Whether you're decorating cupcakes for a school bake sale or whipping up a layer cake for your cousin’s birthday, buttercream frosting is often the go-to choice. It's creamy, sweet, easy to work with, and famously forgiving—well, except when you're trying to decide what to do with it once it's made. Do you leave it on the counter? Pop it in the fridge? Panic and Google it? You're not alone. Buttercream lives in that gray area where food-safety rules and baking habits don’t always get along, so let’s clear the air (and the frosting).
Most Buttercream Is Shelf-Stable
If you're making American buttercream—the classic combo of butter, powdered sugar, and a splash of milk or cream—you can usually keep it at room temperature for up to two days. The high sugar content acts like a built-in preservative, pulling moisture from the frosting and making it harder for bacteria to take hold. In other words, science is on your side here. As long as your kitchen isn't scorching hot, American buttercream is perfectly comfortable hanging out on the counter.
When Refrigeration Is Actually Required
Not all buttercreams play by the same rules. The moment you bring eggs into the mix, you're dealing with a different situation. Swiss meringue, Italian meringue, and French buttercream—all beautiful, silky, pastry-chef favorites—contain egg whites (or in the case of French buttercream, yolks). These versions are more delicate and absolutely need refrigeration once made. The same goes for any buttercream flavored with perishable ingredients like:
- fruit purées
- mascarpone or cream cheese
- custard-style fillings
- fresh berries or citrus curd
If your frosting includes anything that belongs in the fridge on its own, it belongs in the fridge once blended into frosting, too.
Storing Buttercream on a Cake vs. Storing It Alone
Here's where things get surprisingly easy: a frosted cake often lasts longer than a bowl of frosting on its own. Why? The cake acts as insulation, keeping the frosting from drying out. American buttercream can sit on a fully frosted cake for 48 hours just fine at room temperature. If you need to store it longer than that—or if you're decorating days ahead—refrigerate the entire cake, then bring it back to room temperature before serving. Buttercream firms up in the fridge but softens beautifully once it warms again.
Can You Freeze Buttercream? Absolutely
If you're the plan-ahead type, buttercream freezes remarkably well. Store it in an airtight container for up to three months, let it thaw at room temperature, then re-whip to restore its fluffiness. It’s one of the few frostings that forgives you for making it disappear into the freezer for weeks at a time.
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