. . . and if the answer is yes, how should I defrost it?

I don’t plan to freeze it with fondant decorations (which I realize would probably break). I just want to cover the cake with fondant, freeze it for a week or two, then defrost it and place some decorations on it.

Will this plan work?

Thank you in advance for your help!

P.S. I did a search on this forum, and I did not see this particular question raised yet.

Try searching the blog… this has bee discussed over there.

To access the blog - click on Rose’s Blog just under the drawing of Rose (above left).  Then scroll down to the search box.

Christine,
No, you can not freeze a fondant covered cake.  The problem is when it is defrosting, the moisture is trapped under the fondant and has no where to evaporate.  Your cake will turn to mush and the air bubbles will be trapped under the fondant.
Only fresh cakes here
Lori V.

Thank you for the replies, everybody. I did search the blog, and you’re right, the issue was addressed . Next time, I’ll search the whole blog instead of just the forum!

I agree.

You can freeze a buttercream frosted cake, NO problem.  And if you can work it out to make it smooth like fondant, it will be a big hit, plus tastes so good!  Here is the proof.

Hector… you froze that cake frosted with buttercream???  How did you thaw it… in the fridge?  Did the bc develope any cracks as it thawed?  Detials please

Refrigerate your frosted cake for 2 hours.  Once the frosting has hardened, cover tightly with plastic wrap, then with foil.  Freeze.

To thaw, bring the cake to the refrigerator 24 to 48 hours prior.  Wrappings still on.  Remove the wrappings when taking the cake out of the refrigerator.

No cracks.  It will crack if you handle your cake too rough before it has reached refrigerator temperature.

Mousseline, 32oF refrigerator, -5 to -20oF freezer.

There is little or zero frost or condensation on the cake since it is closely wrapped in plastic.  Sometimes condensation appears while in the refrigerator, it will set on and not under the wrap.

All tiers of Hawaii Way were frozen and handled this way.

Wow, Hector, that is a really smooth finish. Will you tell us how you did it? Do you think it would work with a white chocolate ganache, or a white chocolate cream cheese butter cream (from pages 278 and 237 of Cake Bible)?

Thanks!  Mousseline Buttercream with the indicated amount of liqueur which helps making the buttercream smoother than without!  This is a 9-layer Golden Genoise tiered with Wilton Hidden Pillars every 3 layers.  The cake layers were very even.  The pillars were even to the millimeter.  I use my 7-inch angled frosting spatula, first stroking up and down, then place the spatula vertical and stop breathing while turning the cake several hundred times.  Use a steady spin, don’t pay too much attention to pot holes otherwise you will tend to press in the spatula which will give you an uneven spin.  Cover pot holes with a dab of frosting and keep turning always holding your spatula on the same spot.

Refrigerate, warm your spatula with a hot towel and dry it, and pass once gently to smooth out a bit more.  Be aware that since the buttercream has been colored, if your spatula is too warm, the buttercream can melt and the color separates into unsightly drips.

In a nutshell, you only need practice.  I made this cylinder shortly after making Hawaii Way cake which fed 1500 people (lots of Mousseline Buttercream, and lots of liqueur).

I am almost 100% sure that the amount of alcohol on your cake, even when using 100% the recommended liqueur volume on the frosting and/or on the cake, is so low, that it isn’t considered a booze cake nor an alcoholic drink.  In fact, no-one has ever tasted the alcohol that I know of from my cakes.

Thank you, Hector, for the marvelous pointers. I am convinced that I can get a terrific finish using buttercream frosting rather than fondant. Out of curiosity, how long did you freeze your cake?

=)  follow Cake Bible, for freezing time.

Hector, when you thaw the cake still wrapped, doesn’t it leave marks from the plastic wrap on the buttercream? Do you have to smooth it out after it is thawed as well?

good question, as long as your cake remains at 32oF, the buttercream is rock hard, so no plastic wrap marks.  But if it becomes warmer, thus softer, there will be marks!  Most refrigerators are as warm as 42oF, you will need to test this; read the temperature of your buttercream, once it has reached 32oF remove the wrappings.

Plan accordingly, you really DON’T need nor want to smooth it out again.  Buttercream is best worked when at room temperature and freshly whipped or re-whipped, otherwise you get bubbles.

If your cake isn’t big, you can use a plastic cake container instead, this will be worry free.  Except, there will be ice build up on the air spaces of the cake container and a little too on the cake itself!  You will need to somehow close the container on a non humid day?

It is impractical for me, as my cakes tend to be larger and odd shapes, plus cake containers take so much room from the fridge.

By all takes, NEVER leave cake exposed in the refrigerator (or freezer) for more than 2 hours, as buttercream will absorb your refrigerator odors.  BTW, my refrigerator and freezer are completely odor free as everything is vacuum packed, and I never let anyone put any left over foods unless well sealed!

hectorwong - 19 March 2008 04:49 PM

my refrigerator and freezer are completely odor free as everything is vacuum packed, and I never let anyone put any left over foods unless well sealed!

Hector…. we really are long lost relatives after all .

I am known to wrap everything, even my salt an pepper shakers that I have on my dining table; since I am not a big salt/pepper shaker person and mostly are used only when I have guests over.  I also wrap my little balsamic vinegar, olive oil, for table salad service, and also my soy sauce bottle, this prevent the puddle marks on the bottom of the bottles and on my cabinet shelves.

Once my friend Kathy forgot her wrist watch in my kitchen, she takes it off when helping do dishes.  The first thing I did when I found it was wrap it in plastic!  The same for sunglasses forgotten!