Confused? Is Buttercream Perishable?

Decorating By chinacat77 Updated 1 Mar 2010 , 9:52pm by costumeczar

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chinacat77 Posted 1 Mar 2010 , 7:50am
post #1 of 12

forgive me as im sure this has been answered many times but ive searched the forums and cant find an answer. Im using buttercream dream, so when you have a crisco/butter/few tbsp of milk based frosting...is it perishable? most i would let a cake sit is two days before cutting, is this ok?

11 replies
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noahsmummy Posted 1 Mar 2010 , 8:11am
post #2 of 12

thats fine doll! i use the wilton recipe most, which sounds similar. and i have never had a problem. ive let mine sit up to 3-4 days and never had a problem. apparently it has something to do with the sugar affecting the dairy? not sure exactly...but it will fine. =)

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JanH Posted 1 Mar 2010 , 8:36am
post #3 of 12

Most American b/c's are shelf stable, even when milk or cream are used as the liquid. icon_smile.gif

Sugar is hygroscopic, or moisture absorbing.
The powdered sugar in American b/c's controls the water activity in the butter/margarine and/or milk or cream in the mixture. (Butter and margarine are both 80% fat and 20% water, while shortening is 100% fat.)

Water activity & microbial growth:
(Prolonging Bakery Product Life.)

http://tinyurl.com/ya8po4z

WJ Scott in 1953 first established that it was water activity, not water content that correlated with bacterial growth:

http://tinyurl.com/bmsato

Formulating for increased shelf life:
(Decreasing water activity results in hostile environment for bacteria.)

http://tinyurl.com/csu2b9

HTH

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idjiliak Posted 1 Mar 2010 , 1:45pm
post #4 of 12

I wouldn't use anything in my products that would last a week on a shelf. Yuch.

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aliciag Posted 1 Mar 2010 , 2:06pm
post #5 of 12

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I wouldn't use anything in my products that would last a week on a shelf. Yuch.

That is excessive to say the least.
Do you throw out flour and sugar after a week?

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chinacat77 Posted 1 Mar 2010 , 2:56pm
post #6 of 12

Yes, this did help, and it was good reading from a scientific point of view. So if sugar inhibits the growth of bacteria then those nasty little things would never stand a chance in a buttercream...sugar sugar sugar! icon_surprised.gif thanks!

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costumeczar Posted 1 Mar 2010 , 3:19pm
post #7 of 12
Quote:
Originally Posted by chinacat77

Yes, this did help, and it was good reading from a scientific point of view. So if sugar inhibits the growth of bacteria then those nasty little things would never stand a chance in a buttercream...sugar sugar sugar! icon_surprised.gif thanks!




It inhibits growth but doesn't totally prevent it, so you still have to be reasonable about it!

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KateLS Posted 1 Mar 2010 , 3:38pm
post #8 of 12

So what about storing? When I make Indydebi's BC or Sugarshack's, do I need to store it in the refrigerator and then bring back to room temperature before I use it? Or can I store it in the pantry?

TIA!

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tsal Posted 1 Mar 2010 , 4:28pm
post #9 of 12

What about IMBC or SMBC? I use SMBC and always refrigerate even though it tends to get very firm.

Are non-crusting BCs perishable?

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costumeczar Posted 1 Mar 2010 , 4:54pm
post #10 of 12

In my food safety course they always stressed that if something had a perishable component you should treat it like it's perishable to be on the safe side. I refrigerate all my buttercream cakes if I can, even though they'd probably be okay out for a day.

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KateLS Posted 1 Mar 2010 , 8:53pm
post #11 of 12

So do you have to beat the buttercream after you take it out of the refrigerator? Or just let it warm to room temp?

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costumeczar Posted 1 Mar 2010 , 9:52pm
post #12 of 12

Crisco-based you can use without rebeating. Meringue buttercreams need to be rebeaten after they warm up.

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