A celebration without cake is just a meeting, and that includes your first wedding anniversary. If you want to toast to one year of wedded bliss with a sweet treat, here’s how to save the top layer of your wedding cake (properly!). The tradition of saving the top tier of a wedding cake originated in 18th century Great Britain, where the top layer was usually fruit cake or chocolate cake because it lasted longer. It was generally saved for the couple to share on the christening day of their first child. These days, most couples like to celebrate their anniversary with at least one bite of the same cake they ate on their big day. Others are just curious to find out what year-old, frozen cake tastes like. To be completely transparent, a year-old frozen cake will never be as fresh or delicious as the day it was baked, but here are a few tips from some of Pittsburgh’s best wedding cake bakers that will help with preserving the quality as much as possible.
Consider the size of your cake.
Before you decide that you want to freeze your wedding cake, be sure that you have the room to do so. If the top layer of your cake is quite large or tall, and you don’t have a deep freezer, you may be tight on freezer space for the next year.
“Most of my wedding cakes are only 3-tiers high, and the top tier is usually 6” high, much too big for most freezers. My solution is to provide a fresh 6” cake for my clients on their anniversary instead.”
Timing is everything.
The to-dos don’t stop after the I dos. You’ll want to get the top layer of your cake into the refrigerator or cooler as soon as possible after you cut it. It’s worth letting your wedding planner, caterer, and/or reception venue know that you’d like to save your cake so that they can assist with proper and timely storage. Within a few days after the wedding, the cake should be placed in the freezer.
“Timing is important! Try and freeze the cake within two days of your wedding. The top tier should be kept in the fridge after the cutting ceremony.
Remove any decorations.
Prior to freezing, be sure to remove anything that should not be frozen, including sugar or real flowers and the cake topper.
Wrap it up.
There is an art to properly wrapping up the top layer of a wedding cake. You must do it well to minimize damage and freezer burn as much as possible. For best results, you’ll need clear plastic wrap, aluminum foil, and ideally a freezer bag and an airtight freezer-safe container.
“Wrap the cake in a double layer of plastic wrap tightly. Seal the plastic wrapped cake in a freezer bag, removing as much air as possible.”
“Since the cake should have been in the refrigerator already (see above), the buttercream should be hard to the touch. Make sure this is the case before you wrap it. Fully wrap the entire cake two times in plastic wrap. For additional freshness, you can also wrap it in a layer of foil. Place the wrapped cake in an airtight container and let it sit untouched for up to one year.”
“Tightly triple wrap your cake with clear plastic wrap. Place it in a double freezer plastic bag (remember that not all plastic bags are freezer protected!). It’s a good idea to then place the bag into a plastic container to prevent the cake from being smashed.”
Placement is important.
Where you place your cake in the freezer matters. You want to expose it to warmer temperatures as little as possible. Ideally, your cake will do the best in the deepest part of a deep freezer, not a stand up one. However if that’s all you have, be sure to store it as far in the back as possible and never on the door.
“Place the cake in a deep area of a deep freezer (not the door) to prevent any defrost/refreezing.”
Give it time to thaw.
If you want to celebrate your anniversary with a throwback sweet treat, you’ll need to plan ahead. The wedding cake will need plenty of time to thaw. Think about when you want to eat it and set a reminder to take the cake out of the freezer ahead of time!
“Remove the cake from the freezer two days before you would like to eat it. This will ensure it has plenty of time to defrost. On the day you want to eat the cake, remove it from the refrigerator, remove all wrapping, and let it sit out at least for 3 – 4 hours at room temperature before consuming.”
Pre-order an anniversary cake.
When ordering your wedding cake, ask your baker if they can also include a small cake for you to enjoy on your first anniversary. You’ll still need to freeze and store it until the milestone celebration, but your baker can ensure that the anniversary cake is properly packaged to minimize damage.
“In lieu of removing and saving the top tier of your wedding cake after the reception, we prepare a separate ‘anniversary cake’ that we bring wrapped and boxed up to the venue when we deliver your wedding cake so you can simply take it home and place it directly in your freezer.”
Don’t.
If the idea of eating a year-old piece of cake doesn’t exactly sound appealing to you (we can’t blame you), purchase a small cake that mimics your wedding cake to celebrate your anniversary. This allows you to still experience the sense of nostalgia with a look-a-like confection but you skip a potentially freezer burned cake.
“Don’t. Get a 6” anniversary cake the next year. I always offer to decorate it like your wedding cake and it’s fresh and doesn’t take up room in the freeze for a year. No freezer burn and no stress getting it saved while you’re partying!”
Good post