Buttermilk Birthday Cake

Asked by reneemoodie. Answered on 6th November 2012

Full question

Hi there - can I make the Buttermilk Birthday Cake from Domestic Goddess and then freeze the whole thing? I know leftovers can be frozen - but does the whole cake still taste as great if you make it, freeze and then use a month or two later. I have a need for about four birthday cakes in the four weeks before Christmas and if I could make some of them now and then freeze, I would be a saner woman!

Our answer

Most sponge type cakes, such as the Buttermilk Birthday Cake, will freeze well if they are frozen without icing and on the day of making. You should try to protect the cake as much as possible by wrapping it correctly. Make sure that none of the cake is exposed directly to the cold air in the freezer as this can cause "freezer burn" where the exposed part dries out and becomes unpalatable.

To freeze the cake make sure that it is fully cool before wrapping it. Wrap each cake layer as tightly as possible in a double layer of clingfilm (plastic wrap) followed by a layer of foil. If you have large enough plastic resealable or freezer bags then you can seal the cake in one of these too. Label and date the cakes if you need to use them in a particular order. The cakes will freeze well for 1 month and should be fine for up to 3 months.

The cake layers should thaw fairly quickly at room temperature. Unwrap the frozen cakes and put them on wire racks. They should have thawed in 2-3 hours at room temperature (though times vary according to the thickness of the cake).