Eccles cakes are sweet and flaky and are made with a delicious combination of currants and sweet spice. While some people compare them to mince pies, others appreciate them for their individual taste! But whatās the best way to keep a batch of these delicious sweet treats?
Can You Freeze Eccles Cakes?
Yes, you can freeze Eccles cakes for up to 3 months. Wrap the cakes individually as soon as they have cooled and place them in a freezer-safe container. Label the box and then transfer it to the freezer, and your cakes should be good for several months.
Do Do Eccles Cakes freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Eccles Cakes? No
How to Freeze Eccles Cakes
Freezing Eccles cakes is an excellent way to preserve these classic British cakes for an upcoming cake sale, afternoon tea event, or just for your personal collection of home goodies!
Whatever your reason for freezing Eccles cakes, you will be pleased to hear that the process is super simple, as we explain below:
- Cool
When your Eccles cakes have been in the oven for the right amount of time, remove them and place them on an airing rack at room temperature. You will need to leave the cakes sitting out for 1-2 hours until they have cooled completely. - Wrap
Once cooled, wrap each of your Eccles cakes in tin foil or cling film. Weād recommend double wrapping them, as you want to do as much as you can to protect them from freezer burn. - Place in a Container
Now, lay your wrapped Eccles cakes in a freezer-safe container before affixing the lid. - Label and Freeze
Write todayās date and the use-by date on the lid of the box and place your Eccles cakes in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze Eccles cakes for around three months.
3 Tips for Freezing Eccles Cakes
Now you know how to freeze them, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing Eccles cakes to have the best results:
Freeze Right Away
You should aim to freeze your Eccles cakes as soon as they have cooled. If you leave your Eccles cakes in a tin for a couple of days at room temperature, they will start to dry out and lose some of their deliciousness!
Wrapping them up and freezing them right away will ensure your Eccles cakes taste awesome when you defrost them.
Don’t Reheat in the Microwave
When you defrost your Eccles cakes, donāt reheat them in the microwave. Why? Because that stunningly flaky pastry will go soggy. You can either enjoy them cold or reheat them in the oven. Trust us; itās worth the extra time and effort!
Bake From Frozen
Instead of thawing your Eccles cakes, you can reheat them straight from frozen. To do this, you should line the Eccles cakes on a baking tray with greaseproof paper and add them to the oven for 20-25 minutes. You can reduce the cooking time slightly if you defrost them first.
How Long Can You Freeze Eccles Cakes?
You can freeze Eccles cakes for around three months. Some people might be tempted to freeze them for longer than this, but we have found that their taste and texture will start to deteriorate after this amount of time.
Eccles cakes are good in the fridge for around a week or so before they start losing some of their goodness.
That being said, if you want your Eccles cakes to taste delicious when you come to enjoy them in the future, freeze them as soon as they have cooled for the best results.
You Can Freeze Eccles Cakes for up to 3 Months
How Do You Defrost Eccles Cakes?
As mentioned, you donāt actually need to defrost Eccles cakes.
When itās time to enjoy them, remove your Eccles cakes from the freezer and line them on a baking tray on top of greaseproof paper. Then, reheat your Eccles cakes for 20-25 minutes until theyāre golden brown and delicious.
If you want to thaw your Eccles cakes first, transfer them from the freezer to the fridge the night before, and they will have sufficient time to defrost before you reheat them.
Can You Refreeze Eccles Cakes?
While thereās nothing wrong with refreezing Eccles cakes from a safety point of view, doing so will affect their taste and consistency. This is because the ice crystals that form during the freezing process will affect the consistency of the cakes.
Given that you have wrapped your Eccles cakes individually, you shouldnāt have to worry about refreezing them, as you can easily take out however many you need at any given time.
Do Eccles Cakes Freeze Well?
Yes, Eccles cakes freeze really well. As long as you have allowed them sufficient time to cool and have wrapped them tightly, your Eccles cakes will be delicious once you have reheated them in the future.