Can you freeze cake?

A plain or buttered sponge freezes and thaws almost undetectably, and bakers routinely freeze layers deliberately because a chilled crumb is easier to fill and level. Buttercream survives because it is mostly fat and sugar. What fails is anything built on egg white or on a set gel: USDA lists egg-white icings as going frothy and weeping, and cream and custard fillings as separating. Wrap tightly and thaw still wrapped, so condensation forms on the wrapping and not on the cake.

How to do it properly

1. Cool the cake completely, then wrap in film and again in foil
2. Freeze layers unfrosted where you can, and frost after thawing
3. Open-freeze frosted cake for an hour first so the wrap does not stick to the icing
4. Thaw still wrapped, at room temperature, so moisture condenses outside the wrapping

What goes wrong

• Royal icing and meringue frosting weep and go frothy
• Custard and cream fillings separate
• Unwrapping while frozen leaves the surface wet

Other "can you freeze" questions

• Can you freeze cheese? It depends — Yes, and it stays safe indefinitely — but hard cheese comes out crumbly and soft cheese comes out wet.
• Can you freeze milk? Yes — Yes — leave headspace for expansion and shake it hard after thawing.
• Can you freeze eggs? It depends — Not in the shell. Beat them first, or freeze whites on their own.
• Can you freeze bread? Yes — Yes — freezing is the best way to store bread, far better than the fridge.
• Can you freeze bananas? Yes — Yes — peel and slice them first, because the peel turns black and welds itself on.
• Can you freeze cooked rice? Yes — Yes, and freezing quickly is the safest way to keep leftover rice.
• Can you freeze raw chicken twice? It depends — Only if it thawed in the fridge and never got above 4 °C (40 °F).
• Can you freeze breast milk? Yes — Yes — freeze it flat in bags, and use within six months for best quality.
• Can you freeze avocado? It depends — Yes, but only as a purée — frozen slices go grey and watery.
• Can you freeze soup? It depends — Yes for most soups; cream, milk and potato-based ones separate or go grainy.
• Can you freeze butter? Yes — Yes — butter freezes better than almost anything else in the fridge.
• Can you freeze cooked pasta? Yes — Yes — undercook it slightly and toss it in oil first, or it thaws into a solid block.