Can You Freeze Frosted Cupcakes?

Due to our busy lives, it is almost impossible for anyone to bake cupcakes or cakes for special occasions.

What do you end up doing every time? That’s right! Grab a boring, bland batch of cupcakes at the grocery store. Even worse, you realize that you have to get some cupcakes by tomorrow morning at midnight!

You don’t have any shops open, there’s no time to bake and you have very few ingredients. Wouldn’t it be easier if you had already baked and frozen cupcakes? It would, of course!

However, frozen frosted cupcakes can be frozen. It is possible to freeze frosted cupcakes. We recommend it over storing them at room temp. It extends their shelf-life, helps to develop flavor, and saves you tons of time baking when you need it.

We will be discussing how to freeze frosted cupcakes. We’ll discuss several methods and provide some tips, as well as information about the shelf life of different frostings, as well as the effects that freezing can have on cupcakes.

We will also address some of the most frequently asked questions about frozen cupcakes. Let’s get started!

Frosted Cupcakes Can Be Freezed

Frosted cupcakes freeze just as well and can be a time-saver!

There are many ways to freeze cupcakes well. We prefer this one for a few reasons.

This method has many benefits. Pre-freezing cupcakes before wrapping them in plastic wrap will prevent the icing getting crushed by it.

Frosting will freeze in its original shape, so you can easily wrap each cupcake.

How To Freeze Frosted Cupcakes

After baking your cupcakes, let them cool completely at room temperature. Decorate your cupcakes with the frosting you choose once they have cooled. You can’t add any decorations.

You will need a container deep enough for your cupcakes to fit inside. Place the cupcakes in the container, making sure that they do not touch, and then place them in the freezer for around an hour, or until the frosting is fully set.

After the frosting has frozen, take them out of the freezer and wrap each cupcake in plastic wrap or saran wrap. To prevent cupcakes from frosting, work quickly

Place all the cupcakes in the container. This will allow them to touch the sides and make space for more. Finally, cover the container with plastic wrap. Check that your freezer does not have any fluctuating temperatures.

Tips and Tricks

While you can decorate plain cupcakes with frosting or other decorations, we don’t recommend it unless they are well frozen.

Garnishes such as candyfloss, crumbly cookies, and sugar garnishes won’t freeze well, if at all. You can also freeze other garnishes such as fondant decorations, chopped nuts, and chocolate shavings.

You can use a large container to cover the cupcakes and frosting.

The plastic will prevent the cake from drying out during freezing, especially during the prefreezing period. It also helps to prevent them from absorbing any odors from the freezer.

You can stack the cupcakes on top of one another after they have cooled completely. However, we don’t recommend this. Place them in one layer at all time.

After you have frozen your cupcakes, place them in a freezer-safe container. Label your batch! You have two options: wrap the container in plastic, write on it, or use labeling tape or stickers to label it.

Next, add the details of each batch to the container.

These details should include the item’s name, date of manufacture, date of frozing, and estimated use date (usually 4-6 weeks later).

For efficiency, ensure that the oldest food is at the top and the latest at the bottom of your freezer. You will be able to grab the oldest food first, and not have to dig around for it.

Safety and Health

You should make sure that your freezer does not have any lingering odors. Because the cake is porous, it will absorb odors easily. Once it has defrosted, you will be able to taste the difference.

To eliminate odors from your freezer, can be filled with coffee beans, vanilla essence or vinegar.

Also, it is important to ensure that your freezer does not have fluctuating temperatures. This can cause food to freeze and then defrost constantly, which can directly impact the shelf life.

Do & Don’t

Wrap each cupcake individually. This will prevent the cupcakes from sticking together or breaking during thawing.	Refrigerating cupcakes before freezing is a bad idea as it can dry out frosting and cake. Instead, let the cupcakes cool to room temperature before frosting.
Wrap your frozen cupcakes tightly to keep moisture out.	Wrap your cupcakes with aluminum foil. When foil comes in contact with frosting and cake, it can give off metallic tastes and a greyish hue.
To protect your cupcakes from being damaged by other objects, place them in a single layer in an container. They will also be protected from drying out by the container.	Don’t freeze frosting or cake in containers that smell like other foods.
	Decorate your cupcakes and frosting. Instead, decorate them after they are cooled.

How do different Frostings affect the Freezing Process?

You can freeze almost any type of cupcake frosting, believe it or not. They can also be frozen in a variety of ways, including keeping their original texture, flavor, shape and flavor.

These frostings can be used to make any of the meringue buttercreams, including French, Swiss and Italian meringue buttercreams.

Cream cheese frostings, ganache frostings and the traditional buttercream frosting are all good options.

We do not recommend freezing whipped cream-based frostings. These frostings are meant to be fluffy, and once frozen they will lose most or all of their original structure.

Whipped cream is also porous. It will absorb any traces of odors if stored in a container or freezer for several months.

Why freeze Frosted Cupcakes?

Baking any kind of baked good can be very time-consuming. It could even consume your entire day. Cupcakes are no exception. There are many steps involved that must be completed at different times.

First, bake the cupcakes. Once they are cooled, frost the frosting, then decorate them.

You can save a lot of time by freezing and making baked goods ahead.

You can make your cupcakes ahead of time so you have plenty of time to fix any mistakes.

You won’t need to worry if you forget to add sugar or salt, or if the cupcakes get burnt at their bottoms, because you have enough time to make another batch.

This is also true for decorating cupcakes. Frosting many cupcakes can be time-consuming, especially if you’re new to the process or are trying out a new technique.

You can reduce stress by taking some time off before the event. Decorating and baking can be therapeutic.

We recommend freezing your cupcakes because the flavor and texture of the frosting and cake will change over time. Trust us, it gets even better!

We recommend that you freeze frosted cupcakes instead of unfrosted because the buttercream’s fat acts as a protective layer.

This fat helps prevent the cake from drying in the freezer. It will also give you a soft, moist cupcake when defrosted.

This is also a great way to store leftover cupcakes after an event. Sometimes, you just can’t eat all of them before they expire. This makes them easy to use as a quick dessert, or treat for any other day.

Frosted Cupcakes

A freezer traps moisture in food unlike a fridge. Your fridge will dry it. This is why we recommend freezing cakes and cupcakes instead of storing them in a refrigerator.

Do not store your cupcakes in the fridge before or after they have been frozen.

Our freezing guidelines will ensure that your cupcakes are not affected in flavor. In fact, they will taste better!

They should be kept away from all smelly food containers and freezers. You will be able to taste the frosting and cupcakes later.

No food item is immune to the effects of time. After a few months your cupcakes may start to change.

When stored for more than 2 to 3 months, both the frosting and cake will experience noticeable texture and flavor change.

The buttercream’s flavor will lose its original flavor and become almost watered down. You will end up with a piece of cake that has lost almost all its flavor.

The texture of the cake will be crumbly and smooth, while the buttercream may become lumpy or gritty depending on the type.

Your frozen frosted cupcakes should be used within 4-6 weeks. You can make sure they remain fresh and unaffected by freezing.

Shelf Life of Frosted Cupcakes

While cupcakes will last for the same amount of time, different frostings will have different freezer times. We recommend that you use any frozen food within 4-6 week of its making.

The cake portion will keep for 3 months without becoming damaged or undergoing texture and taste changes. Most frostings can be stored for about 2 to 3 months.

French and Italian buttercream frostings will keep for approximately 2 months . However, Swiss meringue buttercreams, cream cheese frostings, and ganache-based frostings will last for about 3 months.

Normal buttercream (a recipe that uses butter and icing sugar) is the best and will last the longest. At least 3-4 months.

How to store Frosted Cupcakes

You don’t need to freeze cupcakes for long-term storage. Instead, keep them at room temp or in the fridge.

Keep them at room temperature and away from heat sources and direct sunlight.

To retain their moisture, keep them in an airtight container. Cupcakes kept at room temperature for about 2-3 days, before they become noticeably different.

You can also place cupcakes in an airtight container, and store them in the fridge. However, cupcakes can dry out if they are left in the refrigerator for too long .

The cupcakes can be kept in the refrigerator for approximately 3-4 days before any texture or flavor changes occur. Keep them away from odorous foods.