I am making an Uncle Sam cake for a 4th of July party on Saturday. All the food will be set up in the host's garage, so not in direct sun, but still exposed to the outside temperature, (which thankfully is forecasted to only be about 78 degrees after we've been in the 90s for most of the last 2 weeks). If I make the buttercream recipe that is half butter, half shortening (which I really like the taste of) do you think it will stand up to being "outside" or do you think it will get too soft from the butter and the icing will soften too much and the stars and details will all turn to mush?

Thanks for any advice!

Melinda

I would leave it inside until ready to eat~ That way you won't have any problems~

The problem is that this is an all afternoon and evening party. People are coming and going to an event at a nearby park. The party starts at 2:00 and the fireworks aren't until about 9:30-10, so people are eating the whole time, there is no set time to eat. That's my dilemma.

I'm not an expert on this but I when I use the half butter, half crisco recipe and leave it in my house in warm weather (we don't have A/C) the frosting doesn't hold up. I've even had problems just leaving a cake on the counter overnight when the tempurature is in the high 70's. Have you thought about using butter flavored crisco in place of the butter? I agree that the 1/2 butter recipe is delicious but I'm not sure it would be worth having to worry about it all day. Good luck!

My opion is totally different, I have always used the buttercream icing with half real sweet cream butter (land o lakes) & half crisco. If you use the butter or margine in the tub's that is very soft and that probably will not hold up in hot weather.

I have never had problems with icing melting whens its over 90 degrees outside, but thats just me.

I did a cake just last weekend for my son's party, it outside at the park, temp was over 96 degrees and my cake held up just fine.

Good luck with your cake! I too am doing one for our 4th of July cookout party this Saturday.

Have you ever tried the buttercrean that has whipping cream in it. It is way better and it will hold great outside.

Hello! I agree with jessprather, if you use the half butter/half crisco, this should hold up just fine....

I just did a 3 layer cake for a graduation party - same scenario - hot and humid. The temp in the house was about 80 degrees - no air - just fans running. I didn't want to take a chance with the 1/2 and 1/2 recipe so I did full crisco. It held up fine. I prefer the taste of the butter/crisco icing but no one noticed any different. Again, I didn't want to take the chance - call me chicken.

Thanks to everyone for their advice! I think I am going to walk on the wild side and use the 1/2 butter recipe. As long as the weather forecast holds true, I think I should be OK, and if not, those who come late to the party will only get to hear about how good my cake looked and tasted, because it will be all gone!

Thanks again.

Melinda