I’m planning on making the spice cake with peanut buttercream for a dinner on Friday. We’re currently having an ice storm with more to come and there are concerns about power outages. So I thought I’d make the cake today and freeze it in the manner Bill suggests in another thread.

If we have power on Thursday night I can make the buttercream then. IF we are without power, is it possible to make the peanut buttercream by hand? I’m sure it would require lots of elbow grease!

On the other hand if we do not have power by then, the dinner may be canceled and it will all be for nothing anyway (except that I could eat the cake by myself!)

Hi, Susan!

You could consider making the entire cake today—including frosting—and freeze the whole shebang, and then you won’t have to worry about the power at all (cake-wise, anyway).

—ak

AH! but how do you wrap a frosted cake? you would freeze it a bit unwrapped? then wrap it?

You got it!  But if you’re only frosting the top, you might want to fridge it first to firm the frosting so that when you freeze it, you can wrap it so no unfrosted part is exposed.

Then wrap it gently—but make sure all unfrosted parts are covered.  When it’s frozen, frozen, you can wrap it more tightly in foil.

Thanks Anne - that’s very helpful.

My pleasure!

On Thursday night, take it out of the freezer, remove the wrapping, put it on its serving plate, and drape it gently, but completely, with plastic wrap.  The idea is to seal out the air, but to have a sort of plastic wrap helmet that can be lifted off.  If you can,put a carrier lid over it to sort of “seal down” the plastic wrap.

On Friday, about 4 hours before serving (assuming it’s one layer), take it out of the fridge, so it can be room temp (unless you’re like me and like cold cake).  A single layer might even only take 2 hours or so.

Let us know how you like the cake, as it’s such an unusual combo, and take pics if you can!  One woman who was on the board put a bit of Vodka in the peanut buttercream and really loved it.  I’ve never made this one, myself, but I’m always curious about it!

Great info,thanks! I’ll let you know how it goes. Boyfriend is adamant that freezing is a mistake but as he’s never done it, I’ll stick with your advice. He had the idea to drizzle a bit of ganache glaze over the top (just a small amount) but as I’ve never made it, I’d like to see what it’s like before I start messing with it. Call me unimaginative…

Gosh, well, I hope it works well for you, then!  I’d hate to get you “I told you so’d…..”

I don’t see any reason why the completed cake and frosting can’t be frozen.  The main thing is to wrap it very, very well in serveral layers of plastic and foil, as stored cakes can very easily become dry.  You might want to frost the sides to help seal in moisture.

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out!