Bakers understand the importance of having cling film on hand. But then, how and when you use this wrap on a cake matters a great deal.
Firstly, understand that cling film goes by various names. It is called Saran wrap, Glad wrap, food wrap, plastic wrap, or cling wrap.
The major use of the cling film is to wrap foods to keep them fresh for a long period. Now here’s a popular question. Can you wrap a warm cake with a cling film?
The straightforward answer is no! Avoid wrapping a hot or warm cake. Wrapping warm cake with cling film or any wrap allows condensation or steam to form, making your cake soggy. Allow your newly baked cake to cool down before wrapping.
We have cleared the first question, but there are still more interesting ones you need to know. So, keep reading!
Can You Cover a Cake With Cling Film?
Yes, you can. Covering cakes with cling film or plastic wrap is a good way to protect and preserve the cake.
The cling film serves as a protective barrier, trapping moisture and making the cake fresh for a long while. So when you wrap your cake with cling film, you’re preventing the cake from drying out.
How Long To Let Cake Cool Before Wrapping In Plastic Wrap?
You need to allow your newly baked cake to cool down before wrapping it. But how long is enough for the cake to cool down?
After baking, leave the cake on the pan to cool down for at least 10 minutes. Once it cools down, cover it completely with plastic wrap. Then leave it on the counter or in the refrigerator overnight.
Should You Let Cake Cool Before Wrapping?
Yes, it is necessary to allow your newly baked cake to cool before wrapping it with whatever material you’re using.
Allow your cake to cool down before adding or frosting decorations. And if your cake is non-perishable, allow it to cool down on the counter overnight. There’s nothing wrong with that.
So, how should you cool your newly baked cake overnight? Follow the steps below.
Step 1: Bake your cake:
The first step is to complete the cake-baking process. In other words, bake your cake completely.
Step 2: Cooling of the cake:
As soon as you take the cake off the oven, don’t proceed to wrap it. Give the cake 10 to 15 minutes to cool down.
Step 3: Remove baked cake from the pan:
Once the cake cools down, it’s time to separate it from the pan. Loosen the sides of your freshly baked cake from the pan with a knife and flip it over.
When you flip the cake over on your hands or baking rack, it should come off with ease. Don’t try to pull the cake from the pan. Let it come off on its own.
Step 4: Cover with plastic wrap:
Covering or wrapping cake with plastic wrap doesn’t only protect the cake from debris. It helps to lock in the moisture left in the cake, preventing it from becoming dry and stale.
So, wrap your newly baked cake with one layer of plastic wrap. After wrapping the cake, stick it in a Ziploc bag.
You need a Ziploc bag to help lock moisture in the cake. The plastic wrap and Ziploc bag used will get the job done.
A Handy Tip: If you don’t have plastic wrap, don’t fret. You can use aluminum foil in place of plastic wrap to lack moisture in the cake.
Step 5: Leave your cake in the fridge or counter overnight:
What determines where you can leave your cake overnight is the fillings used in the cake. If you use perishable fillings such as fruits, eggs, and dairy, you can’t leave them on the counter overnight.
If you do, the cake might go bad before dawn. The best place to keep cakes with perishable fillings is the fridge. Keep the wrapped cake in the refrigerator overnight to prevent spoilage.
However, if the cake doesn’t have any perishable filling, you can leave it on the counter overnight.
Will Cling Film Keep Cake Fresh?
Yes, wrapping cake with cling film can keep it fresh for a considerable period. After wrapping, you can keep the cake on the counter or fridge.
Wrapping cake is one of the ideal ways to prevent the cake from absorbing a weird smell or flavor from the fridge. It will help ensure the cake maintains its original flavor throughout its stay in the fridge.
Another incredible thing that the cling film wrapping does to cake is to lock in moisture. It will help prevent the cake from drying out.
However, it’s advisable to wrap cakes with cling film before transferring them into a Ziploc bag. The reason for doing this is to provide extra protection for the cake.
The Ziploc bag will ensure you achieve your goal of 100 percent moisture loss prevention for the stored cake.
A Handy Tip: Most people prefer the Press and Seal wrap. Why? It is a breeze to use and remove from the cake.
Can You Cover a Cake With Foil While Baking?
Yes, you can. You can loosely cover your cake while baking when you discover that it’s browning too fast. Now, what does covering do? When you loosely cover your cake that’s browning too fast, the foil will help to deflect some of the heat away from the cake.
However, you can only cover the cake when it’s past half the cooking time. It is also recommended sometimes, especially towards the end of the cooking time.
Besides covering the cake, another thing you can do to stop your cake from browning too fast is to lower the temperature.
Does Freezing Cake Dry It Out Or Make It More Moist?
No, there’s no way freezing cake will cause it to dry out when stored properly in the freezer. On the contrary, freezing helps retain moisture in cakes. It helps prevent cakes from losing steam.
Make sure you prep the cake properly before sticking it into the freezer. You might even discover that the cake tastes better when you thaw it after freezing for weeks or months.
A Handy Tip: Wrap your cake in multiple layers before sticking it in the freezer. If you’re using a cling film, endeavor to place the cake in a Ziploc bag before placing it in the freezer.
How Long Does a Cake Last?
When you preserve the cake at room temperature, it will only last or stay fresh for about 3 to 4 days. Within 3 to 4 days, your room temperature stored cake’s moisture would have evaporated, leaving the cake drier.
Also, keep in mind that the type of frost used will determine how long you can store your cake at room temperature.
Now, how long does a cake last in the fridge?
Store-bought cake might last somewhere around one or two weeks in the fridge. On the other hand, the homemade cake may last for 7 days or less in the fridge.
The ingredients used in the cake will determine if it would have a longer or shorter shelf-life.
So, how long does a cake last in the freezer? You can keep your cake in the freezer for 3 to 6 months when wrapped properly.
How To Preserve Cake Without Refrigeration?
Room temperature storage is the only way to preserve cake without refrigeration, though the cake’s shelf life depends on the ingredients used.
So, how do you preserve a cake without refrigeration? It is simple.
Wrap your unfrosted cake tightly in plastic wrap, securing the bottom, top and side layers.
After wrapping, place the cake in a Zip-top bag for extra protection. Covering cakes with plastic wrap and a zip-top bag helps keep the cake fresh for days.
Now place the cake on a counter. It should stay fresh for almost 5 days.
Conclusion: Can you wrap a warm cake in cling film?
No, you can’t and shouldn’t. Why? Wrapping a warm cake will lock the moisture in, causing the cake to become soggy.
Allow your cake to cool down before covering it. Once it cools down, wrap with cling film thoroughly.
The job of the cling film is to keep the cake fresh. It helps to prevent moisture from evaporating from the cake.
Wrapping with cling film is also a great way to prepare your cake for freezing. And keep in mind that a frozen cake can remain fresh for up to 3 months.
