When my sister got married last year, I somehow got roped into helping my mother freeze the top to my sister’s wedding cake. I did a bit of research on the Internet, and found what seemed an easy way to do it, and with a few modifications, this is how we did it. For those who are interested, I had a piece of the cake when it was time to unfreeze it, and as far as I’m concerned, it came out great!
Before we start the process, you’ll need a few things:
1. Plastic Wrap – to wrap the cake in before putting it in the zipper baggies
2. Zipper Baggies – these should be large enough to fit the cake in, and should preferably be freezer “strength”
3. A Box – this is to store the cake in for the many months it will be in the freezer
Okay, now that you’ve had time to gather all that, let’s start the process.
Step One: Stick the cake in the freezer for an hour or two, with no wrapping of any kind. Just put the cake – naked – in the freezer, either on the piece of plastic or cardboard it came on, or (if that’s missing), on a plate. This step allows the frosting to harden. The cake isn’t going to come out of this process looking pristine, but without this step, the frosting would be completely mangled, scraped off the cake in places, and would look a mess.
Step Two: After the cake has been in the freezer, long enough for the frosting to harden (but not so long that it starts collecting ice crystals or developing any sort of freezer “burn,” take the cake out. Immediately wrap in multiple layers of the plastic wrap, being careful to get rid of any visible air bubbles. With my sister’s cake, we probably wrapped the cake three or four times before we were satisfied.
Step Three: Use a large freezer-strength zipper bag (or two) to again wrap the cake. This will hopefully ensure that if any of the plastic wrap loosens, your cake will still be in an airtight environment. Before zipping shut each baggie, suck out as much air as you possibly can, either with a straw or the old fashioned way by sticking your lips up to the seal and sucking.
Step Four: Put the cake back in the box and – if you choose – repeat the process of wrapping with plastic wrap and the zipper baggies, only now around the box itself.
You’re done! Put the cake back in the freezer and wait however long (one month or one year, it shouldn’t matter). When ready to eat, unwrap the cake completely and thaw (in an enclosed container) in the refrigerator for a day or two, and then set it out and allow it to slowly come to room temperature for a few hours. Any “damage” to the frosting should be easily repairable (or at least able to be covered up), and the cake should be as good as new.
