How To Freeze And Defrost Leftover Coffee Cake
Freezing and storing leftover cake is an easy way to guarantee access to a quick and delicious dessert, but what about coffee cake? Its warm cinnamon sugar flavor makes for the perfect morning comfort food, and it pairs wonderfully with a hot cup of its namesake beverage. Having a slice on hand can make your breakfast both convenient and memorable. If you get to eat cake, and have it be a practical meal, well that's the perfect food win-win. Of course, even the best made coffee cake will only stay fresh at room temperature for a few days, so to make sure a full loaf doesn't go to waste, you'll likely need to freeze some of it.
Freezing can keep coffee cake fresh for up to three months, but it needs to be done right to preserve the flavor and moisture while also preventing freezer burn. Frozen coffee cake should be stored the same way you would at room temperature, by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap or foil, to retain moisture. For an added layer of protection it also helps to seal the wrapped cake in an airtight container or zip-seal bag. You can wrap up individual slices in the same way so you're only defrosting what you need for each breakfast treat. Finally, make sure your coffee cake is at room temperature when you are sealing it.
Frozen coffee cake can be defrosted or baked before eating
Once your coffee cake is frozen you have a few options for defrosting, depending on your schedule. The best bet is to simply let your cake defrost on the counter at room temperature, as this will be faster than defrosting in the fridge, and leave you with the most tender result. If you are organized enough to plan ahead, the fridge is also a good option, but will take up to eight hours, so it's best for defrosting overnight. In both cases you should leave the cake wrapped, as it will lose moisture to condensation as it defrosts, and the seal will help keep it moist. Once your coffee cake is defrosted, eat it within two or three days.
If you want even quicker results you can warm up a slice of coffee cake straight from frozen. Avoid using the microwave, as it can easily overcook the cake, leaving it dry and gummy. The best choices are ovens or toaster ovens set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, going about three minutes for a slice or ten minutes for a fuller cake. This will warm your coffee cake all the way through nicely without too much moisture loss, but you should keep an eye on it, as it's still easy to dry out your cake this way. You also get the nice bonus of a warm slice of coffee cake, which may be the best way to enjoy it anyway.