What is a stable frosting for a cake that will be in warm temperatures at an outside party?
I'm hosting a party for my son who's turning three at a park. We'll be under cover but not air conditioned - and we're in the middle of a hot Texas summer. The party is early in the day so it's likely to only be around 80-85 Fahrenheit. Still not an ideal temperature for my go-to, a simple American buttercream.
Is there a frosting type that will keep looking good on cupcakes and be stable for assembling a small two-layer cake at this temperature for the two hours of the party? It's also the only part of the cake my son is likely to eat, so it should taste good and I'd prefer to avoid shortening-based frosting.
I'd read that Italian buttercream does well at warmer temperatures but it's also got uncooked egg whites, which isn't great sitting outside for a while and with kids (2-3 years old), I'm hesitant to use it.
Best Answer
Here is an interesting entry from King Arthur Flour, who should not have a major stake in the game. They hit a bunch of varieties with a hair drier to see how they held up. Their test though was only on holding up to the heat, not safety though. One could suggest using pasteurized eggs as an option though to get around safety concerns.
Quick summary, they liked Italian Buttercream among the buttercreams they tested. Shortening over butter helps, but I am in the group who really dislikes the taste of "buttercream" made with shortening over butter, but would go by taste on that. Of the ones they tested though, cream cheese frosting held up the best, so if the cake is one that would match with cream cheese it might be a good choice.
Fondant is another option which may hold up well to heat though personally, I find it for looks only, not taste.
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Quick Answer about "What is a stable frosting for a cake that will be in warm temperatures at an outside party?"
Butter, the most common frosting ingredient, melts at 90°F to 95°F. Margarine is just slightly more heat-resistant than butter (depending on its formula, anywhere from 90°F to over 100°F). Coconut oil liquefies at 76°F. Vegetable shortening stays solid all the way up to 115°F.What frosting is best in hot weather?
While melting is inevitable if no extra steps are taken to keep the desserts as cool as it can be in the summer heat, there is a type of frosting that can handle the heat better than other frostings: the buttercream made with egg whites.What is the most stable buttercream for hot weather?
Swiss Meringue Buttercream is more stable than American buttercream due to its ingredients. It's more difficult to make than American buttercream, but it'll hold better in hot and humid weather.How do you keep frosting from melting outside?
Adding cornstarch (about 2 tablespoons per 3 cups of icing) to the mix will make icing a bit sturdier, which will help it fare better in the heat.What is the most stable cake frosting?
Italian meringue buttercream, also known simply as Italian buttercream, is the most stable of all of the buttercreams but also the most difficult to make. This style of buttercream gets its name because it starts out with the process of making Italian meringue.Stable Buttercream Recipe for Hot Weather
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Answer 2
Have you considered Royal Icing?
Still contains egg, but it's certainly not going to melt in hot weather.
From the link -
Royal icing is traditionally prepared with raw egg whites, which have a very small chance of transmitting salmonella poisoning. Meringue powder or ready-to-use, pasteurized, refrigerated egg whites (wet eggs) can be used with similar results.
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