How long should a cake cool before frosting?

It is a pure pleasure to eat a cake fresh out of the oven. But what if the cake needs frosting? Frosting a cake that has been baked at 350°F is not a good idea, as it will melt.

So how long does a cake need to chill before frosting?  The optimal cooling time for cakes is 2-3 hours. To speed up the cooling process, you should remove the cake from the pan and place it on a cooling rack. The cake will cool faster if you put it in the fridge or freezer.

This article is a comprehensive guide on the relationship between hot cakes and icing. You will also learn some tips and techniques to make the decorating process easier and faster.

Read to find out how long you should wait for cakes and cupcakes to cool before frosting them.

Why you should never frost a hot cake

Frosting a hot cake is never a good idea. If there are certain baking and decorating mistakes that can be fixed, frosting a cake fresh out of the oven is not one of them.

There are several reasons why you should never frost a hot cake.

First, the heat from the cake will melt the frosting. The sugar and butter will melt all over the cake and you will end up not with a sponge cake covered in fluffy icing, but with a cake drenched in melted butter and sugar.

Secondly, you will have decoration problems. Even if the cake isn’t hot enough to melt all the frosting, you’ll still have a hard time getting it to hold.

Half-melted, half-firm frosting will not only make your cake look less appetizing, but it won’t taste as good either.

And third, the cake is always more fragile when it’s still hot. Coating it with icing will create an excessive amount of crumbs and may even cause it to break.

How long should a cake cool before frosting?

There is no set amount of time that you should wait for the cake to cool, as it depends not only on the size and thickness of the cake, but also on the type of cake you are baking.

For example, angel food cakes and pound cakes cool faster than traditional pound cakes.

In either case, to make sure you don’t smear the frosting on a hot cake, it’s recommended to wait 2-3 hours for the cake to cool.

Should I refrigerate the cake before frosting it?

It is not necessary to refrigerate the cake before freezing it, unless it is extremely hot where you live and the cake gets warm from room temperature.

As long as the cake has completely cooled, you can start frosting and decorating it.

But if you have time, we recommend that you put the cake in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before you start frosting it. Frosting is always easier to work with at room temperature and on a well-chilled cake.

You may think that letting the frosting cool in the fridge is also a good idea. But we don’t recommend you to do it, since cold frosting is not easy to spread.

If the frosting has been in the fridge, take it out and let it come to room temperature before you start decorating the cake.

What you should know before frosting a cake

There are different techniques to facilitate the process of cooking and decorating the cake. They help you use your time in the kitchen efficiently and achieve the best possible result with your frosted cake.

the toothpick test

If you’re impatient to know if your cake has cooled or not, don’t start frosting it. Instead, use the toothpick method.

Stick the toothpick (or a wooden barbecue stick) into the cake. Let the toothpick stay in it for a few seconds. Take out the toothpick and touch it.

If the toothpick is still hot, you have to wait a few more minutes for the cake to cool down. But if it’s cool to the touch, you can proceed to frost the cake.

If you take out the toothpick and see crumbs on it, then your cake is undercooked, and decorating it may be a waste of frosting.

the crumb coat

When your cake has completely cooled, don’t rush to spread the whole batch of frosting on it. For the best results, you should also do a crumb coat.

A crumb coat is a thin layer of frosting that is meant to seal the crumbs in so they don’t spoil the look of the cake. This initial layer of frosting acts as a “glue” layer between the frosting and the cake.

You can skip this step. But if you want the cake to look good and have a smooth finish, it’s worth spending an extra 30 minutes on the crumb coating.

So how do you get a cake covered in crumbs?

When the cake has cooled, take it out of the fridge and spread a thin layer of frosting with the help of a spatula. This layer of frosting should be thin enough that you can see the cake through it.

Once you have smoothed out this first layer of frosting, return the cake to the fridge and allow the frosting to dry. The crumb coat must be completely dry before applying the last layer of frosting.

We recommend that you leave the cake in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, take the tart out of the fridge and slice it as you normally would. If you’re short on time, place the cake in the freezer. The thin layer of cake will take only a few minutes to dry in the cold.

How to cool a cake

Now that you know that letting a cake cool before frosting is absolutely essential, here are two ways to do it. Choose between these two methods depending on the time you have.

Cooling a cake on a cooling rack

If you have decided to make a cake, surely you know that it is not a matter of a couple of hours. You may need to spend half a day in the kitchen to finish a beautifully layered glazed cake.

So if you have a lot of time and can let the cake cool slowly, use a cooling rack. Here are step-by-step instructions for cooling a freshly baked cake.

Step 1: Get a cooling rack that fits the size of the cake

If you like to bake, a cooling rack is definitely a must for you. This simple but clever gadget allows air to circulate around the cake, allowing it to cool evenly and quickly.

If you were to put the hot cake on the table, the bottom of the cake would get soggy from condensation.

If you don’t already have a cooling rack and need to purchase one, buy a large one that will hold all the cakes but will fit in the dishwasher.

Step 2: Take the cake out of the oven

When you check that the cake is ready and take it out, put the pan on the cooling rack.

Step 3: Let the cake rest for 15 minutes

Do not try to remove the cake while it is hot. In addition to the risk of burning yourself, you can spoil the cake. So whatever type of cake you’re baking, let it rest in the pan for about 15 minutes before taking it out.

Step 4: Remove the cake from the mold

After 15 minutes, use a knife to loosen the cake. Since the cake is no longer hot, removing it from the pan without damaging it shouldn’t be a problem.

If you have used baking paper to prevent the cake from sticking to the pan, removing it from there will be much easier.

Step 5: Spray the rack with cooking oil

Placing the hot cake on the cooling rack can cause it to stick to the wires. Spraying the cooling rack with oil will prevent this from happening.

Step 6: Transfer the cake to the cooling rack

To transfer the cake without damage to the cooling rack, hold it over the cake and turn the pan upside down. Slowly lift the pan to release the cake. You may have to tap the bottom of the pan for the cake to pop out.

Step 7: Frost the cake or put it in the fridge

You can start frosting the cake after letting it cool on the rack for 1-2 hours. Depending on the size of the cake, it can even be cooled earlier.

If you are going to decorate the cake the next day, wrap it in food paper and store the cake in the fridge.

Cool a cake in the fridge

If you’re short on time and can’t wait for the cake to cool for hours on the rack, chilling the cake in the fridge is what you should do.

Here are step-by-step instructions for chilling a cake in the fridge.

Step 1: Take the cake out of the oven

When the cake is cooked through, carefully remove it from the oven and let it rest on the counter for about 10 minutes.

Step 2: Transfer the cake to the fridge

After letting the cake cool on the counter for some time, you should move it to the fridge to speed up the cooling process.

If it’s an angel food cake you’ve baked, cool it upside down. Cooling these types of cakes with the pan upside down while the tube portion is placed on a stable jar helps prevent the cake from falling apart.

As for the pound cakes , we recommend that you take them out of the mold before putting the cake in the fridge.

Step 3: Cover the cake with food paper

Once the cake is cool to the touch, which takes about 10 minutes, take it out of the fridge and cover it with kitchen paper. Be sure not to leave any areas uncovered, as contact with the cold air in the fridge will dry out the cake.

After wrapping the cake in food paper, put it back in the fridge to cool down further.

It is important to note that you should wrap a hot cake in food paper and place it in the fridge. If you do, condensation will form and the cake will be soggy.

Step 4: Put the cake back in the fridge

Return the covered cake to the fridge for an hour or so. How long you need to leave the cake in the fridge will depend on the size and type of cake. Angel cake, for example, usually takes about 60 minutes to cool.

Step 5: Remove the cake from the mold and decorate it

Take the cooled cake out of the fridge and loosen the sides. Take the cake out of the mold and start frosting the cake.

3 tips to cool a cake faster

Even if you have great pastry knowledge, the more tips you know, the better. Here are three tips that will help you in a situation where you need to cool your cake quickly.

Take the cake out of the mold

Removing the cake from the hot pan is a step that can be overlooked. However, it is the first step for the cake to cool faster.

It takes time for the mold to cool down, as molds are often made of materials that retain a lot of heat. Therefore, leaving the cake in the hot pan only slows down the cooling process.

Let the cake remain in the pan for about 10 minutes after removing it from the oven and only then remove it from the pan.

Cut the cake in layers

The thinner the cake, the faster it will defrost. If you’re going to layer the cake anyway, layer it 10-15 minutes after removing it from the oven.

The layers will cool faster and you can start frosting the cake sooner.

Put the cake in the freezer

In addition to chilling the cake in the fridge, you can also chill it in the freezer for faster results.

Take the cake out of the pan, put it on the cooling rack and transfer it to the freezer. For even faster results, you can use the combination of the two tips: cut the cake into layers and transfer to the freezer until chilled.

How long do you have to cool the cupcakes before you put the frosting on them?

Just like cakes, cupcakes should also be cool when you frost them. Otherwise, you’ll be left with the same problem: melted frosting and a bad-looking dessert.

Since cupcakes are much smaller than cakes, they take less time to cool. In general, cupcakes need 30-45 minutes to cool completely and be ready to hold the fluffy frosting.

It is recommended to cool the cupcakes on a wire rack, as the increased air circulation speeds up the process. If you’re in a hurry, you can also chill the muffins in the fridge.

The freezer also serves to cool the cupcakes. However, leaving the cupcakes in the freezer for too long can cause them to dry out.

Since cupcakes can be cool to the touch, but still warm inside, you can also use the toothpick method to tell if they’re ready for frosting or not.