There are a lot of wedding traditions surrounding the big day, including what to do with the wedding dress, incorporating certain elements within the wedding ceremony, and wedding cake traditions, to name a few. Preserving your wedding cake, particularly the cake topper or top tier of your cake, is a tradition that goes on beyond just the wedding day.

Most couples opt to follow the tradition of freezing the top tier of their wedding cake and eat it on their first wedding anniversary. Some couples choose to let their bakers preserve the top tier for them while others opt to do it themselves.

If you’re wanting to preserve your wedding cake on your own, there are a few things you’ll want to consider and prepare for when trying to preserve a cake. So today, I’m sharing a guide on how to properly preserve a wedding cake so that by one year of marriage, you can enjoy it just as much as you did on your wedding day.

How to Preserve Wedding Cake

Step 1: Cool the cake down first

When preserving your wedding cake, particularly the cake topper or top tier of your cake you’ll want to take a few things into consideration. The first thing you’ll want to do is allow your cake to chill first. You’ll want to be sure not to skip this step because some icing, like buttercream, is super soft, and you don’t want it to get all messy when wrapping it in plastic wrap! If your icing is not already hard like fondant, place your cake in the fridge to allow the icing to harden before you begin the wrapping process.

Step 2: Remove the decorations

The goal is to wrap your wedding cake airtight before putting it in the freezer. So in order to do that, you’ll need to remove any decorations or toppers that get in the way of you tightly wrapping it with plastic wrap. Depending on your cake design, edible arrangements like sugar flowers should be okay. And don’t worry –if you want to save any ornaments or toppers, you can always keep them as a memento!

Step 3: Double wrap

When it comes to wrapping, a good rule of thumb is to double up. Take your cake and begin wrapping it with plastic wrap slowly and tightly, ensuring to not allow any room for airflow. Then add two layers of aluminum foil to help maintain optimum freshness. Now you’re ready to freeze your wedding cake. For an extra level of security, place it in the very back of the fridge.

Step 4: Use baking soda

Since your cake won't be the only thing in your freezer, and it will be in there for a full year, be mindful to also double wrap any particularly smelly foods that will be in the freezer along with your cake. You’ll want to watch out when freezing foods that carry a strong smell, like fish or onions. But to be safe and if you don’t want to have to remember to double wrap everything for a full year, you can also place an open box of baking soda in the fridge to help absorb any strong smells and keep it from seeping into your cake.

Step 5: Avoid removing it for a full year

While in some cases, it’s hard to foresee where you’ll be one year from now. However, some newlyweds know in advance that they'll be relocating or getting a new home. In the event of a move, it’ll be better to keep your cake preserved in a fridge at your parents or in-laws or some other safe place. Remember, to maintain optimal flavor and freshness, once you freeze it, you shouldn’t remove it at all for the full year.

Step 6: Certain cakes are better stored than others

Did you know? Oil-based cakes last a little longer than others. It’s true. Your baker can advise you on which cakes work better when you want to preserve your wedding cake or cake topper. They can advise you on which of their recipes are high in fat, more dense and full of moisture like almond cakes for example. A good rule of thumb is to avoid fluffy, airy cakes when freezing since they tend to dry out quickly.

No idea where to start? Here’s a list of unique wedding cake flavors to pull from.

Step 5: Defrost at room temperature

When you’re ready to eat the top tier of your wedding cake, remove it from the freezer and place it in the fridge overnight. You can also leave it out at room temperature for several hours, unwrap the layers of plastic wrap, and enjoy.

Saving the top tier doesn’t have to be a complicated process. Follow these steps and your cake should come out just as good as day 1, one year of marriage later.