How should I organize making a cake days ahead?
My wife's birthday is coming up and I want to make a cake for her.
I was thinking of making a layer of sponge cake, amarena cherry sauce (cherries, wine and sugar), chocolate mousse, another layer of sponge cake with sauce, Diplomat cream and amarena cherries on top.
The problem is that I won't have time the day we eat the cake (Saturday) and the day before (Friday), so I need to make it in advance. I'm thinking of preparing the sponge cake, cherry sauce and chocolate mousse on Thursday and build the bottom layers and put it in the freezer. I can make the Diplomat cream on Friday morning, save it in the refrigerator, and build the rest on Saturday (after we'll arrive home).
Does this sounds like a good plan? is it better to just make the pastry cream on Friday and mixed it with the whipped cream on Saturday? Can the cake and the mousse wait for two days?
Best Answer
I wouldn't make the layers fully in the freezer. It will be hard to seal up and may dry out. Also, frozen layers are easier to work with. The freezer will dry out unsealed cake extremely fast.
I'd bake all the cake, trim and level them, wrap tightly and freeze on Thursday. Make the sauces and creams on Friday and put them in the fridge. Assemble all on Saturday.
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Cakes can be cooked ahead of time and kept firmly covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator or at room temperature for up to two days after baking. It is possible to make cupcakes up to a day ahead of time and keep them (frosted or unfrosted) in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at room temperature.How do you make cake days in advance?
Un-iced: If you don't need to ice your cake until the day, you can bake your cake at least 2-3 days ahead of time. But you will need to store it carefully. Wrap it and seal it in an airtight container so it doesn't lose moisture.Can I decorate a cake 2 days in advance?
Storing at Room Temperature If you're baking your cakes a day or two ahead of decorating day, you can store them at room temperature as long as they're wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.Can I decorate a cake 3 days in advance?
Decorations: Fondant or gum paste decorations can be made the same day as decorating a cake (if they don't need to dry), but if they do need to dry, begin making them at least three days before the cake is due, up to 5+ weeks before.How many days before an event should you make a cake?
A cake generally needs to be served within 3-4 days from it being baked, or it's just not very fresh. Remember if you need to bake the cake earlier, you can always bake the cake layers, freeze them, then defrost them a couple of days before you'll serve it so you'll have time to decorate it.How to Make + Decorate Cakes Ahead of Time
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