A bride asked me to make carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Does it need to be in the fridge until is time to cut the cake or can stay at room temp. for about 6 hours?
Thanks for your help. This is m first wedding cake.

IMNSHO... I would leave it in the fridge as long as possible before it needs to be taken out to display and serve. I've got a good picture from a wedding that was held in one of the chalets where my kitchen is located from last week that was a cream cheese frosting that was set out from 9:30AM until the wedding that evening. I took the photo at 3:00 (I take photos of all the hall setups), and at that point it was colapsing and melting onto itself. NOT a pretty picture, but the bride got what she paid for.

It's one thing for it to be out 3 hours (deliver at 4:00 for a 7:00 cut time, but I think 6 hours is far too early for it.

According to Sarah at Baking911's study, the following recipe does not require refrigeration because it contains enough sugar to preserve it:

8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 tbsp vanilla
1 lb powdered sugar

I've left it out for a week.

Wedding cakes should always be kept as cool as possible for as long as possible, though. Heat is not a decorated cake's friend. I think if the room is air conditioned it should be fine.

thanks a lot for the info.