Keep cake cool without refrigerator?

samara11278

I am having a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting at my wedding and I am worried about the cream cheese sitting out unrefrigerated (we are making it homemade, so no preservatives)... I defintely don't want to give up the cream cheese, but I don't have any way to refrigerate my cake at my reception site. It is indoors and air-conditioned, but still.

I was thinking about putting like a box/container over the entire cake with some dry ice inside to keep it cool... but I think that is going to look tacky. Any other ideas or should I just decorate the box and say the cake is a surprise? Lol!

Help!

kaesha

It'll be fine out at room temperature for a couple of hours. Most cakes are best served at room temperature anyway.

ivyrose13

If it's inside and air conditioned, you should be good to go. 

Since it's handmade, why don't you make a smaller cake with the same frosting and see how the frosting holds up in an air conditioned room beforehand? I've made carrot cakes with cream cheese frosting and never had a problem. 

marissa_claire

Yeah, I would just have it refrigerated until cutting time and at that point it should be okay to sit out for a few hours.

SeptemberFall2011

Delegate someone to put the frosting on at the start of the reception or cocktail hour and then bring it out as a "surprise" for everyone?

cai0311

The high amount of sugar in cream cheese icing acts as a stabilizer.  That means the icing can go for a while without spoiling.  Now, exactly how long, you ask?  Everyone will have a different answer.  Some people won't take any chances and always put in a cool area, others leave cake out for several days on the counter and swear they have never had a problem.

Think abou this way:
Either it sits at the venue of serveral hours or on your bakery's counter until delivered for several hours.  In the end it doesn't make a difference where it is sitting (I know you are not using a bakery - just showing that the cake would be in the same situation if you were).

bridalgal50

I agree- as a retired cake artist, a cream cheese frosting will be just fine sitting out at the venue for several hours.

You may want to refrigerate the finished cake overnight.  The chilled, firm icing will make it easier-and less stressful- to deliver to the venue site. 

[Deleted User]

OK, the Board of Health will probably come to get me, but I have made carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and I won't tell you how long the cake has sat unrefrigerated (covered but not refrigerated).  No one has suffered food poisoning yet.  You'll be fine.