A tea loaf is made with dried fruit and traditionally served sliced and spread with butter. It is a very traditional cake and is available across the UK. But if you have any leftovers or if you want to be super prepared and prepare the loaf ahead of time, are you able to freeze it?
Can You Freeze Tea Loaf?
Yes, you can freeze tea loaf for up to 3 months. Tea loaf is one of the best cakes to freeze as it will retain all its flavour and will not lose any texture. It just needs to be kept airtight.
Do Does Tea Loaf freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Tea Loaf? Yes
How to Freeze Tea Loaf
Freezing cakes has become somewhat of a tradition – some couples freeze the top layer of their wedding cakes to eat on their anniversary.
It is a fantastic way of preserving a star bake, or if you need to make lots of tea loaves ahead of a large tea party, baking and then freezing is a great way to save time.
So how do you go about freezing your tea loaf?
- Bake Your Tea Loaf: Make your tea loaf according to your favourite recipe. Cook all the way through, ensuring there is no raw or doughy centre.
- Allow to Cool: Take the tea loaf out of the tin and place it on a cooling rack, allowing it to cool to room temperature.
- Wrap: Once the tea loaf has cooled, wrap it in cling film or aluminium foil.
- Label: As always, label and date to help you refer to the best before the date when it comes to using the tea loaf at a later date.
- Freeze: Place the wrapped tea loaf into the freezer and freeze for up to 3 months.
3 Tips for Freezing Tea Loaf
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing tea loaf to have the best results:
Freeze in Slices
Unless you are confident you will use your loaf all at once, it is worth freezing the loaf in slices. This is also better if you want small portions at a time, without needing to refreeze.
Freeze the Icing
If you have decided to ice your tea loaf, it is also possible to freeze it with the icing on, saving you lots of time if you have made these ahead of an event.
Make Sure the Cake is Cold
Whilst you could technically freeze a warm cake, it is best to let the cake cool on a wire rack before you put it in the freezer otherwise it could end up quite stodgy.
How Long Can You Freeze Tea Loaf?
As mentioned earlier, baked goods are a perfect item to freeze and a tea loaf will last for an additional 3 months in your freezer.
This is far longer than it would last in a bread bin or out on the counter, as it would potentially only last a week in these conditions.
How Do You Defrost Tea Loaf?
Defrosting tea loaf can be just as easy as it is to freeze it, which makes it even easier to have that last minute, easy sweet snack.
When you are ready to defrost your tea loaf, simply remove the loaf from the freezer, and place it on a plate.
You can either defrost in the fridge (which will take a little longer, but it will preserve texture and flavour better) or you can leave it out on the counter for faster thawing, and quicker eating!
Can You Refreeze Tea Loaf?
It is perfectly safe to refreeze tea loaf as long as you have cooked it properly and followed the freezing instructions correctly the first time.
Once your portion or slice of cake is ready to be refrozen, cover the cake with cling film, then wrap in another layer of aluminium foil to protect it from moisture and freezer burn.
It is advisable to then place the cake in a heavy-duty freezer bag or airtight container, label and date and then refreeze for up to a further 3 months.
Does Tea Loaf Freeze Well?
Baked goods, especially loaves, are a great item to freeze. They keep their shape, flavour and texture as long as they are frozen properly and have a super simple thawing process.
Many bakers freeze cakes for months before they are due to be used.
Related FAQs
If youāve still got questions about freezing tea loaf or tea loaf in general, then these may help:
Yes, tea cakes can be frozen, but you may find that the texture of the filling changes a little. You should only freeze tea cakes for up to 2 months.
Yes, any cake or load made with dried fruit can be frozen. Wrap individual slices in cling film before placing them all into a bag and then into the freezer.
