Dear decorators,

Please help me solve a dilemma. My mom and I have a bake table on Saturday and I would like to make red velvet heart-shaped cupcakes. I have some cream cheese icing on hand which I know is the traditional topping. However, I will not have access to a fridge or cooler during the sale. So the cupcakes will be at room temperature for potentially several hours.

How long can cream cheese icing survive at room temperature? (Home will be over an hour away, so running home to restock won't help.) And if, as we suspect, it's a no-go, I imagine chocolate fudge buttercream is an acceptable substitute?

please answer by thursday the 3rd so I can plan. thanks in advance.

Cream cheese American buttercream does not need to be refrigerated. The sugar inhibits bacteria growth. Your cupcakes will be fine.

American buttercream is any buttercream made with powered sugar.

That's good to know, I'm making a large RV cake for Church on Wednesday.

I have used Toba Garrett's cream cheese BC many times and have left the cakes out for as much as 4 days and have had no problems, the cakes were is a cool, dry room though. I would never leave them out during the summer though.