Hello everyone,

I am in the beginning stages of starting up my own at home cupcake business  and want to start selling them at my local farmer's market. BUT I am wondering how I am going to stop the buttercream from melting? My original plan was to use coolers and buy clear cupcake cases of 6 and just keep rotating the cases from my table to the cooler every thirty minutes or so. I am thinking of ordering some white cardboard bakery boxes that hold two cupcakes (want to be as ecofriendly as possible :) and just take the cupcakes out the clear containers and put them into those boxes when a customers wants one or so. (sorry if I confused you... as you can tell I'm in great need of an easier plan!) I am also hoping to go for the first time on the fourth of July (I'm in the U.S.) so am wondering if anyone thinks there would be any foot traffic on that day?

Any ideas on keeping the cupcakes from melting, and any display tips would be greatly appreciated!

(Where I live it will be a good 90 degrees + by mid market)

**I have searched through old forums of similar farmers market cupcake questions but would like to have some new ideas since those forums are a bit dated 

THANK YOU!  

What kind of buttercream are you making?  For that kind of heat you might be better off finding a buttercream that can handle the heat rather than trying to preserve a meltable one. Find one that combines butter and shortening.  I haven't yet experimented with any yet as all the events I've baked for have been in cooler weather or indoors.  I'm sure someone here can point you to ones they like that work for them.

Thanks for the reply Pastrybaglady! I am using a recipe I found online (it's a knockoff of Sprinkles vanilla buttercream) and it is so delicious I'm nervous and hesitant to try shortening. I'm not too familiar with shortening buttercreams either, do they leave an aftertaste or unpleasant mouth feel? Has anyone tried Wilton's buttercream recipe that has shortening in it? 

Thanks

Butter cannot handle that temperature. The melting point of butter is between 21 celsius or about 70 fahrenheit  and 40 celsius or 104 fahrenheit. That means it softens up at 70 f and basically melts at about 98.6  to 104f. It doesn't matter if you use part shortening or add meringue powder or anything else, butter cannot handle the heat. Yes, a buttercream made with some butter and some shortening definitely holds up better than all butter would. But your best bet is a buttercream made with high ratio shortening. The melting point of Crisco shortening and high ratio shortening is  approximately 117 and 119 f or 47 to 48 c.

I make both - all butter buttercream and half shortening, half butter buttercream and so I have lots of experience with both in the heat. I also have made and like the Sprinkles recipe . There are a lot of all shortening recipes available. I have used the Wilton recipe that calls for 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening, substituting all shortening. I find that 5 cups of powdered sugar to 1 cup shortening along with 1.5 teaspoons vanilla and cream to thin works well. There is enough sugar to preserve the cream from being an issue.

Does an all shortening buttercream taste as good? Not if you are used to an all butter or half butter buttercream. And artificial butter flavouring or any other flavouring isn't going to make up for it. But it is better than melting  or droopy icing or worse - rancid butter.

Thanks SquirrelyCakes!! Your completely right, I guess an all shortening recipe is the way to go. I just found Indydebby's crisco based buttercream recipe and after reading all of the reviews I really want to try it myself. 

Thanks!