I have to make 300 cupcakes. I bought a pack of 3 new Rubbermaid plastic containers today to hold my buttercream icing. I just opened them and washed them. They STINK. I need them for the icing - I have a TON to make. Will the plastic smell get in my icing - or will the buttercream smell get in the plastic? I can only hope for the 2nd option!

thanks - becky

Even after you washed them good? Try putting baking soda in them... maybe 1/4 cup; shake well.
About the only thing I can think of is to put your icing in Ziploc bags.

I'd do a clorox rinse. Doesn't take much clorox - certainly no more than a tablespoon. Let sit for about 30 seconds and rinse really, really well.

And I mean Clorox diluted in a WHOLE bunch of water.

THANK YOU - I'm running to give the ideas a try!

How about washing them in hot water mix with soap and vinegar and letting the sit for a while. Good luck.

AWESOME! The smell is gone! Used the clorox idea as that was what was closest as hand. Used a tiny bit in the 6 qt container. Learned that the container lid isn't perfectly tight fitting as I shook the mix quite well! Got them at Sam's. Thanks for the quick responses! becky

Clorox rocks. But be careful with it . . .

If the containers aren't specifically made for use with food products (i.e. sold in the kitchen storage products area of the store), then they will often smell. Plastics not rated for food storage can be made out of anything: recycled things, etc. The odor is usually the petroleum distillates in the plastics.

Not all plastics are made alike, or made to store food (especially greasy food), so you may want to consider putting batches of BC in large ziploc bags and then storing those in the containers.

Just my honest .02
Rae

We'll be doing the decorating on Friday. Should I refriderate the buttercream? I never would if it was on the cake. Does it make any differance other than making it harder to work with as is has to "thaw"?

I was going to suggest the diluted Clorox soak, but someone beat me to it! I bought the large Rubbermaid food containers with the maroon lids and unfortunately didn't notice the smell until after I had stored cookies in them. They definitely affected the taste of the cookies.

I also find that Ziploc freezer bags have a strong smell that can affect the flavors of food.

Glad the Clorox worked for you.

Well, it probably depends on your recipe.

If it's PS, water, and shortening, there's no need to refrigerate that for 2 days. It can stay at room temp for quite awhile.

I make mine using heavy cream and sometime, 1/2 butter, so I feel better refrigerating it. I just sit it out on the counter either the night before, or while I'm getting ready to decorate and in about 2 hours, one batch can be stirred and ready for use.

I freeze mine all the time and I often put it on the counter overnight to defrost.

If you're making IMBC or SMBC, I believe that most refrigerate it and then re-whip it before use. Beyond that, I can't really help.

Rae

The container holds 6 qt which seem to almost equal 4 double batches of buttercream - made with butter and milk. I made 6 double batches. Not sure how much I'm going to need for 300 cupcakes. But any-hoo, what I'm worried about is ... if I fridge it, it will take quite a while to get back to a regular consistancy. I never refridge a cake - why the buttercream alone? What should I do?