
Baking a cake ahead of time is a common practice for special occasions like weddings. The general rule of thumb is that you can bake the cake up to three days before you plan to serve it. However, if you won't be serving the cake within three days of baking it, then you need to freeze it, then defrost it a day or two before you'll serve it. Some people have successfully iced their cakes the day before their wedding and kept them in the fridge overnight.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Baking a cake | Up to three days before |
Icing a cake | The day before |
Freezing a cake | If you won't be serving the cake within three days of baking it |
Defrosting a cake | A couple of days or the day before you'll serve it |
Decorating a cake | The night before |
What You'll Learn
Baking cake up to 3 days before serving
Baking a cake up to three days before serving is a common practice for weddings and other events. This allows for adequate preparation and ensures the cake is fresh and delicious on the day of the event. However, it's important to note that if the cake won't be served within three days of baking, it's best to freeze it and defrost it a day or two before serving.
When baking a cake up to three days in advance, it's crucial to follow a similar timeline and have fridge space to stack and decorate the cakes. If you're using fondant, it's recommended to do a crumb coat with buttercream to help keep the cake moist and give the fondant something to stick to. You can do this the night before the wedding.
It's also important to note that if you're using fondant under buttercream, you should brush lightly with a sugar syrup prior to the crumb coat to help preserve the cake. Additionally, if you're icing the cake the day before the wedding, it's a good idea to keep it in the fridge overnight to help set the buttercream and minimize crumbs.
In conclusion, baking a cake up to three days before serving is a practical approach for weddings and other events. By following these tips, you can ensure that your cake is fresh, delicious, and beautifully decorated on the day of the event.
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Frosting 2 days before wedding
Frosting your cake two days before your wedding is a great way to save time and stress on the day of the event. If you have the fridge space, you could even stack and decorate the cakes the night before the wedding, as long as the second coat of buttercream is firm enough.
Baking and frosting your cake in advance can also help you work ahead and not be baking your socks off days before the event. If you want to use fondant, it's a good idea to do a crumb coat with buttercream the night before to help keep the cake more moist and to give the fondant something to stick to.
Most people recommend baking the cake up to three days before you plan to serve it, but if you won't be serving the cake within three days of baking it, then you need to freeze it, then defrost it a day or two before you'll serve it. If you're concerned about preserving the cake, you can brush lightly with a sugar syrup prior to the crumb coat.
Icing your cake the day before your wedding is also an option, as long as you keep it in the fridge overnight. If your freezer is big enough, you can freeze the tiers well wrapped before the final top coat, though this is not something the poster has done themselves.
Remember to keep your frosting in the piping bags if you're icing your cake two days before the wedding, as this will help set the buttercream and get minimal crumbs.
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Stacking and decorating the night before
If you have fridge space, you could stack and decorate the cakes the night before the wedding as long as the second coat of buttercream is firm enough. If you want to use fondant, do a crumb coat with buttercream to help keep the cake more moist and to give the fondant something to stick to. You could do that the night before.
Do not do fondant under buttercream. If you’re concerned about preserving the cake, brush lightly with a sugar syrup prior to the crumb coat. If your freezer is big enough, you can freeze the tiers well wrapped before the final top coat, though I have not done this myself.
I iced my cake the day before my wedding and kept it in the fridge overnight. My cake was relatively small, a 6” 3 layer tier and a 4” 3 layer tier.
My general rule of thumb is you can bake the cake up to three days before you plan to serve it, but if you won’t be serving the cake within three days of baking it, then you need to freeze it, then defrost it a day or two before you’ll serve it. There are some exceptions though and you need to determine a couple of factors before determining how much ahead you can actually bake the cake.
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Freezing tiers well-wrapped before final coat
If you want to freeze tiers well-wrapped before the final top coat, you can do so as long as your freezer is big enough. However, freezing the top tier from your wedding cake and defrosting it a year later is not recommended.
Baking a cake ahead of time is generally acceptable for events like birthdays and weddings. The general rule of thumb is that you can bake the cake up to three days before you plan to serve it. However, if you won't be serving the cake within three days of baking it, it's best to freeze it and defrost it a day or two before serving.
Stacking and decorating the cakes the night before the wedding is possible if you have enough fridge space. Ensure the second coat of buttercream is firm enough. If you want to use fondant, do a crumb coat with buttercream to keep the cake moist and provide a surface for the fondant to adhere to. You can do this the night before the wedding.
Icing the cake the day before the wedding and keeping it in the fridge overnight is a common practice. For a relatively small cake, a 6" 3-layer tier and a 4" 3-layer tier, this method works well. However, do not use fondant under buttercream. If you're concerned about preserving the cake, lightly brush it with sugar syrup before the crumb coat.
Freezing tiers well-wrapped before the final top coat is a time-saving technique, but it's essential to follow the correct freezing and defrosting process to maintain the cake's quality.
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Icing the day before wedding
Icing the cake the day before the wedding is a common practice and can be a time-saver for the baker. Here are some tips and instructions for icing the cake the day before your wedding:
If you are able to follow a similar timeline and have fridge space, you could stack and decorate the cakes the night before the wedding as long as the second coat of buttercream is firm enough. If you really want to use fondant, I would do a crumb coat with buttercream to help keep the cake more moist and to give the fondant something to stick to. You could do that the night before.
If you are baking your own wedding cake, it is recommended to bake the cake up to three days before you plan to serve it, but if you won’t be serving the cake within three days of baking it, then you need to freeze it, then defrost it a day or two before you’ll serve it.
If you are icing the cake the day before the wedding, it is recommended to keep it in the fridge overnight. My cake was relatively small, a 6” 3-layer tier and a 4” 3-layer tier. Do not do fondant under buttercream. If you’re concerned about preserving the cake, brush lightly with a sugar syrup prior to the crumb coat. If your freezer is big enough, you can freeze the tiers well wrapped before the final top coat, though I have not done this myself.
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Frequently asked questions
You can ice the cake the day before the wedding and keep it in the fridge overnight.
You can bake the cake up to three days before you plan to serve it.
If you won't be serving the cake within three days of baking it, then you need to freeze it, then defrost it a day or two before you'll serve it.