Refrigeration Questions - So Confused!!!
Decorating By imartsy Updated 27 Jun 2006 , 5:04pm by IHATEFONDANT
I'm so confused about when I need to refrigerate a cake and when I shouldn't. I was told by my Wilton teacher never to refrigerate a cake b/c it would make it dry. But then I see lots of people talking about fridge size and putting their cakes in the fridge. My questions:
1) If a cake has butter made buttercream, does it need to be refrigerated? How long is it good for before you should stop eating it?
2) If a cake is made w/ butter buttercream but covered in fondant, does it need to be refrigerated?
3) Does a cake covered with rolled buttercream need to be refrigerated? I did this once and found condensation on the cake later - it still ended up tasting great though!
4) Finally, if you use jelly or jam or a butter buttercream INSIDE the cake as a filling, does that automatically make the cake need refrigeration?
Thanks everyone for your help!
Hi -
It is my understanding that you can leave butter buttercream and jam fillings, clear pie fillings and cake store sleeve fillings out at roon temperature for a couple of days...the sugar acts as a preservative.
You can not leave out cake fillings or frostings that have eggs, puddings, whip cream, milk, evaporated milk out as these are not preserved for more than a few hours.
Hope that helps....
Our Wilton instructor is ok with refridgerating and freezing cakes and says they have more moisture.
Cakes made from scratch seem to be a little drier than doctored cake mixes.
MaryJane
This is a hard question, because it all boils down to microbiology. Sugar is a perservative, but not the strongest one out there. In some environments sugar actually acts to encourage the growth of bacteria. If I lived in a humid environment I would refrigerate no matter what. Remember that even when frosted with shortening and sugar, that does not preserve the cake underneath. Boxed cake mixes will last longer, and in fact better then homemade outside of the frig. Bacteria are easily innoculated into any item, so how you bake a cake and frost it will determine how long it can sit at room temp.
I did an experiment recently and actually cultured a homemade and a boxed cake mix-the actual powder in the box, the batter, the baked cake frosted, the baked cake, the cake frosted at day 1, 2, and 3. Let me just say that it was an eye opener. I am a big advocate of homemade, but this experiment may of changed my mind. If I was baking to sell out of the home I would only do boxed mixes.
No I don't have ooodles of free time, my sister in law is a microbiologist, husband was taking microbiology and I'm an RN. I'm just wierdly obsessed with the growth of bacteria. I'm not afraid of it (just look at my housekeeping), just fascinated by it.
I did an experiment recently and actually cultured a homemade and a boxed cake mix-the actual powder in the box, the batter, the baked cake frosted, the baked cake, the cake frosted at day 1, 2, and 3. Let me just say that it was an eye opener. I am a big advocate of homemade, but this experiment may of changed my mind. If I was baking to sell out of the home I would only do boxed mixes.
I know that the from scratch recipes do NOT have a very long life - if not eaten the same day, they are not good (the ones I have made anyways) I can imagine what your experiment showed - just from my personal experince! Boxed cakes are the only way to go for me.
BTW - thanks for sharing - did you document it well? ( just wondering)
I only made notes, for my future referance. It helps when trying to figure out my timelines. I am a major food snob, but when it comes to cakes you're hard pressed to find a safer product then the boxed cakes. I do make some great homemade cakes-mostly poundcakes-from scratch that age well. In fact they greatly improve with age.
I keep all of my bcf cakes, scratch and doctored mix in the fridge, even after a piece is taken. Putting a piece of plastic wrap over the cut edges keeps them moist and I have never had a cake go bad or get dry this way. We don't eat much cake so sometimes they will be in there for 4-5 days and no green fuzzies anywhere.
Haven't tried it with fondant as yet.
I DO BOXED CAKE MIXES ONLY... i too am PARANOID about any growth or spoilage. i do all water (not milk) and all crisco butter cream frosting (no butter, i use clear vanilla and clear butter flavors .. divided evenly... to flavor it and have had many, many compliments on taste) so it can be left out up to a week. the cake would go bad before the frosting and with the preservatives in the mixes that's not going to happen for days and days. we have eaten (should i be embarrassed here? LOL) cake after 4 or 5 days on the counter. big cakes can just last that long (amount wise) and who am i to throw it out?! LOL LOL LOL
Hi Alaskanmom,
Can you post your Crisco Buttercream receipe. I just made my first cake this weekend (thanks to you all for answering my posts on MMF) and used the Wilton canned icing. I would not like to make my own Buttercream Icing because I really didn't care for the Wilton icing.
Thanks,
Alaskagirl3
1 c shortening
2 T water
1t clear vanilla flavor (i use 1/2 vanill 1/2 butter flavor)
1T meringue powder
1 pound powdered sugar (about 4 cups, but weighing is better)
pinch of salt optional (i don't)
this makes stiff icing (roses) to make it medium (stars, borders, etc) add one teaspoon of water for each cup of stiff. to make it thin (for frosting the cake, leaves, writing) add 2 teaspoons water for each cup of stiff (equals 2 T for the whole recipe)... if you are using thin for writing, stems and leaves add 1/2 teaspoon piping gel per cup of icing.
Hhhhhhhhhhhmmmmm...what does that say about boxed cake mixes....even bacteria, that grow on most things, hesitate to make a home on a cake baked from a box?? 
(no flaming please....I am joking) 
I refrigerate all of my cakes..until delivery time...
if your scratch cakes are dry..you may be overmixing them...I've never had a scratch cake turn out dry.... 
....but when they are overmixed the gluten will toughen the cake....all you need to do is make sure your ingredients are incorporated fully, for a scratch cake...don't overbeat!!! 
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