Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 4: Bake a homemade, unbaked, frozen fruit pie
• Method 2 of 4: Bake a purchased frozen cake
• Method 3 of 4: Bake homemade frozen savory pies
• Method 4 of 4: Bake frozen patties
• Tips

Baking a frozen cake can be very simple - open the box, slide the cake into the oven and follow the given baking instructions. Or it could be a bit more complicated if you want to make, freeze and bake homemade cakes. As with the actual cake recipes, every dedicated cake baker seems to have their own favorite methods and tips for dealing with frozen cakes. Ultimately, expect to try this out several times to find the process that works best for your pies. In general, however, you can say that baking a frozen cake takes a little longer to bake and that you should pay more attention to the temperature setting to achieve golden brown treats.

To step

Method 1 of 4: Bake a homemade, unbaked, frozen fruit pie

1. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius and place the cake on a foil-lined baking tray. The foil makes cleaning easier should the filling bubble over the sides.
   • Never place a cold Pyrex or glass dish directly in a hot oven. Otherwise it can shatter.
   • If you have frozen your pie in a glass tray, defrost the pie first to reduce the chance of the tray shattering. However, it's best to play it safe and use a metal pan when baking a frozen pie.
   • Some people recommend defrosting the pie for about 25 minutes before putting it in the oven to help the dough cook better.
2. Brush the top layer of the cake with melted butter if desired. You can also brush this layer with cream or egg (one egg beaten with one tablespoon of water). Then sprinkle the cake with sugar for some extra texture and color.
3. Place the cake on the bottom rack of the oven. Baking frozen cakes can be tricky because the top can brown before the bottom cooks. Correct placement in the oven is essential for a frozen cake. Bake your cake on the bottom rack, placing the bottom of the cake closest to the bottom heating element. You can place the pie lower and higher as needed when it cooks.
   • One trick that can help if your bottom crust is not yet cooked is to preheat the baking tray before placing the pie in the oven. Place the empty baking tray in the oven while you preheat it. A preheated pizza stone can also work.
   • Another tip is to put strips of foil around the edge of the cake. Hold the foil in place until the center of the cake starts to brown so that the edges don't get too brown. You can also hang a piece of foil over the top of the cake, like a "tent".
4. Bake the cake for an hour, turning it over after 30 minutes. To start, bake the cake at 220 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes. Then you lower the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Continue to bake the pie for another 45 minutes. After 30 minutes total cooking time, rotate the pie 180 degrees around its axis to make sure it cooks evenly.
   • The time it takes to bake the pie depends on how cold your freezer is, how warm the oven is, and the amount of filling in the pie. A good general rule is to bake the pie 20-45 minutes longer than the recipe specifies for the normal baking time.
   • If you applied foil around the edge of the cake, remove it when the center starts to brown.
   • If the top of the cake starts to brown before the center or bottom is cooked, tent with foil over the top of the cake.
5. Remove the pie from the oven. When the whole cake appears golden brown, remove the cake from the oven. Stick a knife in the center of the cake to make sure the filling is all set. If you hit hard chunks, return the pie to the oven at a lower temperature. If necessary, shield the edges with foil.
   • When it's done, let the pie cool a bit before serving.
6. Try and adjust. Baking a frozen cake (or any cake for that matter) is both an art and a science. Every baker seems to have their own tricks and tips, but there is really only one way to find out what works best for you. Fortunately, you can eat your mistakes and they are still very tasty!
   • While some may argue in favor, most bakers seem to agree that it is better not to freeze a homemade fruit pie after baking. Prepare it without overcooking and then freeze it to bake the cake at a later time.
   • Instead of assembling the pie for freezing, try freezing it in parts - the prepared filling and the (rolled) dough. In this case, let the parts thaw to the point that you can work with them.

Method 2 of 4: Bake a purchased frozen cake

1. Determine if your cake needs to be defrosted. Some frozen cakes need to be defrosted, others don't. Follow the directions on the box to determine if you need to defrost your cake. If so, let it sit at room temperature for a few hours. The cake should still be partially frozen when you put it in the oven.
   • Some pies, such as an apple pie, may need to thaw for hours before baking, while a pumpkin pie may only take 20 minutes. Other pies, such as berries, strawberries, or peaches, may not need defrosting at all.
2. Place the pie in a preheated oven. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius, or whatever temperature it says on the box. Place your pie on a foil-lined baking sheet, which will catch any filling that bubbles over the edge. Place the cake in the oven and according to the instructions on the box. If the box doesn't give instructions, bake the cake on the bottom rack to make sure the bottom is cooked.
   • To help the bottom of the cake cook properly, lower it in the oven and / or preheat the baking tray. You can also make a tent with foil to cover the top so it doesn't burn.
   • To prevent the edges of the cake from getting too brown, wrap the edge of the cake in strips of aluminum foil.
3. Bake the cake according to the packaging instructions. Many frozen cakes need to be baked for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown in color. If that doesn't produce a pie that is completely done, try baking it for 30 minutes, then lower the oven (to 180 degrees Celsius) and bake the pie for another 25-30 minutes.
   • For best results, rotate the cake 180 degrees around its axis halfway through the cooking time. This ensures that the cake cooks evenly.
4. Remove the pie from the oven. When the pie is completely cooked, remove it. To test it, stick a knife in the center and see if there are any hard, frozen chunks. If so, put it back in the oven. Let the cake cool slightly before serving.
5. Learn from previous experiences. If you regularly bake a particular brand of frozen cake, pay attention to the baking time, temperature, and techniques (covering the edges with foil, preheating the baking tray, etc.) that seem to give the best results. Each oven is unique so you may need a little tweaking to the instructions given.

Method 3 of 4: Bake homemade frozen savory pies

1. Cook your filling thoroughly before freezing. If you are making a homemade savory pie, cook all the meat, vegetables, and other ingredients for the filling as if you were planning to bake the pie right after. In other words, don't freeze any of the filling uncooked or semi-cooked and don't expect it to be cooked in the oven when you bake the pie.
   • Uncooked or semi-cooked meat can be a serious health hazard.
2. Choose to freeze the individual parts of your cake. This is one of the many elements of cake freezing in which you can easily find a wide variety of opinions. It is best to try out the different methods and see what works for you.
   • Some chefs recommend cooking the filling and the (rolled) pie crust separately in labeled freezer bags. In this case, let each part thaw to the point where you could assemble the cake.
   • Others prefer the method of assembling the cake and then freezing the whole thing. That way you can put it straight from the freezer into the oven. In this case, you should not freeze the cake in a glass tray, as it can shatter in the oven.
3. Adjust the baking instructions for a cake you want to freeze. Not surprisingly, a frozen pie takes a little longer to cook than an unfrozen pie. You may also need to set the temperature a little lower so that the edges don't burn before the center is cooked.
   • For example, a "pot pie" recipe recommends baking the pie at 200 degrees Celsius for about 30 minutes, and frozen for up to 45 minutes at 190 degrees Celsius.
   • If you're concerned about the bottom not browning properly, start at the normal temperature for the first 15 minutes or so, then turn the oven down.
   • If the edge turns too brown before the center of the pie is cooked, you can also try making a ring-shaped heat shield from aluminum foil, which you can (gently) place over the edge of the pie. Use another cake pan as a template.

Method 4 of 4: Bake frozen patties

1. Make or buy some patties. Many cultures around the world enjoy some version of savory patties, sometimes called hand pie, empanada or samosa, just to name a few examples. They are relatively simple to make, easy to take with you and delicious and ideal for freezing and baking in advance when you want. In fact, many enthusiasts find they are even more delicious when frozen first.
   • Tasty recipes are plentiful online, so try different variations and see which crust and fillings you like best.
2. Make sure the filling is thick if you made the pie yourself. Too much moisture - from meat juices, vegetables, etc. in the filling - can cause the patty to become soaked, so as a precaution, allow the filling to drain or thicken a little more. Then freeze the hand pie until you are ready to bake it.
3. Cook the patties according to the instructions. If you just want to bake a ready-made "pot pie" from a freezer section, follow the instructions as indicated on the box. In almost all cases, these patties are meant to be baked straight from the freezer.
   • Once you have made the pie, keep in mind that the baking time for the frozen pie will increase somewhat and the baking temperature may need to be lowered slightly.
   • It goes without saying that, with experience, adjustments to the baking time and temperature may yield a better result with a particular brand of frozen cake.
   • As instructed, make sure that the center of the cake is well cooked. Use a knife or, for greater certainty, a meat thermometer to test the center.

Tips

• If you are freezing a homemade, unbaked pie, make sure to wrap it tightly in foil or plastic wrap. If you don't wrap the cake properly, it can be damaged by freezing.
• Berry pies can be frozen more easily. Freezing custard, milk or egg pie changes its consistency.
• Instead of freezing the whole cake, just freeze the filling in an airtight plastic bag.
• Freeze dough for easy cakes whenever you want! Just let it thaw overnight before rolling it out.
• If you want to make several pies for freezing, but don't have several baking tins, put a piece of baking paper on the pan first. Then freeze the cake in a mold overnight. Place the bottom of the tin in warm water to thaw just enough for it to slide out of the tin, aided by the baking paper. Put it in a plastic bag and freeze it!