I’m a big advocate of cake making as a means to reduce stress and have fun. That said, I know how incredibly stressful cake can be when you’re running short on time and/or things just aren’t going the way you wanted – especially if said cake is an order. I can remember many stressful nights (and even a few panic attacks) from my years of running a cake business from home and most of them stemmed from not giving myself enough time to enjoy the process. Can you relate? In hopes of sparing you some of that added stress, I’ve put together my best tips for making a timeline and working ahead. This way, maybe you won’t find yourself up at 2am agonizing over an unfinished cake!
First, let’s talk about some make ahead tips for baking cake layers, making frosting, and storing it all so it’s ready to go when you’re ready to decorate. There are a few different methods and preferences on the subject that vary from baker to baker, and the purpose of this post is to talk about my own preferred methods. I’ve gathered them all in the video below, so give it a watch before reading on to commit these make ahead tips to memory.
And side note: if you’re wanting to learn more Cake Basics, be sure to check out my YouTube channel and hit the Subscribe button so you never miss a new one. In addition to the basics, you’ll also find my favorite recipes and cake decorating tutorials to broaden your skill set!
Storing Unfrosted Cake Layers
When you’re building a cake, it’s ultra important that your cake layers are room temperature and not even a little bit warm (trust me, your frosting will melt). Because of this, you’ve got to give your cakes a few hours to cool after they come out of the oven. This means padding in those extra hours of cooling time into your overall timeline, which can end up taking a lot of your day if you’re doing all of it the day of. Instead, there are a few options for baking your cake layers and storing them properly so they’re ready to go on decorating day:
Storing at Room Temperature
If you’re baking your cakes a day or two ahead of decorating day, you can store them at room temperature as long as they’re wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
Just be sure to wait until they’re completely cooled before wrapping them in plastic wrap, as the steam from a hot cake layer can create excess condensation in the storage process. Nobody wants a soggy cake!
Freezing Cake Layers
If you’re baking your cakes more than two days ahead of time, I recommend freezing your cake layers. Again, it’s important that you let the cakes cool completely before wrapping them up. As long as you wrap them properly, they will keep for up to two months in the freezer and once thawed will taste just as fresh as the day you baked them! Talk about a cake hack.
To ensure they stay extra fresh, I like to wrap the cake layers in one layer of plastic wrap, then one layer of aluminum foil, then place them into a ziploc bag (or other airtight container that can go in the freezer). When you’re ready to use them, simply take the cake layers out of the freezer the day before decorating to thaw them.
Remove them from the ziploc bag, but keep them in their aluminum foil/plastic wrap covering. This way, any excess condensation will escape and gather on top of the foil, which acts as a barrier to keep the cake beneath it from getting soggy. Then, on decorating day, remove all the wrapping and you’ll have your cake layers thawed and ready to go!
Making Buttercream Ahead
To make your buttercream frosting ahead of time, simply place it in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks before decorating day.
When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature by placing it on the counter for an hour or two. Once it reaches room temperature, add it back into your stand mixer and mix it on low speed for about a minute.
This will bring it back to frosting consistency and you’ll be ready to roll!
Storing Crumb Coated Cakes
After you’ve filled and frosted your cake with a crumb coat, it’s safe to store it in the refrigerator overnight without the risk of drying out the cake. The thin layer of buttercream acts as a barrier to preserve the cake underneath and help it maintain its moisture.
I always like to add my final layer of frosting to a chilled crumb coated cake anyways, because having a nice firm structure underneath the final layer is one of the secrets to creating a smooth buttercream finish. Even if you don’t plan on storing your crumb coated cake in the fridge overnight, I highly recommend letting it firm up in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before you add your final layer of frosting. Here’s everything you need to know about how and why I crumb coat my cakes.
Storing Decorated Cakes (Uncut)
Once the final layer of frosting has been added and you’ve decorated your cake, the safest place to preserve it is in the refrigerator, uncovered (in my opinion). This way, the details of your decorating will be preserved while keeping the cake beneath all that frosting nice and moist. I like to decorate my cakes and store them in the refrigerator overnight before serving them.
Although I don’t have much experience with fondant covered cakes, I store my buttercream frosted cakes with ganache drips, buttercream piping, sprinkles, and even fondant/gumpaste accents in the refrigerator overnight, until about an hour or two before serving the cake. If I’m driving the cake somewhere, I keep it in the fridge until the minute I walk out the door. This is because cakes that are chilled are much easier to handle and transport while keeping the details intact.
Cakes With Fresh Flowers
If you’re topping a cake with fresh flowers, I recommend keeping those flowers in a vase of water until the morning of the cake due date. Then, prepare the flowers according to these instructions to ensure they stay fresh once you top the cake with them.
Since fresh flowers tend to wilt over time (some quicker than others), adding these final touches the day of is your best bet.
Cakes With Fresh Berries
Berries (and fruits in general) are full of liquid, so if you are adding these to your cake, it’s best to add them last minute if possible. This will often require that you save some of the final buttercream piping until the due date of the cake as well, since those berries will need something to adhere to (and firm buttercream doesn’t make the best glue).
To work ahead, you can always frost the final layer of the buttercream, add any ganache drips, and store the cake overnight in the refrigerator. Then finish the rest of the decorating the day the cake is due to keep those berries looking fresh.
Cakes Topped With Cotton Candy
Cotton candy makes a pretty whimsical cake topper, but it’s a fleeting one. Since cotton candy only lasts about an hour before beginning to disintegrate, I wait until the cake is going on display to add the cotton candy – aka the very last minute. This way you get an hour for people to ooh and ahh before you cut the cake and no one has to know the cotton candy was about to fall apart.
Creating a Cake Timeline
To best prepare yourself, especially if you’re just getting started on your cake journey, it’s a really good idea to establish a cake timeline for yourself. This just helps you plan ahead so you’re not scrambling to get your materials together last minute. Here’s a sample timeline that I have gone by when making cakes with due dates:
Notice that frosting and decorating the cake is split between day 3 and 4. This is just to give you extra padding in case you don’t want to do all the final decorating the day before. Your timeline will depend on what your final design will be, so be sure to take some time to think about things and plan out your schedule before you get in over your head.
Once you get the hang of how long things take, you can certainly squeeze this timeline even tighter and do more work closer to the due date. You can also freeze cake layers and store buttercream weeks in advance so you can eliminate more work for yourself the week of. It’s all up to you! But hopefully these make ahead tips and sample timeline give you the tools you need to set yourself up for success. Happy cake making!
Hi Whitney.
Some amazing tips thank you.
What’s your opinion on baking layers Tuesday chilling overnight, fully decorating Wednesday and then storing in the fridge for a Saturday morning party… would it still taste fresh? Would you store in or out of box?
Filling and frosting is a butter/shortening mix (pretty stable and can be ratio’ed to be more butter if needed for stability).
Humidity will be the killer, I’m telling my friend to collect on the way to the party and store in fridge until 45mins before serving if a humid day, is that too long?
Hi Keri! It definitely depends on the cake recipe, some cakes are more moist and flavorful a day or two after baking, and some will only get drier as the days go by. If you’re working with a super moist cake (like a carrot cake, spice cake, my one bowl chocolate cake, etc) the timeline should be fine. Without knowing what recipe you’re using, I’d say ideally you would want to bake the cake on Weds or Thursday (or freeze the layers ahead and thaw them on Thursday) and decorate Thursday or Friday. But if your schedule won’t allow that just do the best you can and don’t worry about it. As far as humidity goes, tell your friend to take the cake out of the refrigerator about an hour or two before serving and you should be good to go with that heat stable buttercream recipe you have. The cake will taste better at room temperature vs. cold. Hope all of that helps!
Such practical and stress-relieving tips! Your advice on baking layers early, freezing them for months, and prepping buttercream up to two weeks ahead is truly game-changing. With this timeline approach, cake decorating becomes peaceful rather than frantic. Thanks for sharing strategies that let creativity shine without the midnight panic
So happy you found this helpful, Ananya!
I finally found the best creator.Thank you so much for your way of elaborating the tiny details that I needed.
More wishes,
Nithu Gajen
Thanks for the kind words, Nithu! I’m happy these details are helpful!
Thank you for the brilliant advice, I’ve used this page multiple times over the past few years. I’m wondering about making buttercream icing and storing it in the fridge for a week ahead of time. Can I do this with your buttercream made with the fresh strawberries?
Many thanks,
Lisa
Hi Lisa! I’m so happy you’ve found this page helpful over the years! Yes, you can make the fresh strawberry buttercream ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator one week ahead. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and remix it with your stand mixer on low speed until it’s smooth and uniform.
Hi there ! thank you for this. I am making a chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream filling and i want to cover it with pink icing, how do i prevent the chocolate butter cream from mixing with the pink icing ? i heard that i have to fill the cake then chill it for 6 hrs, then crumb coat ? is this true ? if so, will my cake not go dry after chilling it for so long ?
Hi Archjana! You don’t need to chill the cake for that long. Just fill the cake with chocolate buttercream, then crumb coat the cake with either more chocolate buttercream or with the pink buttercream you’ll be using to frost the cake. Then, refrigerate the cake for about 20 minutes to let the crumb coat firm up before you frost the cake with the pink buttercream. The crumb coat will be firm, so it won’t mix with the pink frosting. Hope that helps!
Hi!
I have a cake due in July filled with fresh strawberries. They wont be cutting the cake until Saturday evening. Will it stay fresh enough if I assemble it Friday night? It is a two tier cake. Any other tips for two tiers with fresh fruit filling? It will be traveling about 45 min away.
Thank you!
Hi Kellie! I think that timeline will work just fine. A couple tips for you: 1) add a buttercream dam to hold that fruit filling inside the cake layers. I also recommend adding a super thin layer of frosting before adding the fresh berries so they won’t leak too much juice into the cake layers. 2) be sure to transport the cake when it’s cold. I recommend this for all of my cakes, but especially with a softer filling you’ll want the cake to be firm and stable for the car ride. Keep it in the refrigerator until right before you leave. Here are some more tips on transporting a cake: https://sugarandsparrow.com/how-to-transport-cakes/ hope that helps!
This timeline is priceless, thank you! I would have never thought of it this way. I always try to do it all at the same time and wonder why it goes wrong. Thanks!
Thank you for this helpful guide Whitney! Do you ever get condensation on your cake after moving the cake from the fridge to the kitchen counter before serving? Any tips with that? Thank you!
Hi Holly! I don’t have a lot of trouble with condensation here in the pacific northwest. The climate is really mild here and usually condensation happens when the cake goes from an environment that is really cold to an environment that is a lot warmer too quickly. The only thing you can do is minimize the difference in temp between the refrigerator and the kitchen, or soak up the condensation by gently blotting the cake with a paper towel.
I love your guide and tutorial!! Before, I have taken my frozen cake layers out and defrosted only slightly before crumb coating. Is there any hazard in crumb coating a slightly or even completely frozen layer? I love your time line! I’ve done similar but I love the idea of finishing the cake the day before and refrigerating it! I’ve always pressed myself to decorate the day of the event. (I only bake for grandkids birthdays, but with 5 of them, they keep me busy!) I have another one on Sunday afternoon. I baked the cakes Monday night and froze them. I also need to make mini cupcakes and I think I’ll do that on Saturday. If I need to defrost before crumb coating, how long should that take? Thank you in advance!!
Hi Emily! I have baker friends who swear by filling, stacking, and crumb coating completely frozen layers. It’s not the process I’m used to doing, but it definitely can be done!
Whitney, I had a customer bail at the last minute on her order. I had already baked and crumble coated the cake before she finally replied to phone call and message. I put the cake in the freezer wrapped in 2 layers of plastic. I honestly don’t think she will follow through and finish paying for it. So! Another customer has placed a order for the same size cake for the end of next month. Would this cake last till then so i am not completely at a loss?? Or do I just throw it out??
Hi Carla! The filled and crumb coated cake will technically last in the freezer for up to two months, so as long as it’s wrapped properly you should be good!
Hi, I plan to make a chocolate cake for my niece and decorate it with some of her favorite chocolate candies. Would it be okay to fully decorate and store in the fridge or should I leave off the chocolate candies until the day of? Party is on Saturday but I will be leaving Friday so will have to decorate Thursday evening/Friday morning.
Hi Tasha! You should be totally fine to decorate with the chocolate candies and store the decorated cake in the refrigerator. This cake sounds delicious!
Hi Whitney, thanks so much for the tips. I’m planning to make a chocolate cake with a layer of ganache between and also outside, before added a layer of swiss buttercream on the outside, with additional piping and frosting for the day after. Do you think this will hold? I cant see anything online about ganache and swiss on top of it, but im not sure if it will stick or even taste nice with the chocolate cake base …. Given your comments, I should bake all the layers, let them cool, and crumb coat it the day before and the frost it on the day? Or is swiss okay to be refridgerated overnight, if i manage to do everything (bake, crumbcoat, frost) in one day, the day before?
Hi Thuy! You can certainly store a decorated cake with swiss meringue buttercream in the refrigerator overnight. You can move your timeline back a little bit so you’re not decorating the day of (unless you want to!). For example, bake the cake layers 2 days ahead, store wrapped in plastic at room temp overnight or fill/stack and crumb coat once the layers are cool. Frost and decorate the day before and store in the refrigerator overnight. Hope that helps!
Odd question maybe, but is there any concern about a completed cake picking up a ‘fridge flavor’ if you keep it overnight? I’d love to finish my cake the day before I need it, but I’d hate to put so much work into just for it to have that weird fridge taste.
Hi Ashley! In my experience, my cakes never have a refrigerator flavor after 1-2 days of storing in the refrigerator. Make sure you keep strong foods in an airtight container and you can also put the cake in a box to shield it from odors/flavors as well. Hope that helps!
To thaw a frozen cake is at room temperature over the counter top or in the refrigerator after removing the frozen cake from the ziploc bag…Thank you love all your tips,
Hi there! I remove the cakes from the freezer and place them at room temperature on the counter to thaw completely. I like to keep them wrapped in aluminum foil to collect the condensation on the outside of the wrapping. The video embedded in this blog post shows exactly how I do it!
Thank you so much for this information. I am making a small cake and cupcakes for my mum’s wedding. Would this timeline apply to cupcakes too? I am doing buttercream flower decorations on the top of the cupcakes would this need to be refrigerated like the cake mentioned? The wedding is an afternoon one on Friday so was planning on baking all cakes/cupcakes on Wednesday and decorating them all on Thursday so that I can just take them on Friday for the 12:30 wedding. Would this timeline be ok?
Hi Stacy! Your timeline sounds perfect. That’s exactly what I would do. Refrigeration depends on what kind of buttercream you’re using. If the buttercream wouldn’t normally require refrigeration (like a standard american buttercream) then there’s no need to refrigerate, and since part of the cupcake would be exposed in the refrigerator it’s better not to refrigerate if you don’t have to. Hope that helps!
HI there!
Thanks for the information above 🙂
I am wondering for 1 layer cakes, to be topped with a chocolate ganache, can this be done without any crumb coat / frosting beneath? Also, can the ganache be applied on the same day the cake is baked, if the cake has been left to cool at room temp for a couple of hours?
As for frosted cakes, can the frosting be made while the cake is baking? and after the cake cools, then to have the frosting applied all at once, if it’s meant to be a semi/ naked frosted cake? (i.e. without having to cool in between)
Many thanks 🙂
Hi CC! To answer your questions: 1) if you’re pouring chocolate ganache over a cake like a glaze, you don’t technically need a crumb coat or frosting underneath. If you’re frosting the cake with whipped ganache, I would recommend doing a crumb coat with some of the whipped ganache just to make sure you don’t get any crumbs in the finish. 2) Yes, the ganache can be applied the same day the cake is baked, as long as the cake is completely cooled. 3) Yes, the frosting can absolutely be made while the cake is baking. 4) You don’t technically need a crumb coat if it’s meant to be a semi naked cake (here’s a tutorial I did on that style: https://sugarandsparrow.com/semi-naked-cake/).
Hope that helps!
So helpful, Thank you. 🙂
Can I ask if you freeze the cake layers in advance – When defrosting the day prior to decorating do you defrost the cake layers in the ‘fridge’ or at room temperature on the ‘kitchen counter’?
Hi Elisha! I always defrost the cakes at room temperature (on the counter). So happy this guide has been helpful!
Hello! I’ve followed all of your cake basic tips, they have been so helpful! Today is the day for the cake to be eaten! It’s been in the fridge all night, how many hours before the event should I take the cake out of the fridge to come to room temp? (I did a 3 layer 9″ cake).
Thanks!
Hi Talia! I’m so happy that you’ve found my Cake Basics tips helpful! I always take my cakes out of the refrigerator an hour or two before serving. I’d say closer to two hours for a cake of that size.
Hello! I love your awesome tips and tricks!!!! I am new to baking cakes and have really picked it up and having a blast! I like the idea of making them ahead of time. Can you do the same for carrot cakes? I want it to remain moist and wouldn’t want to mess up the homemade flavor. 😉
Thanks
Hi Connie! I’m so happy you’re learning and having fun making cakes! You can absolutely make a carrot cake ahead of time. Those are usually even more flavorful/moist after a day or two stored at room temp!
Hi Whitney
I live in Louisiana. The humidity is my worst nightmare. I do buttercream and fondant decor on my cakes. My cakes look great when I’m finished and place them in refrigerator over night, but my last 4 cakes my fondant decor seems to be falling and making the cakes look melted. I thought I had a stable enough buttercream but it his humidity is killing me. Any suggestions?
Hi Holly! That’s so rough. My best recommendation besides keeping the cakes in the refrigerator until the very last minute is to use this heat resistant buttercream recipe: https://sugarandsparrow.com/buttercream-recipe-for-hot-weather/ hope that helps!
Hello Whitney.
Thank you for these information. I would like to use your vanilla cake recipe for a 4- Tier (with 3 layers each tier (2inches every layer) wedding cake I’m making for my friend on Oct. 1, 2022. It’ll be base- 16” square pan, followed by round pans of 14, 12 and 10 top. How much recipe/batch mix would I need for every tier. I’m a novice and this is only my 3rd wedding cake. I would appreciate your advice. Thank you I’m advance.
Hi Joan! Wow, that is a huge endeavor and I am cheering you on! I will say that I have never baked my vanilla cake recipe in a pan larger than a 9 x 13 casserole dish, so I’m not sure how long to bake it per your pan sizes. The recipe yields about 7 Cups of batter as-is, and you’ll need 7 Cups of batter for each 10″ round layer, 9 Cups of batter for each 12″ round layer, 12 Cups of batter for each 14″ round layer, and 16 Cups of batter for each 16″ square layer. If each size is three layers tall, you’ll need a total of 132 Cups of batter for that entire cake. Divide that by 7 Cups per batch and you’ll need to whip up about 19 batches of the recipe. I would recommend researching best practices for baking cakes in larger pans like that and you should be able to find a relative baking time for each pan size. Hope all of that helps!
Same process for large order of filled cupcakes?
Hi Joanne! It depends on the filling. If the filling needs to be refrigerated you’ll need to figure out a way to store them all in the refrigerator or do the filling/decorating the day the order is due. If you want to decorate them the day before you’ll want to store them in a box, at room temp unless they need refrigerating due to the filling.
I am nowhere near a baker but I love to bake and I’m making the cake for my brother and sister-in-law’s gender reveal party and this just saved me! I would have been pressing the day before but I’m definitely going to bake my layers tonight! Thank you!!
Yay, Payton! Happy to help and I’m cheering you on with the gender reveal cake!
Hi Whitney, do you have an easy way to sift powdered sugar for buttercream frosting? For some reason it is my least favorite part of the process.
Just wondering?
Thanks, Christine
Hi Christine! I actually don’t sift my powdered sugar for frosting unless it has visible clumps that need sifting. I don’t find it makes much of a difference otherwise. If you want an easy way to sift large amounts of powdered sugar though, a large fine mesh sieve is the quickest way!
Can you freeze buttercream frosting? Swiss Meringue frosting?
Hi Linda! I never really do, but I know you can freeze frosting by placing it in an airtight container (most bakers wrap it up in plastic wrap before placing in a ziploc bag) and placing it in the freezer for up to two months. The day before you’re ready to use it, place it in the refrigerator to thaw, then bring it to room temperature the day you need it. Hope that helps!
Hi Whitney!
Thank you for your super helpful timeline. I used it and on decorating day, I actually had fun because I had time haha.
I have to make two cakes fully frosted with buttercream two days ahead (no fondant). Could I store them in the fridge Friday night and deliver them Sunday morning? Or do you think they would dry out? Is Room temp /freezer better for two nights than fridge?
Thank you!
That’s so amazing, Becky! I’m glad decorating day was fun and not stressful! The decorated cakes should be totally fine for two days in the refrigerator. Just try to do the baking/assembling as close to decorating day as you can for maximum freshness. Hope that helps!
Hello Whitney,
I am baking a simple chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream filling (using your recipes) and adding some Harry Potter decorations (fondant) on top of it. It’s for sunday and it’s going to be 93 degres outside. It’s for a party that is outside 🙁 Unfortunately I could’t make your special hot day frosting recipe. What do you think of putting the whole cake in the freezer on saturday evening and taking it out on Sunday morning?
Thanks a lot!
Hi Marie! I would actually just refrigerate the cake until the very last minute, then transport it in an air conditioned car if you can and keep it in the shade. You can certainly try the freezer, but I just don’t have any experience freezing a fully decorated cake so I’m not sure if it’s the best route. Hope that helps!
Thank you Whitney! I didn’t try the freezer, too risky without any experience… We did what you suggested. I made a DIY box with 2 ice packs attached to it (inside the box). The cake was totally fine. Such a relieve (it was the first time I baked a cake for someone outside of my family!).
Oh my gosh, Marie, that makes me so happy!! I’m so glad everything worked out. Great work!!
Hello! I am planning to make and decorate some cupcakes the day before they are to be shared. Would you put them in the fridge after you frost them? Covered or uncovered? Or will that dry them out? It’s pretty warm where I am so it’s possible my buttercream might melt off if I leave them at room temperature.
Hi Mary! There’s no need to refrigerate decorated cupcakes unless the frosting requires refrigeration (like cream cheese buttercream). I always store my cupcakes at room temperature in the box they’ll be delivered in and they keep very fresh one day ahead. If you’re concerned about the buttercream melting though, it will be better to store them in the refrigerator in a box. Hope that helps!
Hi my experience is if i store the gumpaste/fondat things for decoration when it comes out fron the fridge it start melting.
How long can i store the finished decorated cake at room temperate?
Hi Rose! You can absolutely store a cake at room temperature for 4-5 days unless the filling/frosting requires refrigeration. Hope that helps!
Hi Whitney,
Do you have any problems with buttercream sweating? It’s very humid where I am right now. What the best way to avoid swearing??
Cheers,
Abbe
Hi Abbe! I don’t usually have problems with my cakes sweating, I live in a fairly mild climate. I’ve heard of bakers using a paper towel to soak up the beads of condensation though – I wonder if that works!
Hi Whitney,
I’m making a two tier birthday cake and wondering if I can do my final icing tonight before stacking tomorrow and adding the rest of the decoration. I’ve read that icing can crack however. Should I just do a crumb coat tonight on both tiers and refrigerate overnight and a final coat in the morning before stacking?
Thanks,
Kate
Hi Kate! I would totally frost the cakes with the final icing tonight, store them in the refrigerator, then stack them tomorrow and add the rest of the decoration. I have never heard of frosting cracking (I use American buttercream though, maybe that’s different). As long as you properly dowel the bottom tier you should have enough support to prevent the bottom tier from cracking/collapsing. Hope that helps!
this was the most helpful video. thank you.
explained so well and easy to follow.
Yay, Erin! So happy this was helpful!
Hi Whitney,
I have been asked to do a Victoria Sponge cake for my Uncles 80th. I’m only learning so I am going to coat it with buttercream. I go away Thursday evening until the Sun day the cake is needed.(3 days) Can I bake and make buttercream on the Thursday afternoon ? Thanks in advance for your advice x
Hi Paula! It sounds like Thursday afternoon is the best option. Any longer of a timeline and you may risk the cake not tasting as fresh. Cheering you on!
This is a great guide! I’m making a drip cake with sprinkles for my granddaughters 2nd birthday. I’ve been reading all your posts from ganache to buttercream frosting to tips on putting it all together. My confidence is growing and I’m ready to get baking. I’m falling in love with baking again! Thanks for inspiring me.
That’s so amazing, Teresa! It makes my day to hear that! Cheering you on and glad to be a resource for your cake making 🙂
Thank u so much ma, this really helped.
I just made a drip cake and decorated it. I’d like to keep it a week in the freezer. How do I store it in the freezer and thaw out when ready?
Hi Denise! I’ve never stored a cake in the freezer before but I hear about bakers doing it all the time. From what I’ve read here’s what I would do: Place the cake in the freezer for 1-2 hrs before wrapping the outside in plastic wrap to preserve the cake from freezer burn. One day before serving the cake, move it from the freezer to the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap. It will thaw in the refrigerator. Then 2 hours before serving the cake, take it out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temp (tastes better at room temp!). Hope that helps!
Do cakes need to be on a cardboard cake round before wrapping in plastic wrap to store for a couple days or freezing?
Hi Crystal! If they’re just cake layers then you don’t need to place them on a cardboard round. You can just wrap those and store them at room temp or the freezer according to the instructions in this blog post. They don’t need to be on a cake round until you start building the layer cake. Hope that helps!
Yes! Thank you so much! I’m attempting to make a wedding cake for my daughter. First one ever, so doing a trial run to have for dinner Christmas Eve. Need all the good vibes I can get!
Sending alll the good vibes to you! You can do this!
Great article! What do you recommend for half naked cakes where you only ice the top? How do you keep these moist?
Hi Victoria! If it’s a semi-naked cake that looks almost like a crumb coat (like this one: https://sugarandsparrow.com/semi-naked-cake/), the frosting layer will keep the cake moist for a few days. If there is absolutely no frosting on the sides (like this one: https://sugarandsparrow.com/pumpkin-pie-layer-cake-recipe/) you can keep it moist by adding a milk soak or simple syrup soak in between layers and wrapping the sides in plastic wrap. Hope that helps!
I’ll be sure to store unfrosted layers. I only need them when I get the frosting. So I might as well keep them fresh and safe.
What if you don’t have room in the fridge to store cakes? My girls bdays are all in November so we do one big party but they each get their own cake. So I make 3 cakes for one party. Can I just store these out on the counter, frosted and covered for the night? I don’t have time to cook for and frost 3 cakes the day of.
Hi Amy! You can certainly store your cakes at room temp so long as they don’t have fillings/frostings that need to be refrigerated. I like to store my cakes in the refrigerator to help preserve the decorating details, but it’s not usually mandatory!
This was exactly what I was looking for and VERY helpful! Thank you!!
Yay, Erika! I’m so happy to hear that!
Hi there how would this work with red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting? I’m making it for my fiancé’s 30th which is on a Wednesday. I will give it to him Wednesday morning and need to make it Monday primarily and finish final touches Tuesday somehow before he’s home. Need your help thank you SO much
Hi Marisa! Your timeline sounds totally good! You can bake the cake and make the buttercream Monday, assemble and crumb coat/frost the cake either Monday or Tuesday, and add all the finishing touches Tuesday. Store the decorated cake in the refrigerator overnight and it’ll be fresh for Wednesday morning. Sounds like such a lovely cake!
Thankyou for these posts, very informative.
I’m about to embark on two cakes for my boys birthday party. I don’t have room in the fridge for storage however live in high humidity area, so leaving them out isn’t really possible either.
Do you think I could possibly store in a dark room with the A/C on in a sealed container?
Hi Lori! You could try it, but since I’ve never tried storing a cake anywhere but the fridge or freezer and don’t live in a high humidity area, I’m not entirely sure how it will work out. It sounds like your only option though, so I would go for it!
I am serving my cake Friday evening, can I do more than the crumbcoat tonight (Wednesday) or only the crumb coat? I am
Hoping to at least get it frosted. I am doing a drip which can wait until Friday but if I can do the rest earlier I will (just Thursday night so trying to work around that).
Also, loving your channel!
Hi Joli! You can absolutely crumb coat and frost the cake on Wednesday (and even do the drip if you want!). That should be perfectly fine if you’re serving on Friday night. Hope that helps and thanks for the kind words about my channel!
Hi,
Love your website… so helpful!
Could you plz advise me… I am making a cake and icing it on Saturday, to be eaten on Monday. I wanted to add toasted almonds on top of my icing. Will they go soft?
Love,
Mona
Hi Mona! I think you should be totally fine with the toasted almonds and that timeline. Toasting them should keep them firm. Enjoy!
Hi
Thanks for your ever so helpful video! Makes perfect sense.
I will soon make a trial cake for my daughter’s birthday. My question is whether it’s ok to fill my cake layers and crumb coat the cake with American buttercream and then decorate with Italian meringue buttercream and leave it in the fridge uncovered overnight?
Or should the cake be decorated with the Italian meringue buttercream on the day of serving it? I’ve never used Italian meringue buttercream before.
Hi Pat! I’ve never used italian meringue buttercream before either, but after googling it seems like you can frost the cake with italian meringue buttercream ahead of time and refrigerate the cake until 1-2 hours before serving it. Hope that helps!
Hello, could I leave the buttercream decorated cake uncut in the fridge for a couple days? Or is it best just the one night? For example, decorate completely Thursday but if it isn’t being served until Saturday. Thank you!
Hi Megan! That shouldn’t be a problem. It’s freshest the closer you make the cake to the deadline, but it should be totally fine to work that far ahead.
So so helpful – I am using your website for all things cake at the moment
Yay, Mitsu! I’m so happy to help!
Any recipe for the cake? In your videos it looks like you use the same recipe but where can I find it?
Hi Vanessa! This video shows quite a few different recipes. I have all of my cake recipes here: https://sugarandsparrow.com/category/recipes/cake/ if you’re looking for a specific flavor you can use the search bar at the top of the page or let me know in a reply and I can direct you to the right page.
Good afternoon!
Gold leaf…have you ever used it?
I have a wedding cake tomorrow and was planning on icing my cakes today and keeping them in the freezer until tomorrow when I deliver them and assemble the cake.
Can I put the gold leaf on today after my buttercream is set and chilled and then proceed to freeze the cakes with the gold leaf on them?
Will this ruin the gold leaf/will it affect the gold leaf in any way?
Or should I freeze the cakes, stack them at the reception venue and then apply the gold leaf?
Or would you suggest something else?
I look forward to hearing back from you, THANKS!
Hi Beth! I have never covered a cake with gold leaf before but I have used it as an accent. When I did I added it to a chilled buttercream cake and refrigerated it overnight before serving it. I have never frozen a decorated cake before, so I’m not sure how it will preserve the cake. I hope that helps!
I usually bake my cake layers the day before stacking and a filling and then I double wrap them in plastic wrap and leave them in the refrigerator overnight. This time I have to make them two days before. I am wondering what your thoughts are on storing them in the fridge vs. the freezer. My house is pretty warm in summer (usually 78 degrees), so I am worried freezer to counter would result in a soggy mess.
Hi Whitney,
Thank you for all the cake basics. They are so helpful.
When should the cake be taken out before serving? I used whipped cream to frost, hence i left the cake in the refrigerator until it was ready to be served. But the cake wasn’t soft. Can you please advice.
Hi Tinu! I would take the cake out of the refrigerator 1-2 hours prior to serving. This way the cake has a chance to soften back up. It’s much softer at room temperature.
If you are decorating with buscuits like Oreos and wafer sticks, is it best to add those just a few hours before presenting the cake? I decorated my cake the night before, refrigerated it over night, left it in a cool room the next day but the biscuits and wafers went soft.
Hi Mary-Anne! Yes, the wafers/cookies will go a little soft in the refrigerator but should still be fine and tasty enough to eat. If you want them fresher, I would add them as close to the time you’ll serve the cake as possible.
Can I do the same process but instead of using buttercream use whipped cream?? Can I frost it the night before and add decorations the day it’s due ?
Hi Amelia! It should totally work to frost the cake with whipped cream the night before, keep it in the refrigerator, then add decorations the day it’s due.
Hi Whitney, I’m planning to bake one of your cakes for a family gathering that’s about 5.5-6h in July by car. While I’ll have a good and sturdy ice bag, do you think the buttercream and flower buttercream will travel well or you’d suggest to prepare the buttercream at the location?
thanks for your advice!!
Hi Pauline! You should be totally fine to decorate the cake at home as long as you keep the cake in the refrigerator until you have to leave for the gathering, then just keep the AC on in the car. Hope that helps!
This is so helpful to anyone looking to think about doing this on the side! (Full time veterinarian here but love making cakes!) Curious about whether you can torte your cake layers before freezing or if that’s a step best left until just before you crumb coat?
Hi Julia! You can totally torte your cakes before freezing. Cheering you on in your cake side hustle!
Thank you for these tips! I am having trouble finding balance between my Monday thru Friday regular job and adding 2 to 3 cakes a week since I started my side hustle business test drive 3 months ago. Your plan/schedule is a huge help for my anxiety!
Yay, Kelly! I’m so happy to help and cheering you on in your side hustle!
Is the crumb coating meant only for cakes that have smooth frosting? Is it meant for regular swirly type frosting as well? Thank you so much!!!
I’d recommend a crumb coat no matter what style of frosting you’ll be doing on top.
When you put parchment on the bottom of the cake pan, do you spray the bottom of the pan with Pam or use butter first? Or do you put the parchment on the pan without any cooking spray or butter? Thank you!! I’m a total newby to baking.
Hi Alexandra! I spray the sides with Pam and a little bit of it always gets on the bottom of the pan in the process, so I just stick the parchment paper on top of that.
Thank you so much!!! It worked!! I just made the cake this morning. I also made your buttercream frosting. You have the most wonderful website and videos!!! So helpful, especially for nervous newbies such as myself.
Yay, Alexandra! I’m so happy to hear that 🙂 thanks for cheering me on!
This is awesome !! Pure gold, thanks for taking the time for putting it together
Yay, Yazmin! So happy you find it helpful!
This is awesome and helpful. Thank you!
Yay, Lauri! So happy to help!
What about cakes that are covered in buttercream but filled with a cream cheese filling? How long will those last in a fridge for? I have a cake that is due on the 30th of June and I’m leaving for vacation on the 28th so I was going to deliver it on the 28th to the client
Hi Sara! I think that timeline would be just fine as long as you do all the building/decorating on the 27th and especially if you do the baking on that day. That will give your client a fresh cake on the 30th so long as they store it in the refrigerator and take it out 1-2 hours before serving so it comes to room temp (tastes way better at room temp!). Hope that helps!
Thank you so much.Have learnt a lot from you.