Okay, so we know that freezing a cake may sound odd, especially a pound cake. However, when you have a burst of baking inspiration and find yourself making one too many sweet treats, your future self will be grateful that you froze yourself a treat for later.
And what better treat than the humble pound cake?
Cakes don’t get more traditional than pound cake which is as simple to make as it is delicious to eat. There are several variations of pound cake all over the world, and still, the base recipe remains simple and effective. So, how do you freeze a pound cake?
To freeze pound cake, allow it cool completely before wrapping it in cling film and then popping it into a resealable container. It can then be frozen for around 3 months.
How to Freeze Pound Cake
Like most cakes, pound cake should only be frozen once cooked. Trying to freeze pound cake batter will ruin the texture of the final cake.
Luckily, freezing a pound cake requires very little effort, arguably even less than making the cake requires. But it is essential to follow freezing instructions carefully to help keep the texture, consistency and flavour of the pound cake intact.
Here is the best way to freeze a baked pound cake:
- Leave To Cool
Before freezing, you need to allow enough time for the pound cake to cool down to room temperature. If you need to speed this up, then check out our guide to cooling a cake quickly. Of course, if your cake is a day old or so, you don’t need to wait for it to cool. - Wrap It Up
Use some quality plastic wrap to cover the entire cake. Pull the plastic wrap around the cake as tightly and snuggly as possible while ensuring that the shape of the cake isn’t compromised.
- Place In Container
To help support the base of the pound cake, place the wrapped cake directly into a sealable container. This will add an extra protective layer against the cold. - Label
No matter what you are freezing, it is always best to label your food so that you know exactly what you have in your freezer. Label your pound cake with its contents and flavour. Also, add the use-by date to the label, which would be 3 months in advance. - Freeze
All that is left to do is place your pound cake directly into the freezer and allow the cold to freeze the pound cake solid. The cake will be good in your freezer for up to 3 months.
You need to remove your pound cake from the freezer at least 24 hours before you can enjoy it. Leave the pound cake in your fridge to defrost by itself so that the cake doesn’t develop any harmful bacteria as it defrosts.
How to Freeze Pound Cake Successfully
The reason that so many people jump to a pound cake recipe when they want a quick treat is because of how delicious a few essential ingredients can become in such a short amount of time.
That being said, the crumbly and mouth-watering texture of a pound cake is delicate and likely to fall apart or turn mushy if you fail to freeze the cake properly.
To avoid a ruined cake and to ensure that your pound cake remains as fresh as possible even after 3 months in the freezer, here are a few tips to keep in mind as you prep your pound cake for freezing:
- Allocate Enough Cooling Time – The biggest mistake people make when freezing pound cake is rushing ahead to freezing the cake straight out of the oven. The issue is that the heat and steam from the oven hot pound cake will become trapped in the plastic wrap, sinking back into the cake and making it extremely soggy.
- Save The Decorating – A pound cake is so easy to make that you can get as creative as you want with its decorations and still have a delicious cake. However, because of how tightly you need to wrap the cake in plastic wrap, any decorations you do before freezing will get squished and ruined.
- Double The Wrapping – If you are worried about the plastic wrap ruining the shape of your pound cake, then you may only want to do one layer of wrapping. But remember that this may not offer the same protection from the cold of your freezer as a double layer of plastic wrap.
- Use A Different Container – Not everyone will have an air-tight, sealable container to store their pound cake in. A cake dish or plate can still help to support the structure of the cake but will not offer the same protection against the air.
Does Pound Cake Freeze Well?
Due to the density of pound cake, it can freeze exceptionally well.
That is so long as you ensure as little cold air as possible can touch the cake directly in the freezer.
Pound cake that has been poorly wrapped in plastic wrap will develop a wet and damp consistency once it is defrosted, but pound cake that is securely protected will freeze very well.
Freezing Pound Cake FAQs
Do you have more questions about freezing pound cake? Then check these FAQS out to see if they help – if not, drop a comment at the end of the article.
Yes, you can freeze individual slices of pound cake. Wrap each slice in a sheet of cling film and then pop these slices into a freezer bag before carefully moving them to the freezer for up to 3 months.
Whether you have icing or a drizzle on the pound cake, you’ll find that the plastic wrap ruins it. Try to add any decorations and icing after thawing it out.
Acacia may be a freelance writer by day, but they are a food fanatic by night. They are always trying out new recipes or finding different ways to elevate classical dishes. But their biggest culinary aim is to educate others on the basics of the kitchen so that they too can enjoy delicious food.
