Princess cake - making ahead and freezing - will this work?

[MaddHatter]

I am going to make a princess cake for DD's 4th birthday. I was thinking that I would make the cake the week before, do buttercream layers and cover it in a thin film of buttercream and then freeze.

I have read that you should freeze it uncovered for a few hours, then wrap in clingfilm and then foil?

And then the day before the party, defrost the cake (uncovered? at room temperature?) and then decorate with ready to roll icing etc.

Would this work or would the cake dry out or get wet when defrosting? And would it be OK to decorate it 24 hours before and leave it at room temperature or would this make the cake/icing dry out? It will be quite tall so unless I cover with clingfilm I don't think I can put it in an airtight container.

I would be OH so grateful for any tips!! Please?!?!

personally I would never freeze a cake....it dries them out and I can always tell

I'd make it no sooner than the day before and keep it somewhere cool.

I'm pretty fussy about my food, but always used to freeze ds's cakes when he was little, and didn't notice they dried out - I always wrapped them carefully. If you cut cakes to make the right shape, freezing is good because you don't get as many crumbs in the icing.

IME most party cakes are bought anyway, so by making your own, you're well ahead. Even if they do get dryer, it'll be a very small effect, that the children won't notice. Whatever you can do to reduce the work you have to do near the party the better.

Freezing the cake is fine, been doing this for years, genetally it's been frozen for about a month or so and it doesn't affect the flavour or moistness at all. But I wouldn't freeze it covered in buttercream, I wtap mine in baking paper, then cling film and then foil just to be on the safe side. Take it out the morning you need it and buttercream it (which you can make the day or so before, just bring it back to room temperature) when still a bit frozen, this makes it so much easier to buttercream as it's less crumbly. Then decorate of you want in fondant. There's no way I would have the time to bake and decorate the cakes I do if I was doing it all at once!

And if it's covered in fondant like you asked the day before it won't dry out.

I did this last month for DD's cake on the advice of our lovely local cake supplies shop. She advised to bake the cake double wrap in cling film and freeze. When you want to use them remove from the freezer, DO NOT UNWRAP until completely defrosted, which should only take a couple of hours (if that). Do not freeze with buttercream though just the sponge. Followed this advise an cake was still lovely and moist, I used a recipe that used Veg oil instead of butter.

Thanks very much. So I guess if you don't unwrap it when defrosting the condensation forms on the outside of the cling film rather than on the cake? There is no way I will have time to bake the cake and decorate it on the day before so I will need to freeze it somehow.

That's right Madd it also keep the moisture in. If you have ever frozen bread and taken out a couple of slices it will go dry, if you take the slices out and defrost in another small back they stay moist