So on one of my other posts about saggy fondant, what I got out of it was that I should not refrigerate the cake. So my question then becomes, what if I have filled the cake with something that needs to stay in the fridge?

Is there a certain time frame I have to leave the cake out that the contents inside will stay good and fresh?

Thanks in advance!

I always refrigerate fondant cakes so I'm not sure why you had a problem with saggy fondant.... I guess everyone does things differently.

If the filling needs refrigeration, then you must refrigerate the cake. However, I NEVER use a filling that has to be refrigerated.

Window of safety is four hours, most of which will be used as the cake is on display.

Leah....not an argument but rather a question....I set up a wedding cake at 5pm and then the cake was not served (I attended the reception) until like 10pm...and the inside of the cake was still cool...it had barely even reached room temperature.

Maybe I just keep my refrigerators really cold but I think the window of safety would be longer, if the cake started out really cold...it stayed in a cool room...AND the filling was not exposed to air?

Of course also different items will have different safety times...I think fruits and preserves last longer than custards or mousse.....

Anyway all my cakes go in the fridge, no matter what. They are locked safely away from my four boys that way.

I too refrigerate all my cakes, fondant or buttercream. My fondant has been soggy yet. (knock on wood!)

I don't ever refrigerate a cake. EVER. I did make the mistake of doing that once, won't do it again I don't use perishable fillings so that I don't have to refrigerate.

Cool does not mean foodsafe. For refrigerated foods to be in the safety zone they have to be held at 40 degrees or less. Room temp is well within the danger zone and the perfect temp for rapid bacterial growth.

If the filling is truly perishable, then you have 4 hours - total - for it to be outside refrigeration. That includes decorating time and display time. If a cake has been on display for 5 hours and truly has perishable fillings, then it can not be served.

how perishible is cream cheese icing? I'm using it as a filling for a wedding today...it's in the fridge now. Delivery is at 4, wedding/cake reception is at 6.

Cream cheese is difficult to estimate, because the sugar to cream cheese ratio is what's important. It's all in the chemistry. It could be fine outside of refrigeration if there's enough sugar in it. But don't ask me how much sugar is enough as I am not a food scientist. I do believe I read some formulas on Baking 911 a while ago. You might check there.

Which is why I never accept an order that insists on cream cheese icing. I do use the Loran cheesecake flavoring and it's reasonably close.

As long as the cake is eaten by 8 you're probably OK, although I didn't factor in your decorating time. Otherwise the cake should be delivered later or refrigerated at the venue and brought out.

i took each layer out individually to quilt then put back in the fridge. then pulled out 10" to start stacking. once that was done (20min) maybe) I put back in fridge. Next is just a ribbon border and some pearls. I think it should be fine. The delivery is at 4:45 and they're doing a little ceremony then cake reception....so they get hitched then cut the cake! No food. I think I should be good. It's the crusting buttercream recipe from here. 2lbs ps:2c cream cheese:1c fat.

UT food science does tests (I heard) on whether there is enough sugar in your recipe to be safe outside of fridge (there is terminology for this but I cannot remember it).

Here's a dumb question, if you have cream cheese/ sour cream/ yogurt in the cake batter but the icing/filling is non perishable what are the guidelines for storing? Should these cakes be refridgerated or are they ok at room temp?

Just a note on Kitagirl's comment: As far as the perishable fillings being safer because they are not exposed to air, keep in mind that the filling WAS exposed to air at some point during decoration and and assembly of the cake. So even if the filling was pre-packaged in a vacuum-sealed container and shelf-stable until open, it was eventually opened to spread it onto the cake, and has therefore been exposed to air/bacteria/droplets of moisture, and the decomposition process has started. Being "sealed" inside the cake won't help if the thing as a whole isn't kept at the right temperature.