Hi everyone,

I have been lurking for a while, but have not posted a question. I see a great deal of excellent advice on this site, and am hoping someone can help me. I have made a cake and just iced it. I want to take it into my children's daycare tomorrow. I have made a new kind of icing today, and am not sure if I can keep it out. I do not want to put it in the refrigerator, as that will dry the cake out. The icing has 2 cups of butter and 1/4 cup of milk in it, along with confectionary sugar, salt, vanilla bean and vanilla extract.

Can someone please offer me some advice on whether I can keep this cake at room temperature to take it into the daycare tomorrow?

If it contains butter & milk, I would refrigerate. Both are perishable. As for the cake drying out, it should be just fine. It is sealed in your delicious buttercream icing!
Good luck.

It really comes down to the ratio of the sugar to the milk and butter.

However butter is shelf stable. You can leave it out so it stays soft without any problems.

My guess is you used 1lb of sugar to 1T of milk (or 2lb of sugar to 2T of milk) There is a lot of sugar in there and you will be find with keeping it out. The sugar is a preservative.

As for the cake drying out. That should not happen if you cake is sealed with Buttercream icing 100%. Just give you cake enough time to come to room temperature before serving so it is not cold inside.

My recipe has butter and milk in it and I leave it out for up to 5 days without any problems (as long as the heat is not causing problems with the icing seperating)