Do Most People Use Buttercream As A Filling?
Decorating By tonimarie Updated 13 Apr 2008 , 2:35pm by HerBoudoir
I have never branched out from using buttercream as a filling for cakes, but would really like to. My problem is that when I looked at the recipe section at fillings, most of the ones I would like to try have cream cheese, milk, and other perishable ingredients in them. If you use these, is there a time frame that the cake can be left out of the refridgerator? Please help!
Reasonable time frame the cake can be left out of the fridge: 2 to 4 hours. After 4 hours, the bacteria is doing too much of a happy dance for it to be safely eaten.
I pretty much refrigerate everything, even just buttercream.
I actually prefer NOT to use buttercream as a filling, just to make things more interesting. I use mousse, jam, fruit curd, ganache, etc. Depends on the flavor combination I'm after.
I find most people I make cakes for prefer only buttercream, especially when for kids. I think for weddings it's more common to have tasty fillings and different flavor combos. You can always suggest different fillings just remember to tell them to put in fridge after 4 hours. Thats the rule of thumb for most food actually.
I often use pudding as a filling. I buy the non-refrigerated snack pack puddings and I have never had a problem with it going bad. Just make sure you put a damn around the edge of the cake before filling it so the pudding doesn't leak out the sides.
My favorite is to mix 1/2 buttercream with 1/2 whatever flavor polaner all fruit jam. Strawberry, seedless raspberry are the favorites. Everyone loves it!
Other than that -- I use chocolate ganache and sometimes lemon curd. Learn to make a good ganache and lemon curd, and you have a multitude of easy fillings that go with about everything - and both of these are very easy to make.
Reasonable time frame the cake can be left out of the fridge: 2 to 4 hours. After 4 hours, the bacteria is doing too much of a happy dance for it to be safely eaten.
Wow, I'm curious about the 2 to 4 hours. Where did you get that information? Most of my cakes sit out 12 to 36 hours, since I make them the day before. Is it really unsafe?
I find that raspberry or strawberry filling go really well with buttercream (raspberry is my favorite). You would be surprised how well the flavors (raspberry and buttercream) complement one another even if you are not a berry lover. I also like bavarian cream. I buy these in the plastic packs at my local cake decorating store. They are not refrigerated when I buy them but I refrigerate after I open them. Like I said above, I make my cakes the day before and they sit out for 12 to 36 hours and I've never had a problem. I have had a cake covered in buttercream go sour after sitting out of the fridge in as little as 48 hours.
I'd be curious to know if you all think bavarian cream is safe unrefrigerated. I would think the berry fillings are just fine because of the citric acid and all the sugar in them but the cream filling must have some kind of milk right?
From what I've read on here, the sleeved fillings are OK to sit out. The issue is with milk/cream based fillings, like a whipped cream mousse type filling or a cream cheese filling. Bacteria starts to take over after about 4 hours - as determined in studies of perishable goods. I have used jams, etc., too and not had a problem. I have also used prepared packaged puddings without refrigeration, but I have heard that they are supposed to be refrigerated once opened. I believe the analogy given was that you can buy mayonnaise at the store on the shelf, but once it's opened, it must be refrigerated or it will spoil. Pudding is sold in sealed containers tha tmake it OK to sit on a store shelf for a time, but once opened, they should go in the fridge. As I said, I've done it with pudding before and not had a problem, but I have read on here that I shouldn't do it again.
I use a simple recipe of 1 c milk, 1 package pudding mix and 1 container cool whip. It makes an awesome mousse type filling. I do refridgerate my cakes though, so I am not sure how long that can sit without spoiling.
Reasonable time frame the cake can be left out of the fridge: 2 to 4 hours. After 4 hours, the bacteria is doing too much of a happy dance for it to be safely eaten.
Wow, I'm curious about the 2 to 4 hours. Where did you get that information? Most of my cakes sit out 12 to 36 hours, since I make them the day before. Is it really unsafe?
ServSafe Coursebook, 3rd Edition. ServSafe is the "gold standard" in food safety certification in the restaurant business. www.servsafe.com (Yes, I am ServSafe certified)
MANY of the things we use in frosting and filling cakes fall into "potentially hazardous food" when it has been time/temperature abused. The FDA food code identifies the following as potentially hazardous foods:
- Milk and milk products (so puddings, mousses, bavarian cream, etc)
- Eggs (SMBC, IMBC)
- Any heat-treated plant food (including rice, beans, fruits, vegetables - I include any fruit jams, curds, etc in this category)
(there's a bunch of other ones but these are what apply to most of us as cakers)
Rapid bacteria growth requires: food, appropriate level of acidity, proper temperature (over 40 degrees F, under 135 degrees F), adequate time, necessary level of oxygen, moisture.
Time/temperature abuse are usually the easiest hazards to control. If foods classified as potentially hazardous remains in the "danger zone" (40 - 135 degrees F) for four hours or more, pathenogenic microorganisms can grow to levels high enough to make someone ill, particularly young 'uns, older folk, or those with compromised immune systems (already ill, etc).
Containers of premade filling (including pudding, fruit filling, etc) are sealed in airtight packaging (lack of oxygen necessary for growth) after it's been pasteurized (heated to above 140 degrees F to kill bacteria)whether it's canned, jarred, or bagged. Once that seal is broken though, it falls under the 4 hour rule, IMHO.
Proper handling of food not only retards potential foodborne illnesses, but following guidelines for proper safe food handling also preserves the quality of the food product.
Our bodies are used to fighting off bacteria/viruses/etc, so a lot of times we can eat food that's not been handled properly without having an overly obvious or violent reaction. How often do we write off a little diarheaa or mild upset stomach? The problem is that you can't predict how well your body will fight it off. Would you really eat something that may make you ill on purpose?
There's no reason not to take reasonable precautions.
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