I replace the liquid in my standard american buttercream with buttermilk for a pretty close approximation to cream cheese icing, and no worries about refrigeration! It has fooled some pretty savvy tasters.

Hi! Sorry, but buttermilk needs to refridgerated just like cream cheese. ANY uncooked dairy product does. Health department says it can be out for up to four hours, and after that it has to brought to an internal temp of 40 degrees or below. It sounds yummy though- I love buttermilk! And sometimes cream cheese frosting is troublesome in certain applications, so that's a great idea for substitution anyway!

The combination of high acidity, low protein, and concentrated sugar content inhibit bacterial growth in this recipe.

Woohoo! congratulations.... would you share your recipe?

...a little off topic, but how long can butter be left out? Most recipes call for room temperature but what if you leave it out longer?

Butter is a dairy product, but I'm still not sure what the stance is on plain butter. If it's going into a recipe that's going to be cooked, then there's less worries. All of the common food pathogens are killed at 170 degrees (internal temp of the product-not the oven.) They don't require baked goods to be temperature controlled- frostings are a different story when they have dairy. The health dept is more concerned with products that have been mixed with other products or processed by you in any way- many of those are considered "potentially hazardous" foods. I have left butter out for long periods of time and not had any problems- but that was at home. I remember the health dept telling us that we couldn't keep our clarified butter for cooking on the prep table and our butter on the buffet had to be on ice at the restaurant I managed.

as long as "the little longer" doesn't turn into more than 2 days, then your butter could start to become rancid affecting everything you want to do
but in general terms it will depend on what are you using your butter for and the temperature of the room. If left outside for using in a cake it, won't affect at all. If Italian Meringue Buttercream or any you heat up part of the ingredients then is advisable to put it back on fridge and wait till it gets down to 70F aprox

Here is my recipe, with thanks to Whimsical Bakehouse and CC.

Whimsical Bake House Buttercream, Revised for Mock Cream Cheese Buttercream

In mixer bowl, stir together:

6 cups powdered sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Using whip attachment, add
1 cup warm buttermilk Whip until smooth and cool.

Add and whip until smooth again:

2 3/4 cup hi-ratio shortening or regular vegetable shortening
6oz (1 1/2 sticks) butter; slightly chilled and cut into 1" pieces

Whip until light and fluffy.

Think I will try this recipe, thanks for posting. A less tempermental cream cheese type icing is good to have!

Thanks for the recipe. Greater Houston have this always warm -to say the least , and humid weather that makes people think on outside parties. Unfortunately its not quite safe for most buttercreams and cream cheese icings. Will try it today!

Thanks for the recipe. Looking forward to trying it. Is this a crusting BC?

I agree with Rachel, I don't think the health dept will go for that. I am sure Maryland would say no. They are very picky about their dairy products. Before I sold that, I would get FDA approval.

Is that because of using liquid buttermilk? What if you used the powdered buttermilk instead?

when you say warm - as in sitting out until room temp or you warmed it up? and how warm?

Powdered buttermilk: I have found it to pretty much be lousy substitute for the real thing.

Let's be honest: The health dept doesn't let you do anything. You can't let eggs or milk come to room temp - but that's the best way to make a cake. You can't let butter sit out... oh come on - how many of us were raised with butter in a butter dish on the table for days on end? I'm an NC in the Piedmont girl so I know heat and humidity. We were all healthier then than people now.

I'm not saying don't listen to the health dept. You have to stay in business. But I gotta tell ya - I don't get my FACTS from them on what's best and what's not. I only listen to them because they decide whether or not I stay in business. A lot of what they say is factual is plain crap.

If this recipe works for you and you feel comfortable serving it to paying customers and have enough faith in it that you will not make anyone sick and be sued over it - then it's up to you to go for it... as long as YOU know what you are doing.

I just warm it up to about baby bottle temp in the microwave... I think it helps dissolve the sugar and make a smoother icing. I always use the fresh liquid buttermilk from the dairy case, and choose the one with the best tangy taste, but not with butter flakes.

Thanks! I'm going to give it a try on a family cake this weekend. Sounds interesting. I'm a little "a-feared" of trying on a paying customer until I try it myself. Which I had though, I have to make cream cheese icing today for 200 servings. UGH!