastic wrap definitely works, but Press & Seal is so much easier to use and I’ve honestly found that it keeps my food fresher. (Not working with this brand, just really love it.)
- Write the type of cake and use-by date on a large piece of aluminum foil. I write on the aluminum foil before wrapping the cake just in case the ink seeps through. It has before!
- Wrap the cake in the aluminum foil.
- Place the cake(s) in a freezer-safe container. Or if you don’t have a big enough container, wrap in another layer of aluminum foil. (Make sure the foil with the date on it is what’s on the outside.)
- Freeze for up to 3 months. For best taste and texture, don’t freeze cakes for longer than 3 months. You could stretch it to 4 or 5 months, but the sooner you serve it, the fresher it tastes.
- When ready to thaw: Transfer the wrapped cakes from the freezer to the refrigerator one day before decorating/serving. Take them out of the freezer container to thaw, but leave them wrapped in Press & Seal/aluminum foil. The cakes take at least 8 hours to thaw completely in the refrigerator. Make sure you’re thawing the cakes while they’re still in the wrapping. Condensation forms as foods thaw. This way the condensation will form on the wrapping, not the cake.
- Assemble, decorate, and serve cake.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Press & Seal | Aluminum Foil | Freezer-Safe Container
- Don’t Freeze Decorated Cake: For best taste and texture, assemble and decorate the cake as close to serving as possible. A completely decorated cake will contract and expand during the freezing/thawing process, ruining some of your hard work. You can make the frosting ahead of time and refrigerate it for 1 day, but fresh frosting really does taste best.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi, thank you for the tips! I plan on baking cake layers Thursday night and freezing, decorating and storing in the fridge Saturday night, and serving Sunday late afternoon.
Do you think this plan will dry out the cake? I’m trying to avoid decorating on Sunday as time will be tight. I am willing to decorate the cake while it’s still thawing if necessary. This is my first time freezing a cake so I appreciate any opinions 🙂
Happy to help! Once decorated, the cake will be fine to sit at room temperature for a day before serving. Storing it in the fridge overnight can dry the cake out.
Great recipe. We are travelling to bring this cake, about 5hrs. What
Great recipe!!however, we have a 5 hr. Trip. Any suggestions?
Hi Lucy, which cake recipe are you referring to?
Can you ice a frozen cake layer?
Hi Mary, You certainly can assemble the frozen layers (some bakers swear by it), but you may find the buttercream/frosting hardens and can even separate when it sits on the cold cake – so try to decorate quickly if you can!
I just did with cream cheese frosting and it came out of the freezer SO DAMN GOOD!!!! I definitely recommend it with cream cheese frosting and buttercream frosting but you have to flash freeze the frosted cake beforehand and when completely frozen you stick the plastic wrap as shown and brush your finger over it to remove any air bubbles! The cake won’t be as pretty but the taste is heavenly so don’t hesitate to do it on leftover cakes
Thank you for these tips! I plan on freezing my cake layers on Thursday night, then put them in the fridge Friday night to thaw overnight, and then decorate Saturday morning and serve Saturday evening. After I decorate the cake, do I have to put it back in the fridge or can I leave it room temperature?
Also is there a max amount of time to thaw in the fridge? I’m worried about it drying out. Thank you!!
Hi Kim, after decorating the cake on Saturday morning, you can leave it at room temperature until serving in the evening. The cake layers should not dry out in the amount of time you’ve described—overnight is perfect!
Thanks for these suggestions! Is it better to slice your layers and then freeze individually or is it okay to freeze it as one cake and slice layers after thawing?
Hi Angela, you can slice after thawing to preserve as much moisture as possible!
This is how I have done it for years. But now I need to travel with (a)cake. I don’t mind frosting it once I arrive, I just don’t want to bake it in an unfamiliar kitchen. The weather will be cold, but the cakes will thaw to some degree (I will be driving from the Chicago area to B’ham, Al. 10-12 hrs, depending on traffic). I will not need the completed cake for a week. Will it be best to 1) referees, if it still feels quite cold to the touch). 2). Thaw in fridge and leave it, wrapped, until I frost it — 6-7 days or 3) go ahead and assemble the cake, after a couple of days, frost with ganache and refrigerate until I serve it?
Hi Angela, to avoid refreezing an already thawed cake, can you travel with the cake layers in a cooler with ice? If you can keep them frozen, then place them in a freezer when you arrive, that would be best.
So I will be making the cake pops. My question is when you make it the day before you freeze 1 day before and than thaw? Or you just refrigerate for 1 day and than make?
Hi Crystal, if you’re making the cake for cake pops 1 day in advance, you can simply refrigerate it and then use the next day when finishing the cake pops.
Hi! I have a question about after thawing — Would you recommend decorating the day of serving the cake or the day prior?
Hi Tasha, either day works just fine. If decorating the day before serving, be sure to store well in a container so it does not dry out. Hope this helps!
Can I cut cooled cakes in half before freezing? Have many cakes and wanting to save some time before filling and frosting day before. Thanks
Hi Mary, that should be fine. We would cut them, then put them back together to freeze to keep them from drying out too much.
I’m going to need to thaw a cake on Thursday while I’m at school (I’m a teacher) and then decorate it when I get home Thursday but it’s for a party that is Saturday. Will it be alright? I know if I baked it fresh it would be but unsure about from a frozen state. I had something come up for a weekend that I had already booked this cake order.
Hi Kimberly, as long as the cake has completely thawed before decorating, it should be fine! Be sure to transfer the wrapped cakes from the freezer to the refrigerator one day before decorating/serving as it’ll probably take at least 8 hours to thaw completely in the refrigerator.
Does a cake absolutely need to be served the same day that it has been thawed (and subsequently decorated), or can it be served the following day?
Hi Joey, it should be just fine to serve the next day.
I only have access to cling wrap and foil.is it ok to wrap cakes with that?
Hi Maybel, absolutely, that will work.
Hello.
If I was to do this with a lemon drizzle cake. Would you add the syrup then freeze ? Or freeze the cake and add syrup when cake it thawed ?
Hi Amy, we recommend adding the simple syrup after the frozen layers have thawed.
To freeze quick breads/loaves e.g. pumpkin bread/loaves, do you slice it up and wrap slices per your instructions for freezing cakes?
Hi Janet, you can freeze quick breads/loaves either way. Freezing as a loaf is great if you plan on thawing and serving/enjoying at once, while freezing as individual wrapped slices is great if you want to enjoy it just a slice at a time.
Our church is having a bake sale and I need to bake several cakes. I usually make pound cakes and frosted cakes. I’m worried about freezing them, but we cut them in 1/2 to sell them . If they should decide to freeze them after purchase will it ruin the cake if it already has been frozen?
Hi Judy, for best taste and texture, we typically do not recommend refreezing cake that has already been frozen/thawed once.
How dou you freeze cupcakes? I am making cupcakes for my granddaughter’s wedding. I want to make them ahead and freeze them so I won’t be so stressed the closer the wedding gets.
Hi Lois, cupcakes are a bit easier to freeze as they don’t dry out as quickly. Bake and cool cupcakes completely, then place in a freezer-friendly bag or container. Once they are relatively frozen, you can remove them and then layer them between sheets of parchment paper if your container is large enough. You can individually wrap them too, if desired, but we usually don’t. Allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting. Hope this helps!
Hi, I need to make a few carrot cakes and freeze frosted. I’ve found 13×9 pans with a hard plastic lid. When defrosting should I leave the lid on in the fridge overnight? Thank you
Hi Brenda! Yes, we would leave it on.
Hi there!
I have one leftover 8-inch chocolate cake layer from my son’s birthday party. I ended up making a 3-layer cake instead of 4 hence the leftover layer. I baked them on Tuesday. I will be making another cake for this Sunday to celebrate with family. I will assemble the cake Saturday night. Should I be freezing the single leftover layer to maintain freshness and moistness or do you think it will be okay leaving it at room temp til assembly?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Megan! Yes, it is best to freeze cake layers if making more than 1 day ahead of time.
Thanks so much, Trina. I appreciate the confirmation!
Does freezing cake layers for a few days render them very fresh and moist tasting?
Hi Susan, we find that (when frozen properly) the cakes are just as fresh and moist and freshly baked cakes. For mega-flavorful cakes, we find their flavor is even better after the freezing/thawing process!
Could you freeze cupcakes using the same method? Would it be okay to wrap them together vs individually for less waste?
Hi Reagan, cupcakes are easier to freeze as they don’t dry out as quickly. Bake and cool cupcakes completely, then place in a freezer-friendly bag or container. Once they are relatively frozen, you can remove them and then layer them between sheets of parchment paper if your container is large enough. You can individually wrap them too, if desired, but we usually don’t. Hope this helps!
Love all your tips! Just wondering about cupcakes – how do you thaw them once frozen so no condensation on the cupcakes. I wanted to make cupcakes on Wed or Thursday for a shower Saturday but am always worried that when I thaw the cupcakes, they might have condensation?…or no. Should I wrap them individually or in aluminum to avoid this…or do you find they are fine if just left in the air tight container/freezer friendly bag to thaw in the fridge? Thanks
Hi Michelle, Cupcakes are easier to freeze as they don’t dry out as quickly. Bake and cool cupcakes completely, then place in a freezer-friendly bag or container. Once they are relatively frozen, you can remove them and then layer them between sheets of parchment paper if your container is large enough. You can individually wrap them too, if desired. We usually don’t.
Hello, I am actually doing cupcakes as well and I did wrap each one individually. I didn’t see this post until now. But I am wanting to know how long for cupcakes to defrost in the refrigerator? Is it 8hrs like the cakes, or less time?
They may be a bit quicker, but we typically let them defrost in the refrigerator overnight as well.
your pineapple carrot sheet cake has been a big hit every time I make it people, they cannot get enough of it. of all the ones I have ruined 2 of them.
Hi,
I’m looking through this post, and I didn’t see the question about freezing RAW cake batter.
Can that be done? (why not?)
If yes, any specific method?
I was thinking to freeze it directly in the baking pan, and let it defrost before it bakes..
-Thanks for all the great recipes and advice!
Hi TM! We don’t recommend freezing raw cake batter. Once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, the raising agents (baking powder/baking soda) are activated and won’t work properly when the thawed batter is baked.
Re freezing cakes. I have glazed (sugar and orange juice) a cake where the recipe said to do this while warm. I presume I can freeze this once cold? It also put sliced nuts on top. Would they be OK in the freezer? Thanks
Hi Barbara, we typically recommend adding the simple syrup after the frozen layers have thawed, but you can certainly try doing so beforehand. Then yes, we’d let the cake layers fully cool before wrapping and freezing. The sliced nuts should be just fine in the freezer.
I put my layers in the freezer. I wrapped in press n seal then in a large freezer bag. They only need to be there for two days. Should I remove from freezer bag wrap in foil then let thaw in fridge?
Hi Lawana, no need to unwrap anything yet. Simply place the entire freezer bag with the wrapped cakes in the refrigerator to thaw.
I have frozen pound cakes that I want to thaw and slice and store to distribute to patients in chemo infusion room tomorrow.
Any recommendations on timing and storage of bagged and thawed slices?
Hi Kristi, we’d recommend allowing the pound cake to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then you can slice and store in the refrigerator or at room temperature until serving.
I am out of town all weekend and need a cake for my daughter’s birthday on a Sunday. Can I take the frozen cake out Friday afternoon and leave it in the fridge until Sunday afternoon?
Hi Heather, that would be fine.
Hello! Can this method be applied to cupcakes as well?
Hi Emily! Cupcakes are easier to freeze as they don’t dry out as quickly. Bake and cool cupcakes completely, then place in a freezer-friendly bag or container. Once they are relatively frozen, you can remove them and then layer them between sheets of parchment paper if your container is large enough. You can individually wrap them too, if desired. We usually don’t.
What are your thoughts on assembling and frosting a cake while the layers are still frozen? I’ve read that frozen cake layers can be easier to work with. Thanks!
Hi Cara, You certainly can assemble the frozen layers (some bakers swear by it), but you may find the buttercream/frosting hardens and can even separate when it sits on the cold cake – so try to decorate quickly if you can!
What about a cake that has fresh blueberries in it…will the “leak” into the cake when thawed?
Hi Diane, We haven’t had issued freezing and thawing cakes with fruit in them like our lemon blueberry cake.
Thank you for the tips on freezing cake and frosting separately.
Hi Sally，
How long can you keep a banana cake at room temperature/refrigerator, after it has been thawed?
Hi Eddy, the cake can stay at room temperature for about a day. Any longer than that and we’d recommend refrigerating it.
Hi Sally, how about storing thawed banana cake in fridge? how long would you recommend for it to last?
Hi Eddy, after thawing the cake, it should last in the refrigerator for around the same amount of time as stated in the recipe. For example, our banana cake is good covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 day. Hope this helps!