Can You Freeze Madeira Cake?

3 minutes

Madeira cake takes its name from the fact that it was traditionally enjoyed with a glass of Madeira wine during the 1800s. It’s one of the most popular cakes with home bakers today and is often made ahead of time. But what’s the best way to store it?

How to Freeze Madeira Cake

Madeira is one in a long line of cakes that freezes really well. Whether you’ve got a bake sale coming up or just want to have a supply of your favourite sweet treats on hand, freezing Madeira cake is super straightforward.

Here are the steps that you need to follow to go about it in the right way:  

1. Cool
   Remove your Madeira cake from the oven and place it on an airing rack. You should leave the cake standing at room temperature for around 1-2 hours until it has cooled completely. 
2. Wrap
   Decide if you’re going to freeze the Madeira cake whole or in slices. Whatever method you choose, wrap it tightly in tin foil as soon as it has cooled. 
3. Place in a Container
   Add your wrapped Madeira cake to a freezer-safe container and lie it flat. Then, fix the lid in place. 
4. Label and Freeze
   Write today’s date and the use-by date on the lid of the container and place your Madeira cake in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze Madeira cake for around three months.

3 Tips for Freezing Madeira Cake

Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing Madeira cake to have the best results:

Freeze It Whole
While you can freeze individual slices of Madeira cake, freezing it whole will ensure it retains its moisture and delicious taste. It’s just super important that the cake is tightly wrapped and protected from freezer burn, as forgetting to do this will cause it to dry out.

Make Sure It’s Not Warm
If you put a warm cake in the freezer, you will have a disaster on your hands! While it’s tempting to get the cake in the freezer as quickly as possible, doing so will cause the sponge to go soggy. As such, don’t rush the freezing process and allow your Madeira cake sufficient time to cool before wrapping it.

Freeze Other Cake Types
The vast majority of sponge-based cakes freeze really well. So, if you’ve been a little bit creative in the kitchen and deviated from your Madeira recipe, you can still go ahead and freeze your cake without worrying about how it will end up.

How Long Can You Freeze Madeira Cake?

You can freeze Madeira cake for around three months. Some people will say that you can freeze Madiera cake for longer than this, but we wouldn’t advise it. The longer you leave Madiera cake in the freezer, the more it is likely to deteriorate in taste and texture.

3 months should provide you with more than enough time to tuck into your delicious homemade treats, anyway! If you’re storing your Madeira cake in the fridge, it should be good for up to a week before it starts to dry out significantly.

You Can Freeze Madeira Cake for up to 3 Months

How Do You Defrost Madeira Cake?

The best way to defrost Madeira cake is to remove it from the freezer the night before you plan to enjoy it.

Simply drop it in the fridge in its initial wrapping, and it will thaw out overnight.

If you have forgotten to take the Madeira cake out the night before, you can thaw it at room temperature. You should never defrost Madeira cake in the microwave, as you risk ruining its consistency.

Can You Refreeze Madeira Cake?

Technically, there’s nothing wrong with refreezing Madeira cake that you have defrosted at room temperature.

That being said, the best thing about cake is that it’s moist, soft, and delicious! The more you freeze and refreeze cake, the more likely it is to deteriorate in terms of consistency.

If you’re not planning to enjoy an entire Madeira cake in one sitting, we’d recommend freezing it in slices or smaller portions, as this will allow you to remove what you need at any given time without worrying about refreezing it.

Does Madeira Cake Freeze Well?

Yes, Madeira cake freezes really well. Just remember that you need to allow the cake sufficient time to cool before wrapping it.

Then, providing it is tightly wrapped and stored in an airtight container, you should have absolutely no issues when you come to thaw and enjoy your Madeira cake anytime within three months of freezing it.