cake that is too large to refridgerate. It is for Sunday,will it be ok to make today (Friday) and leave at room temp in the box? I always try to make them no more than a day ahead but I have no choice because I have more to do. Please help! 
Darrah
It is buttercream with some fondant. I was not going to add the fondant until tomorrow if I was going to refri. it.
is there a filling in the cake? If there is it just depends on if the filling needs refrigerated
If there isn't then there won't be a problem with it sitting at room temp til Sunday, as long as you have the air on and it isn't sitting in direct sunlight.
No filling. It won't dry out or anything will it?
If this cake is going to be served to children or the elderly I would not risk it. Buttercream is good out for a couple of hours maybe even a day but two days is too much time for me.
If you attempt this I would make sure that everything I used to mix, spread, or smooth the buttercream was extremely clean and sanitized. I am less worried about the buttercream going bad and more concerned with microorganisms that you might introduce to the surface of the buttercream that will grow out of control because the cake isn't refrigerated. If you are really careful you can lessen the risk of this happening, which is already pretty low, but I don't think I would do it.
I am less worried about the buttercream going bad and more concerned with microorganisms that you might introduce to the surface of the buttercream that will grow out of control because the cake isn't refrigerated.
I have always used buttercream (all crisco) and never put my cakes in the refrigerator, my family are all still alive.
I echo what the others said, it will be fine for two days. 
If this cake is going to be served to children or the elderly I would not risk it. Buttercream is good out for a couple of hours maybe even a day but two days is too much time for me.
If you attempt this I would make sure that everything I used to mix, spread, or smooth the buttercream was extremely clean and sanitized. I am less worried about the buttercream going bad and more concerned with microorganisms that you might introduce to the surface of the buttercream that will grow out of control because the cake isn't refrigerated. If you are really careful you can lessen the risk of this happening, which is already pretty low, but I don't think I would do it.
Fortunately there is enough sugar in buttercream to largely prevent this from happening. The same way you don't have to refrigerate sugar and marshmallows, you don't have to refrigerate fondant or crisco/butter based buttercream. Check out the study by a microbiologist that Sarah Phillips of Baking911 had commissioned! This answers SO many questions.
http://tinyurl.com/2ydx9b
I would have to agree with the masses. I've eaten cake that's been out on the counter for a couple days or more, but covered of course. And my mom usually keeps her pies in the oven after she bakes them. No heat of course. I was always freaked out by that, but no one in our family ever died from the cakes or the pies. The only way we got sick was from eating too much
" . . . lessen the risk which is already pretty low"
I know. I know. I know. I understand what the experts have said on the subject. I also know that buttercream is a not a potentially hazardous food but I just wouldn't do it if it were me. If I did decide to do it I would be incredibly careful.
I just don't think people expect to pay for a cake that has been sitting out for two days.
Yes, I know you made a buttercream cake and left it out for several days and no body died. We all had a slice of that cake. My mother used to do it all the time but that doesn't mean it is a good practice particularly when you are selling the cake and especially if you don't know who will be eating it.
Just my humble opinion.
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