Does anyone know if cooked pudding needs to be refrigerated if used as a filling in a cake?

I read here before that the instant puddings and pudding cups need to be refrigerated.

I need a filling that doesn't have to be refrigerated, besides jams/jellies and buttercream.

Thanks!

Some information I have gathered from another forum says that cooked pudding DOES need to be refridgerated. As to suggestions regarding fillings that don't require refrideration, other then jams/jellies and buttercream, how about a pie filling or curd. I don't know if you still consider that a jelly or not but I have used a pie filling before and it worked well, actually I did a layer of raspberry pie filling and layer of buttercream combo on a vanilla sponge cake and people really liked it. Another idea would be ganache which can stay out for 2-3 days. Maybe try a white chocolate ganche as an alternative. I have never tried white before but I think it would work. Hopefully these ideas are what your looking for. Keep me posted.

PatriciaV

dont really go by this .. but my mother in law uses cooked pudding and doesnt refridgerate

Haha, well I must admit that I make a cooked pudding filling for home use and don't always refridgerate it either and we haven't gotten sick. However, I wouldn't do it for a cake for the public.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

Thanks everyone.

Yeah, I don't mind trying it out for myself, but not for 125 people in 30 degree heat!!!!

Guess I'll stick to good 'ol buttercream.

Thanks again for the input!!
Purple Petunia

Haha, wise decision Purple! Can you believe this heat? Gosh I got so sick outside yesterday, it just hit me so fast, it wasn't funny and I thought I was well hydrated. Teach me to always carry a bottle of water in these extreme temperatures. With the humidex readings it was well up in the 100's around here.
Good luck with the cake!
Hugs Squirrelly

Thanks Squirrelly! And be careful out there!! This heat is terrible!

Boy, did I speak too soon??

Today is kind of 'cold' here!! Only 25 degrees!! Isn't that strange??

Let's hope this keeps up for Saturday so my cake doesn't melt.

Squirrelly, can you give me any words of wisdom regarding my icing on a hot day?
They're calling for about 26 degrees, but I don't know if there's humidity on top of that.
Also, I use the half Crisco, half butter and milk recipe. I absolutely hate the all Crisco. Do you think I should use it for basket weave, lattice design, borders and roses? And if so, can I still use my half butter to ice and fill the cake?

I'm going to ice and decorate my cakes on Friday evening/night and keep overnight in a cool basement. Then Sat. morning, I plan to put it into my deep freezer for about 45 min. to get good and cold before I take it out to the park. If it's really hot, we'll come back home to get the cake when they are ready for it so it doesn't sit out all that time. Once we get it there, it will be served right away with none leftover!

Oh, did I mention it's a full sheet (2-12x18's) with two 8" round cakes on tiers for an all day picnic??

Pleeeease, don't tell me I should use the all Crisco for everything!!


Okay, let me have it now.

Purple Petunia

I assume you are talking celcius (SP?) instead of degrees??? I would love for it to be 30degrees right now-we've had it over 110degrees heat index! Back to the original question----can you use pudding cups-like for the kids lunches etc??? They usually aren't in the refridgerator section of the supermarket-at least some of them aren't-can those be used??? I sort of would like to know that myself?? What if you made the pudding out of dry milk mix that you add water to or canned milk> Would that make a difference?? Obviously I am clueless in this department!! Any information would be greatly appreciated!

Haha, Nanni, yes my good buddy Trisha 1972 lives close to where you are and is also sweating it out. We have had the same kind of weather, but today the high was 19C which is about 68 F. What a treat, the heat will soon be back, like Petunia says.
No, even though the pudding cups do not have to be refridgerated, once open they do. The well-respected Jeanne G from the Wilton site checked this out with the pudding manufacurers and they said they absolutely must be refridgerated once they are opened. Nice try though, haha!
Well my Purple friend, you are talking to the Picnic Queen, haha! Since 25C is about 77F (haha, I am an old brawd and I refuse to be converted to Celsius, too old to change, haha) as long as you keep it out of the sun and as long as the humidity level isn't super high, you should be fine. Personally, I have made the same half butter, half shortening, cream, milk, powdered sugar and flavourings and used it in all temperatures, just don't let it sit out in the sun or sit out too long if the temperature is hovering around 83F. Butter starts to melt at 83F.
Keep it in a cool place for as close to serving time as possible.
Haha, well you know kiddo, that I am the queen of the green garbage bag. So here is what I have done on too many occasions, use either an unscented green garbage bag or clear leaf bag or yellow trash bag, whatever, actually double up on them. So you box your cakes individually. You seal the boxed cakes, I double bag, in trash bags. Then you get a whole lot of ice. Now if you have a big tub or large rubbermaid containers that these big sucker cakes will fit in, you can pile in the ice, then the boxed and bagged cake, then a cookie sheet or cooling rack on top, then more ice. The foil wrapped cookie sheet or cooling rack will keep the weight of the ice from squishing the top of the cake box. So you put it over the rack and this keeps your cake cool. Of course with cakes that size, this might not do. So plan B is to put a garbage bag with ice underneath your boxed and bagged cake or fit the boxed and bagged cake into yet another garbage bag of ice, then cookie sheet or rack, then another bag of ice. Do this with all of the cakes individually. On the off chance that you would have a cardboard box or carton big enough to house the boxed and bagged cake, you can line the box with a garbage bag of ice, place the boxed and bagged cake and again the cookie sheet with another bag of ice on top.
Now I have also used the big flat box of 24 ice cold sodas in the cans, placed a cake on top of them and that will give you a sturdy base, then again the cookie sheet or cooling rack, then more ice. Only problem is if you go that route (or heaven forbid use cold beer) chances are someone will want a drink and there goes your cooling system.
Does that help at all pr do you just think I am squirrelly, haha?
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

Thanks for all those details, 'Picnic Queen'! (Or is that 'green garbage bag queen'?)
You won't believe what my husband told me last night!! That big cake will fit in the fridge!!
So I've been stressing over a filling that doesn't need to be refrigerated for nothing!!!
Oh, well, now it's too late for me to experiment with another filling, so I think I'll just do a coconut flavoured filling with shredded coconut mixed in.
Since it can stay in the fridge, I'll probably box and bag it and then keep it in the fridge. I'll still be coming home to get it when they're ready for it, so it won't sit out too long. The forecast keeps changing for Sat. - the temp. just keeps going up and up. Today they're saying 27 degrees with humidity at 30. (Sorry, I don't get that Farenheit stuff )
So, hubby is custom making my box and board and clearing out the fridge for me. I just wish I knew that sooner!
Thanks so much for all your help Squirrelly!
I'll let you know how it goes.

Purple Petunia