How to Freeze Cakes & Cupcakes

Freezing cakes and cupcakes is my favorite time-saving hack when I'm baking for a birthday or party. This guide includes everything that I've learned about how to seal, freeze, and thaw cakes and cupcakes so that they'll taste just as fresh as the day you baked them!

Hands wrapping a round vanilla cake layer with plastic wrap.

A freezer is one of the most underrated baking tools. I use it to store my stash of frozen cookie dough and the pie crust that I prep ahead of time. I even freeze my homemade cinnamon rolls before I bake them so I don't have to wake up early to roll out dough!

My freezer honestly saves me so much time and stress by allowing me to do my baking in advance. Especially when it comes to freezing cakes and cupcakes! And of course, it's great for storing any leftovers, too.

I have frozen so many cakes and cupcakes over the years. My kids' birthdays are just four days apart, so baking the cakes ahead of time and freezing them is one of the ways that I survive the craziness of "birthday week" in our house! Baking the cakes days (or even weeks) in advance takes some pressure off the big day when I'm juggling other party prep tasks and trying to enjoy the celebration.

Along the way I've learned exactly what to do - and what not to do - to keep my cakes and cupcakes tasting fresh. Here I'll teach you to properly wrap, freeze, and thaw cakes and cupcakes so that they stay fresh and flavorful after they've been frozen.

How Freezing Cake Works

Unlike the fridge, which pulls moisture out of cake and causes it to dry out more quickly, the freezer locks in moisture, allowing a properly sealed cake or cupcakes to stay fresh for months.

If you're worried about freezer burn, remember that air is the enemy. Take the time to wrap your cakes and cupcakes well to seal out as much air as possible, and you'll be good to go! It's worth a few extra minutes of effort to wrap everything well.

Here's exactly how I do it, based on what you'll be freezing...

How to Freeze Unfrosted Cake Layers & Sheet Cakes

This is the method that I use most often, especially for freezing birthday cakes and holiday cakes that I've baked in advance. Baking and freezing the cake layers ahead means all you have to do on the big day is frost and assemble.

Let the cake cool completely. Wrapping warm cake traps steam, which could lead to a soggy cake once thawed. Be sure your cake is completely cool (check the top and the bottom to be sure) before moving on to step 2.
Wrap each layer individually in plastic wrap. I carefully wrap each cake layer with plastic wrap, making sure no spots are left exposed and there are no air pockets between the wrap and the cake.
Add a second layer of protection. Don't skip this second layer. It's what really helps to seal out freezer burn. You can place the plastic-wrapped cake layers in a freezer-safe, airtight container or in a sealable plastic bag, or you can add a layer of aluminum foil to each layer of cake.
Label and freeze the cake. Add a note on the bag or a piece of masking tape labeled with marker on the container with the type of cake and the date before freezing.

How Long to Freeze Unfrosted Cake Layers: Most unfrosted cakes will last in the freezer for up to 3 months, but if I'm baking a cake in advance for a party I bake and freeze it no more than one month ahead of time to keep things extra fresh.

How to Thaw Unfrosted Cake Layers: Move the cake to the fridge the night before you'll be decorating and serving it and let it thaw overnight. Wait until the cake is fully thawed to remove the plastic wrap. Condensation will form as the cake thaws, and we want it on the wrap and not on the cake.

Hands placing a wrapped vanilla cake layer into a plastic bag.

How to Freeze Frosted Cakes & Cake Slices

This is the method that I use for freezing leftover cake from a party or holiday gathering to enjoy later. Make sure you check out my tips section below for more information about the types of frostings and fillings that I do and do not recommend freezing.

Slice or keep whole? Decide if you want to be able to defrost individual slices one at a time. If you do, finish cutting the cake so that you can wrap the slices individually. Otherwise it's fine to freeze the leftover cake as a whole.
Freeze the cake uncovered. Pop the frosted cake or individual slices into the freezer, uncovered, for about an hour. If freezing individual slices, I like to lay them out on a baking sheet in the freezer. Freezing the cake before wrapping it firms up the frosting so it won't get smudged when we wrap it.
Wrap in plastic wrap. Once the frosting is firm, wrap the whole cake or each slice securely in a layer of plastic wrap.
Add a second layer of protection. Just like with the unfrosted cake, adding a second layer, like aluminum foil or an airtight container, helps to keep air away from the frozen cake.
Use a container for extra protection. If the cake isn't already in an airtight container and you have a cake carrier or other sturdy container, place the wrapped cake inside. This helps to protect the cake from getting bumped and dented while it's in the freezer.
Freeze.

How Long to Freeze Frosted Cake & Cake Slices: I like to store frosted cakes in the freezer for up to 2 months, and up to 1 month for individual cake slices.

How to Thaw Frosted Cake & Cake Slices: For a whole cake, let it thaw overnight in the fridge. Keep the cake wrapped until it's fully thawed to avoid any condensation forming on the frosting. Individual slices should thaw more quickly and need just a few hours in the fridge to thaw. For the best flavor, let thawed cake and cake slices come to room temperature before enjoying.

Slices of vanilla cake with chocolate frosting wrapped in plastic wrap on a baking sheet.

How to Freeze Cupcakes

Freezing cupcakes can be a little bit tricky, since they can be prone to sogginess and separating wrappers after they're thawed. The trick to avoiding extra moisture is to wrap each cupcake individually and thaw them fully before removing the wrapping.

Freezing Unfrosted Cupcakes:

Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack.
Wrap each cupcake individually in plastic wrap and place them into an airtight container to keep air out and protect the cupcakes shape.
Freeze.

How Long to Freeze Unfrosted Cupcakes: Unfrosted cupcakes should last in the freezer for up to 3 months, but just like cake I don't bake cupcakes for an upcoming event more than a month ahead of time.

How to Thaw Unfrosted Cupcakes: Thaw cupcakes in the fridge (it should only take a few hours) before removing their wrapping and decorating.

Freezing Frosted Cupcakes:

Freeze the cupcakes uncovered. Place the frosted cupcakes on a baking sheet, uncovered, in the freezer for about an hour so the frosting firms up.
Once the frosting is firm, individually wrap each cupcake with plastic wrap. Place the wrapped cupcakes into an airtight container to protect them from freezer burn and from being squished in the freezer.
Freeze.

How Long to Freeze Frosted Cupcakes: Frosted cupcakes will typically last up to 2 months in the freezer.

How to Thaw Frosted Cupcakes: Thaw frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator for a few hours, or overnight, still in the container. Keeping condensation away from the cupcakes and frosting will give you the best result.

Allison's Top Tips

Here are some key tips that I learned the hard way. Let me help you avoid my mistakes!

Start with a fresh freezer. Make sure there are no funky smells in your freezer from fragrant or too-old food stored inside. If necessary, give your freezer a quick clean out to make sure no smells will be absorbed by your cakes or cupcakes.

Skip freezing anything with whipped cream-based frosting or fresh fruit or custard-based filling. Sorry, that means you, strawberry vanilla cake. Delicate frostings and fruit fillings don't freeze and thaw well. Stick to sturdier frostings like American buttercream, cream cheese frosting, and ganache, which hold up well in the freezer.

Always thaw slowly. I know it's tempting to rush this part of the process, but giving your cakes and cupcakes time to thaw slowly in the fridge (still wrapped) will give you the best texture since it minimizes condensation forming.

Don't skip the flash-freeze step for anything frosted. It doesn't take long to freeze frosted cake slices and cupcakes before wrapping them and storing them in the freezer, and it's the difference between smooth frosting and a smeared mess once you unwrap it.

Save those bags! If you're storing wrapped cake in sealable plastic food storage bags, the bags can be re-used over and over again to cut down on plastic waste.

If you give these tips a try, come back and leave a comment to let me know how it goes!

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