Three chocolate cake layers stacked on top of each other with the bottom two each wrapped in cellophane

If you plan ahead and bake cake layers in advance it can make the job of assembling a layer cake easier! I usually bake all cake layers at least one day ahead of when I plan to build and serve the finished cake.

After the cake layers are baked let them cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or double wrap in plastic and store in the freezer for 1-2 months. Thaw frozen cake layers in their wrappings before frosting, either overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for a few hours.