So I iced and filled my cake with a swiss buttercream last night and started to wonder about separation. I took it out this morning and when I went to use the remainder of the refrigerated icing it had separated. I proceeded to put my decorations(fondant and such) on the cake but started to wonder about the rules of this kind of buttercream. If the leftover icing separated ..will the stuff on the cake not do the same at room temperature? How far in advance can you ice a cake with swiss buttercream before you serve it? What are the rules? Please help I really like the taste of this icing but cannot use it if it can only be made and served the same day. Strangely enough I cannot find info on this anywhere.thanks for any help you can offer!!

i've had leftover IMBC separate while in the fridge. it looked like it had tiny ice crystals all over it. i didn't know any better and proceeded to use it without re-whipping to to stabilize it. big mistake. it would not stay on the cake! it looked ok for a second, then everything started sliding off.

i attribute the separation to the cold and the recipe i was using...i have a feeling that particular recipe wouldn't be able to stand up to much of any temperature change.

I live in south Georgia, so swiss buttercream is out of the question. I've made it several times and I will say it is the best tasting buttercream, but after the cake sat out awhile the buttercream started to melt causing the decorations to loose form. I will have to use it only in very cold weather which is rare. Last year one of the cake decorating magazines posted Itation buttercream and their suggestion was that you alter the butter by adding 25% to 50% shortening. Of coarse, the less shortening the better.

I guess I do not have enough experience with this type of icing to use it on a cake I am selling. I would like to use it on saturday but just do not know how it tastes and looks after it comes out of the fridge and goes to the cake buyers home. I do not want it to ruin the cake and I cannot find enough info on it once it has been refrigerated and brought back to room temp while on the cake.. thanks again

Most smbc and imbc cakes are kept refrigerated until picked up. I would let the frosting come to room temp before serving.

When you go to work with smbc, you'll want it to be at room temp. It's best to work with it right after it's made, but if you have to store it, let it come to room temp then whip it again in your mixer. The rewhipping is crucial, otherwise it separates, as stated.

I always use new recipes on practice cakes, not on cakes I would sell. Only sell what you're comfortable with.

I will try it on a cake in the next couple of days. What kind of icings are the favorites around here? I would like a fabulous tasting, no fail, no stress icing...any help would be awesome.
I loved the texture and taste of the swiss buttercream, but was so nervous about it.
Thanks again for any replies and help. It is so great to talk to people that have experience with all this!

If properly made, meringue buttercreams look and taste wonderful once brought back to room temp. However, I cannot imagine ever selling something I haven't first tried myself.

I did try the italian buttercream the weekend before I posted and loved it. I just was not clear about how well it came back to room temperature on the cake as the leftovers seperated when I took it out of the fridge. I managed to make a batch and put it on a cake just to test it and it came out beautifully on the cake. It really only seems to separate if you are stirring it up after it has come back to room temp and since you dont touch it on the cake it is fine.
I used the swiss meringue on a cake I sold this weekend and it was nice to work with. I think it will be my new icing, much nicer than the wilton buttercream.
thanks again for all your help and advice

I used this recipe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBBoRMWcfNc&playnext_from=TL&videos=kv8JvUs6bms
And I used it imediatly.
Then I put the decorated cake on the fridge for some hours. Then I took it out and left it outside the whole night.
Nothing happend...