My workforce and I’ve frozen our fair proportion of muffins and have made sufficient errors to know what actually works. Let’s study 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 revealed this tutorial in 2019 and have since added new images, a video tutorial, and extra success ideas.
Making muffins upfront and freezing them is a good way to get forward and have much less to do on the day of a celebration or celebration. Immediately I’m sharing my tried and true methodology for freezing muffins.
I’ve tried many methods over time, and the best way I’m displaying you immediately is one of the best 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 Muffins
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 embellished cake will contract and broaden throughout the freezing/thawing course of, ruining a few of your exhausting 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 effective 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 effectively.
Easy methods to Freeze Muffins
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 may as well freeze one thing with add-ins, resembling 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 ensure the muffins are fully 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!
If you happen to’re making a layer cake and the layers require leveling, stage them off now earlier than you freeze them. (Study extra about methods to stage muffins on this tutorial on Easy methods 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 actually the very best 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 might 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 means 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’ll be able to 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 should you don’t have a large enough container, wrap in one other layer of aluminum foil. After all make 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 prime of each other if that works finest to your freezer house:
STEP 6: Freeze for as much as 3 months. Once more, I like to recommend writing the “use by” date on prime of the foil, 3 months from now.
Bear in mind, the earlier you thaw and benefit from the cake, the brisker it is going to style.
You should use this identical freezing methodology for spherical or sheet muffins, any dimension or form. Bundt muffins and loaf muffins, too! For cheesecake directions, see “Easy methods to Freeze Cheesecake” in my basic cheesecake recipe.
Easy methods 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 manner, depart them of their wrappings to thaw, to forestall condensation from forming and making the muffins soggy.
The period of time it takes to thaw relies on the scale of your cake, however you’ll want to permit at the least 8 hours to thaw within the fridge.
As soon as they’ve thawed, you’ll be able to merely unwrap the layers and proceed together 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 might stretch it to 4 or 5 months, however the sooner you serve it, the brisker it tastes.
You’ll be able to freeze nearly any cake after they’ve cooled fully. Mega-flavorful muffins resembling banana cake, chocolate cake, carrot cake, and pumpkin cake freeze and thaw fantastically 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 effectively, simply make sure that they’re fully cooled and wrapped tightly earlier than freezing.
Delicate muffins like angel meals cake, vertical cake, and pavlova don’t maintain up effectively within the freezer as a result of their texture tends to endure. It’s finest to get pleasure from these recent.
The period of time it takes to thaw relies on the scale of your cake, however you’ll want to permit at the least 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 publish on Easy methods 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 so that they style as recent as potential.
- Bake and fully cool a cake/cake layers. These step-by-step images present spherical muffins, however you’ll be able to freeze sq., rectangle, Bundt muffins, and so forth. See my 10 finest Cake Baking Suggestions for finest practices on baking and cooling muffins.
- As soon as the cake(s) cools fully, wrap it in Press & Seal. That is the very best 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 adore 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 means of. It has earlier than!
- Wrap the cake within the aluminum foil.
- Place the cake(s) in a freezer-safe container. Or should you don’t have a large enough container, wrap in one other layer of aluminum foil. (Be sure that 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 might 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 depart them wrapped in Press & Seal/aluminum foil. The muffins take at the least 8 hours to thaw fully within the fridge. Be sure you’re thawing the muffins whereas they’re nonetheless within the wrapping. Condensation types as meals thaw. This manner the condensation will kind on the wrapping, not the cake.
- Assemble, beautify, and serve cake.
Notes
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Press & Seal | Aluminum Foil | Freezer-Protected Container
- Don’t Freeze Adorned Cake: For finest style and texture, assemble and beautify the cake as near serving as potential. A totally embellished cake will contract and broaden throughout the freezing/thawing course of, ruining a few of your exhausting work. You can also make the frosting forward of time and refrigerate it for 1 day, however recent frosting actually does style finest.
