Don’t let the summer’s heat stop you from enjoying a fully frosted slice of cake.
By Briana Riddock Updated June 07, 2018
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Tahini-Blueberry Sheet Cake With Strawberry Buttercream image
Credit: Aaron Kirk; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson; Food Styling: Pam Lolley
Be it layered or a simple sheet cake, a classic frosted cake is symbolic of celebration; however, nothing about a melted mess of sugar and butter feels celebratory. During warm summer months, the temperature outside can quickly sabotage a beautifully frosted cake. You can almost feel your poor cake sweating out the butter in its frosting within minutes of you placing it into a hot car (in order to take it to a sunny family cookout, no less…). Sure, you can blast the AC and say a few prayers, but taking a few extra precautionary measures, starting in the kitchen, might be a better bet.
"Cooked" Buttercream
Most from-scratch frostings use butter as the base, which renders them rich, but unstable and easily susceptible to melting in warmer temperatures. However, if you want to use a buttercream frosting on your cake, opt for the varieties that are “cooked.” French, Italian, and Swiss buttercreams all include variations of a hot sugar mixture that serves to temper either egg whites, yolks or both—ultimately, creating a more stable icing. For example, when you make French buttercream, egg yolks are whipped until frothy and mixed with a hot sugar syrup that cooks the egg. The mixture is then blended with room temperature butter. Both the Italian and Swiss buttercream follow a similar process. These buttercreams are the most reliable to withstand warm temperatures; that said, you should do your best to keep your frosted baked good in a relatively cool place for as long as possible before serving.
Buttercream + Stabilizers
Any other recipes that involve only confectioners’ sugar blended with butter should be avoided if your cake is going to be exposed to hot temperatures. The American style buttercream is just that—confectioners’ sugar + butter + a little liquid, if necessary. However, since this is the easiest frosting to make on short notice, in a pinch, you can cut the butter in half and substitute shortening, which will make the buttercream more stable. You can also get more staying power by adding powdered stabilizers to your frosting, such as meringue powder, instant pudding mix, gelatin, and agar. If you are only traveling a short distance with your cake exposed to summer heat, you should be fine with the help of one of these additions. Just keep in mind that the addition of stabilizers will extend the frosting's longevity by a little, but not much. You’ll want to avoid using other ingredients that typically need refrigeration, such as cream cheese, yogurt, and whipped cream, as well.
Fondant
Fondant has a dough-like texture that's created using sugar, gelatin, and glycerol. The pliable frosting is rolled into various shapes and sizes, allowing it to cover a wide range of cakes, giving them a picture-perfect smooth surface. Fondant can be purchased from any cake decor supplier in bulk. For more avid home bakers, fondant is easily made with a combination of marshmallow cream and confectioners’ sugar. Fondant should remain fairly stable and well intact even during the dog days of summer.
Glaze
I consulted one of our test kitchen’s baking experts, Pam Lolley, and she further suggested skipping the frosting altogether and opting instead for a glaze. A glaze is quick, easy, stiffens within a few minutes, and is unlikely to create an unappealing mess as temperatures rise. Generally, you need about 1 cup of sifted confectioners’ sugar combined with a few tablespoons a liquid such as milk, orange juice, or lemon juice. You can simply pour it over your baked goods to create a simple, sugary topping and be on your way.
FAQs
After: Swiss Buttercream (left); Italian Buttercream (right). The full force of a hot hairdryer doesn't do either frosting any favors, but the Italian holds up better than its counterpart. The meringue in Italian Buttercream is cooked to a higher temperature, which gives the frosting a sturdier structure.
What frosting holds up best in hot weather? ›
Both the Italian and Swiss buttercream follow a similar process. These buttercreams are the most reliable to withstand warm temperatures; that said, you should do your best to keep your frosted baked good in a relatively cool place for as long as possible before serving.
What is the best cake decoration for hot weather? ›
A Crusting Buttercream that is thick in consistency has many uses in baking and cake decorating. It is suitable for use in warm to hot climates due to its stability and ability to maintain its shape when used for piping or frosting a cake.
What buttercream won't melt in the heat? ›
ABC is the most stable buttercream in high heat and humidity. The combination of butter, shortening, and a lot of powdered sugar creates a crusting buttercream that prevents the butter from melting. White chocolate ganache and whipped dark chocolate ganache are also great options for high heat.
Which cake frosting lasts the longest? ›
For stability purposes, especially if the ambient temperature is rather warm, American buttercream or ermine frosting, or the half buttercream/half chocolate (as suggested above) are all great choices that will hold their shape and have no risk of spoilage for many hours or even days.
What is the most heat stable buttercream? ›
Italian buttercream holds up well in warmer temperature, so if you're planning a summer party outside, this is your go-to buttercream.
How do you keep frosting from melting in the heat? ›
it's advisable to adjust the recipe to stabilize the icing. This can be done in a few different ways. Some will substitute part of the butter with shortening, which doesn't melt as rapidly and holds its shape a bit better. Another trick is to add some type of starch to the icing before using it to decorate the cake.
How to decorate a cake in hot weather? ›
Use a frosting with more heat-resistant ingredients, such as buttercream or fondant. Avoid using fillings that are runny or gooey, as they can compromise the stability of your cake. Opt for fillings that are more stable, such as fruit preserves or ganache.
How do you keep a cake cool in the summer? ›
When in doubt, put it in the fridge, or at the very least, air-conditioning. Bringing cakes to room temperature from refrigeration in Summer can cause condensation, which happens when the cake warms up too quickly.
Is ermine frosting stable in hot weather? ›
Ermine frosting was a front runner for high heat and humidity tests. It survived both high temps and humidty tests with just a slight deflation but otherwise kept its piped shape on top of a cupcake.
So in order to add that stability, you need what's called high ratio shortening. That means the shortening has a high ratio of fat with added emulsifiers and no added salt or water. In other words, the micro emulsifiers in it help your frosting to hold more sugar and liquid and thus make it more temperature resistant.
Why is my buttercream melting off my cake? ›
If your buttercream looks like it's falling off the cake or your piped decorations begin to droop, it's very likely the temperature in the room is too hot, causing your buttercream to melt.
How do you keep buttercream from sweating? ›
Once the frosting is cold and firm, take the cake out and wrap it in plastic. The frosting will hold its shape even when plastic wrap brushes against it or rests on it. When the cake goes back into the fridge or freezer it will be sealed and protected from any moisture.
What frosting do professionals use for cakes? ›
Swiss Meringue
Also more simply known as Swiss Buttercream, this buttercream is popular amongst the professionals. It is more difficult and time-consuming to create than American Buttercream, but it's silky smooth and light texture makes it worth the extra effort.
What kind of frosting do most bakeries use? ›
Buttercream frostings rely on the main ingredient of butter and will be the most common type of frosting you will find in a bakery.
What is a good substitute for buttercream frosting? ›
In conclusion, there are many alternatives to buttercream frosting that you can use to ice your cake. Ganache, cream cheese frosting, whipped cream frosting, fondant, and meringue frosting are all excellent options that are easy to make and delicious to taste.
What is the most stable type of frosting? ›
The most stable of the buttercreams, Italian buttercream is made from a meringue made bystreaming hot sugar syrup into egg whites as they're being whisked.
How do you keep icing from sweating? ›
It's not a good idea to refrigerate iced cakes because the moisture in the fridge will begin to attack the icing making it soft and gooey plus make colours run. The icing will also sweat once brought out to room temperature and should be left to dry out naturally or helped with air from a fan.
What is the best wedding cake for hot weather? ›
Summer Wedding Cake Flavors
If you're a fan of tropical flavors, coconut, lime and pineapple will pack a fresh punch as part of a wedding cake. For couples that prefer fresh takes on traditional flavors, a strawberries-and-cream bake, or really any flavor loaded up with fresh berries certainly won't disappoint.
