My workforce and I’ve frozen our fair proportion of muffins and have made sufficient errors to know what actually works. Let’s be taught methods to freeze muffins in order that they style the freshest and that you just’re the one one who is aware of the cake was beforehand frozen!
I initially printed this tutorial in 2019 and have since added new photographs, a video tutorial, and extra success suggestions.
Making muffins upfront and freezing them is an effective way to get forward and have much less to do on the day of a celebration or celebration. At this time I’m sharing my tried and true technique for freezing muffins.
I’ve tried many methods over time, and the best way I’m exhibiting you right this moment is one of the simplest ways to make sure the cake tastes recent and scrumptious after freezing and thawing. Earlier than we get into the nitty-gritty, let me inform you…
My #1 Tip for Freezing Desserts
My number-one tip for the best-tasting outcomes is to freeze the cake layers earlier than frosting, and make the frosting recent the day you intend to assemble and serve the cake.
You can freeze a cake with frosting, however the texture is simply by no means fairly the identical after thawing. Plus, a totally adorned cake will contract and develop through the freezing/thawing course of, ruining a few of your arduous work. That’s why I like to recommend freezing the cake by itself, after which making frosting (recent frosting actually does style finest!) and assembling the cake after it’s been thawed.
That stated, it’s high-quality to freeze leftover frosted cake. It’s simply left over and doesn’t must impress anybody! And clearly, ice cream cake is an exception to this rule as properly.
The right way to Freeze Desserts
First, right here’s a full video tutorial so you’ll be able to perceive the tactic:
The cake pictured right here is my vanilla cake, however you can too freeze one thing with add-ins, equivalent to carrot cake, or this darkish chocolate peanut butter cake (which has chocolate chips within the cake batter).
STEP 1: Bake and funky your cake(s). It’s vital to verify the muffins are utterly cool earlier than you wrap them to freeze. In any other case, the steam from the cooling cake will condense on the within of the wrapping, leaving you with a really soggy cake after thawing. Let’s keep away from that!
For those who’re making a layer cake and the layers require leveling, degree them off now earlier than you freeze them. (Be taught extra about methods to degree muffins on this tutorial on The right way to Assemble a Layer Cake.)
STEP 2: Wrap every cake layer individually in a layer of plastic wrap. I like to make use of Glad Press & Seal to wrap muffins for freezing. I’m not working with this model, however that is really the perfect product I’ve tried for wrapping muffins.
STEP 3: Write the kind of cake and use-by date on a big piece of aluminum foil. For finest style and texture, don’t freeze muffins for longer than 3 months. You could possibly stretch it to 4 or 5 months, however the sooner you serve it, the brisker it tastes. I write on the aluminum foil earlier than wrapping the cake simply in case the ink seeps by way of. (It has earlier than!)
STEP 4: Wrap every cake layer in a layer of aluminum foil.
The double layer of wrapping is vital to preserving taste and texture.
The primary layer retains the cake tight and recent and the aluminum foil ensures no condensation will seep in. That is additionally how I wrap banana bread and different fast breads, too. Double layer = most freshness and no freezer burn.
You possibly can place your labeled, double-wrapped muffins within the freezer now, however for even extra safety, place them inside an hermetic freezer-safe container.
STEP 5: Place the cake(s) in a freezer-safe container. Or in case you don’t have a large enough container, wrap in one other layer of aluminum foil. After all be sure that the foil with the date on it’s what’s on the surface.
Be happy to stack the individually wrapped cake layers on high of each other if that works finest to your freezer area:
STEP 6: Freeze for as much as 3 months. Once more, I like to recommend writing the “use by” date on high of the foil, 3 months from now.
Bear in mind, the earlier you thaw and benefit from the cake, the brisker it’s going to style.
You need to use this identical freezing technique for spherical or sheet muffins, any measurement or form. Bundt muffins and loaf muffins, too! For cheesecake directions, see “The right way to Freeze Cheesecake” in my traditional cheesecake recipe.
The right way to Thaw Frozen Cake
To thaw the muffins, switch them from the freezer to the fridge a day upfront to offer them time to thaw. Or you’ll be able to thaw them at room temperature for a number of hours.
Both means, go away them of their wrappings to thaw, to stop condensation from forming and making the muffins soggy.
The period of time it takes to thaw will depend on the scale of your cake, however remember to enable no less than 8 hours to thaw within the fridge.
As soon as they’ve thawed, you’ll be able to merely unwrap the layers and proceed along with your cake recipe‘s instructions for frosting, assembling, and adorning.
For finest style and texture, don’t freeze muffins for longer than 3 months. You could possibly stretch it to 4 or 5 months, however the sooner you serve it, the brisker it tastes.
You possibly can freeze nearly any cake after they’ve cooled utterly. Mega-flavorful muffins equivalent to banana cake, chocolate cake, carrot cake, and pumpkin cake freeze and thaw superbly when wrapped in a pair layers, as detailed above. I discover their taste is even higher after the freezing/thawing course of! Bundt muffins and pound cake freeze splendidly as properly, simply be sure that they’re utterly cooled and wrapped tightly earlier than freezing.
Delicate muffins like angel meals cake, vertical cake, and pavlova don’t maintain up properly within the freezer as a result of their texture tends to endure. It’s finest to take pleasure in these recent.
The period of time it takes to thaw will depend on the scale of your cake, however remember to enable no less than 8 hours to thaw within the fridge. Or you’ll be able to thaw cake at room temperature for a number of hours.
How about cookies? See my put up on The right way to Freeze Cookie Dough for extra. Since you ought to ALWAYS have chocolate chip cookies on the prepared 🙂
Description
Use this video tutorial and step-by-step information to freeze your muffins in order that they style as recent as doable.
- Bake and utterly cool a cake/cake layers. These step-by-step photographs present spherical muffins, however you’ll be able to freeze sq., rectangle, Bundt muffins, and many others. See my 10 finest Cake Baking Suggestions for finest practices on baking and cooling muffins.
- As soon as the cake(s) cools utterly, wrap it in Press & Seal. That is the perfect product for wrapping muffins. Skinny plastic/saran wrap is extremely clingy and irritating. Common plastic wrap undoubtedly works, however Press & Seal is a lot simpler to make use of and I’ve actually discovered that it retains my meals brisker. (Not working with this model, simply actually like it.)
- Write the kind of cake and use-by date on a big piece of aluminum foil. I write on the aluminum foil earlier than wrapping the cake simply in case the ink seeps by way of. It has earlier than!
- Wrap the cake within the aluminum foil.
- Place the cake(s) in a freezer-safe container. Or in case you don’t have a large enough container, wrap in one other layer of aluminum foil. (Ensure the foil with the date on it’s what’s on the surface.)
- Freeze for as much as 3 months. For finest style and texture, don’t freeze muffins for longer than 3 months. You could possibly stretch it to 4 or 5 months, however the sooner you serve it, the brisker it tastes.
- When able to thaw: Switch the wrapped muffins from the freezer to the fridge at some point earlier than adorning/serving. Take them out of the freezer container to thaw, however go away them wrapped in Press & Seal/aluminum foil. The muffins take no less than 8 hours to thaw utterly within the fridge. Be sure to’re thawing the muffins whereas they’re nonetheless within the wrapping. Condensation types as meals thaw. This fashion the condensation will kind on the wrapping, not the cake.
- Assemble, enhance, and serve cake.
Notes
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Press & Seal | Aluminum Foil | Freezer-Secure Container
- Don’t Freeze Embellished Cake: For finest style and texture, assemble and enhance the cake as near serving as doable. A totally adorned cake will contract and develop through the freezing/thawing course of, ruining a few of your arduous work. You can also make the frosting forward of time and refrigerate it for 1 day, however recent frosting actually does style finest.
