Madeira cake dates back to almost two centuries ago, during the 1800s when Madeira wine was a popular drink. Yet, it is still widely known and vastly enjoyed, freshly made in most of the bakeries.
Can You Freeze Madeira Cake?
Now, if you are wondering whether or not you can freeze this amazing cake, then I am here to tell you that yes. You can, in fact, freeze Madeira cake, and easily do so as well!
Better freeze it as fast as you can. However, Madeira cake can withstand a few days without freezing.
You get to freeze it in slices or the cake as a whole. The most important thing is to just wrap your cake tightly before moving it to the freezer.
Alternatives To Freezing Madeira Cake
If you are not really comfortable with the idea of freezing Madeira cake, or you simply don’t have the time to freeze and defrost it. Here are some alternative options you can take to preserve Madeira cake as much as possible:
- Madeira cake can be used as a trifle.
- You can make the best combination of Madeira cake and fruit cake that can be shaped into cake pops.
- Madeira cake makes up one of the best French toasts ever.
How to Freeze Madeira Cake
Believe it or not, Madeira cake is a perfect dessert for freezing. I absolutely love the fact that I can freeze it prior to any party or get together and just defrost it and enjoy it like the freshly made one.
Here are the easy and simple steps to freezing:
Cool:
Once you take your freshly baked Madeira cake out of the oven, allow it to cool down to room temperature on a cooling rack for at least 1 to 2 hours.
Warp the cake:
You can either wrap Madeira cake slices or the whole cake. Once you are sure it is cool enough, wrap it tightly in aluminum foil.
Place in a container:
Place your wrapped Madeira cake inside a freezer-friendly plastic container. Lay it flat inside the container, then close the lid tightly.
Label and Freeze
Label the container with the date of freezing, the maximum time that the cake can last in the freezer, and the contents of the container so that it is easier for you to later on distinguish the cake from all the other food kept in the freezer.
3 Tips for Freezing Madeira Cake
Make sure to follow these three tips if you want your Madeira cake to come out of the freezer perfectly.
Freeze it whole:
Freezing individual slices can be helpful when you want to just defrost a small portion instead of the whole cake. However, it is much better to freeze the whole cake, as all the moisture and flavor will be retained inside of the cake.
This will protect it from drying out so that the next time you defrost it, it will exactly be like the freshly baked one.
Make sure it’s Not warm:
Never attempt to rush the freezing process by taking your cake straight out of the oven and in to the freezer before it fully cools. This will cause the cake to turn soggy and mushy in the freezer and will definitely lose its signature texture.
Freeze other cake types:
Madeira cake is still kind of a sponge cake. Meaning, if your outcome isn’t exactly a Madeira cake but still a sponge cake, then you can still freeze it successfully if you followed the same exact steps!
How to defrost Madeira cake
I totally recommend placing a tea towel on top of the cake once you move the cake from the freezer to the fridge. The towel is going to absorb all the excess moisture that will be formed on the cake and prevent it from turning soggy.
I prefer to decorate my cake with the frosting after it completely thaws, instead of before freezing. It’s easier and more efficient that way.
How long can Madeira cake be frozen?
Three months is the optimal time that Madeira cake can last in the freezer. Although it can stay longer in the freezer, yet, it is not exactly recommended as you will be risking the loss of its amazing taste and texture. It will be more liable to freezer burns.
If you are not planning to leave your cake in the freezer for that long, it is worth mentioning that Madeira cake can stay in the fridge for up to a week.
How do you store Madeira cake?
Since Madeira cake usually tastes better the next day, I like to wrap the cake, once it cools down of course, in a cling film tightly and leave it on the counter, if I know for sure that I am not going to leave it for longer than 2 – 5 days.
If I am not planning to eat it that soon, then I place the wrapped cake inside a freezer bag or container and place it in the freezer.
Can you refreeze Madeira Cake?
While it isn’t exactly “Wrong” to refreeze the Madeira cake, it is still not really preferred as every time you take the cake out of the freezer and place it back in the freezer you risk the chance of freezer burns and the drying of the cake.
A good tip, is to freeze your cake in slices instead of a whole cake so that you won’t need to defrost any extra cake and risk refreezing it.
Does Madeira cake freeze well?
If you followed the previous steps I mentioned accurately, then you shouldn’t worry about freezing your Madeira cake.
Wait for the cake to cool. Wrap tightly, then place it in the freezer.
Can you freeze Madeira cake with buttercream?
Surprisingly, buttercream does freeze well. That’s why, all that you will need to do is to just bake the layers of your Madeira cake as you usually would, wait for them to cool down, then ice it with the buttercream.
Place the cake on a tray, and move the tray to the freezer after clearing it out. You won’t need to wrap the cake in anything.
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