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Buttercream frosting is a delectable substitute for ordinary frosting. If you’re anything like me, you’ve undoubtedly created too much frosting for your baking tasks in the past. Thankfully, there are practical methods to preserve all of your leftover frostings so they stay fresh until the next time you want to bake!

In general, buttercream frosting should be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Its shelf life can be extended by storing it in the refrigerator, but it can also be kept in the freezer. You may keep it in the fridge for up to 2 months and in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Buttercream frosting may be stored for a long time, but only if you know how! Here are some techniques to help you keep your frosting as fresh as possible.

How Should Buttercream Frosting Be Stored?

Overall, once a can of frosting is opened, it is critical to keep it carefully in an airtight container. This also applies to homemade frosting, which contains no preservatives. To keep the sealed containers fresh, put them in either the refrigerator or the freezer.

Buttercream frosting has a lengthy shelf life and is quite resilient. If left unopened in the can, it may survive for around four months before quality difficulties arise.

If you like to prepare your own frosting, you may have unintentionally created an overabundance. Thankfully, utilizing basic safeguards and storage methods, buttercream frosting may easily be kept fresh for many weeks.

The refrigerator or freezer are the ideal places to keep a batch of buttercream frosting.

If it will be a while until your next baking job, you should definitely keep it in the freezer. But, if you want to use it within the next three days, the refrigerator is your best chance.

This is a table that highlights how to keep buttercream frosting properly:

Counter Top Room Temperature (sealed container) Refrigerator Freezer
Up to 2 days (at room temperature) Can last up to 1 week Can last about 2-4 weeks Can last for up to 3 months

If you need airtight storage containers, I suggest the Rubbermaid Brilliance Leak-Proof Food Storage Containers with Airtight Lids.

I’ve been using these containers for a few years and have successfully kept all of my food and baked products at room temperature, in the fridge, and in the freezer. I’ve even cooked with them in the microwave! These containers come in a variety of sets, so choose the best one for you. These containers are available on Amazon!

Buttercream frosting must be kept in an airtight container, regardless of where it is stored. This will prevent moisture from entering and causing spoiling.

If you cannot keep in an airtight container, the frosting will only last around 2 days at room temperature. Since frosting is mostly dairy, it spoils quickly if not refrigerated.

How Long Does Room Temperature Frosting Last?

In general, frosting may be stored at room temperature for approximately a week. Since it contains preservatives, store-bought frosting may be stored at room temperature for up to two weeks. Homemade frosting may be stored at room temperature for up to a week, but it is best to keep it in the fridge.

If you’ve ever covered a cake with buttercream frosting, you’ve undoubtedly wondered how long the frosting will stay fresh if the cake is left out. Amazingly, your cake’s buttercream icing will stay longer than the cake itself!

Buttercream may be stored at room temperature for approximately a week, but to entirely avoid the possibility of infection, store it properly as soon as possible.

Storage for a week is entirely contingent on the use of an airtight container. Since it involves dairy, leaving the frosting out at room temperature without a container or plastic wrap will only keep it for 2 days.

The convenience of store-bought frosting is the amount of time saved as well as the length of time it can be kept at room temperature.

*Side Note: I just published an article titled Why Your Buttercream Frosting Is Grainy. This article explains how to make grainy frosting smooth again. This article may be found here!

How Long Do Buttercream Containers Last?

Overall, buttercream frosting may be stored in an airtight container for up to 3-4 months. It may keep for a week at room temperature. Frosting in a container may stay up to 2-4 weeks in the fridge, which is the optimal storage location. It may be stored in the freezer for up to 3-4 months.

Buttercream frosting may be stored correctly for a long time! It’s better to preserve buttercream frosting in smaller amounts so you can split it out for smaller baking tasks as they arise.

To keep them fresh, put them in a food-safe plastic storage container with a fitted airtight top. When putting your frosting inside, make sure the lid fully shuts around the container.

After you’ve confirmed this, just scoop the buttercream frosting from the mixing bowl and divide it evenly among the containers. Then close them up and put them in the refrigerator or freezer.

*By the way, I just published an article on How to Repair Lumpy Buttercream Frosting. This article explains why your frosting may have lumps and how to cure and avoid lumpy frosting. This article may be found here!

If you don’t have an airtight container on hand, you may store your batches of frosting in freezer bags to keep them fresh. Choose freezer bags since they are constructed of thicker plastic and have more robust sealing for a more tight closure.

Scoop the frosting into equal-sized amounts into each freezer bag, just like you did with the container. Then place them flat in the refrigerator or freezer.

Is it necessary to chill frosting?

Frosting does not need to be refrigerated immediately, but it should be stored in the refrigerator as soon as possible to enhance its shelf life. Frosting should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This might persist up to 2-4 weeks.

Although certain frostings have a rather limited shelf life, buttercream frosting holds up pretty well and fared far better than the others.

If you’re wondering how long it lasts at room temperature, you’ll be relieved to know that an unopened can will keep it fresh for a couple of weeks.

If you’re dealing with homemade buttercream frosting, preserve it as soon as possible. Frosting’s shelf life may be extended by storing it properly in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-4 weeks.

*By the way, I just published an essay titled Why Your Buttercream Frosting Curdled. This article explains how to repair and avoid curdled buttercream frosting. This article may be found here!

What Is The Best Way To Freeze Frosting?

Overall, the frosting should be kept in the freezer in either a freezer bag or an airtight container. Spoon the remaining frosting into the bag or container and seal it. Place it into the freezer, flat and layered on top of each other.

If you’ve produced a batch of excellent homemade buttercream frosting, it’s a shame to discard the leftovers!

Thankfully, buttercream frosting freezes nicely and is simple to preserve in the freezer.

I’ll make a couple different batches of frosting ahead of time and freeze them for future baking endeavors; they always taste just as excellent as freshly made buttercream frosting.

For storing frosting in the freezer, it’s best to do it in small amounts in plastic containers with tight-fitting lids or piled laying flat in freezer bags.

Either method will protect your frosting and prevent it from being freezer burnt.

*As an aside, I just published a post on How To Properly Store Leftover Buttercream Frosting. This article discusses how to properly store and freeze buttercream frosting to ensure that it lasts. This article may be found here!

When placing your frosting in freezer bags, carefully press out any extra air that may have been trapped within. This extra air might make your buttercream frosting more vulnerable to flavor or texture changes, defeating the aim of storing it.

If you’re wondering how long your buttercream frosting will survive in the freezer, you’ll be relieved to hear that it can be kept correctly for up to four months. That’s all the more reason to take your time and pay attention to detail while keeping it!

Can Frosting Ruin? Can Things Go Wrong?

Frosting is quite resilient in general, although it will ultimately degrade and go bad. The bulk of the components in frosting are dairy. Dairy degrades rapidly and must be refrigerated. The frosting should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator to extend its shelf life.

While your frosting will go bad eventually, it should take some time. Since frosting is such a versatile culinary ingredient, you’ve definitely encountered a circumstance in which you had much too much icing remaining. Thankfully, you can keep homemade frosting in the fridge or freezer for a long time.

*By the way, I’ve been trying for a long time for a method to keep my cookies without them breaking and losing their form. I just discovered a fantastic Set of Flat Storage Containers that were perfect for keeping my cookies flat in the fridge and freezer without shattering them! This Storage Set is available on Amazon!

If you haven’t opened a can of pre-made frosting yet, it should keep fresh for up to four months beyond the sell by date on the label. You should refrigerate any remaining frosting once you’ve opened it and used it, but you don’t have to do it immediately away.

If you are gone from your refrigerator and need to leave it out at room temperature for a few hours, it should keep fresh for many hours until you return. Be care to properly store it when you get home!

How Can You Know Whether Frosting Is Bad?

In general, if the frosting starts to go bad, it will get stale and taste off. Since frosting is mostly composed of dairy components, it may get clumpy and even moldy on the surface. It will also begin to taste sour, which is a warning that it should be discarded.

Even a great buttercream frosting, like other ingredients, can spoil with time. If you open your frosting and notice a change in color, smell, or texture, it’s definitely time to toss it.

Mold may sometimes be an evident symptom that anything is wrong.

A deepening of the hue is another sign that your frosting has gone bad. When the frosting matures, the sugar molecules begin to break down, causing the color to alter.

If your gorgeous, light-colored frosting has begun to turn black, or the texture seems worn and somewhat divided, throw it.

Darker frosting may also lighten with time, similar to how milk chocolate ages, so keep a look out for the lightening of chocolate buttercream frosting as well!

If you’re using canned frosting instead of homemade, keep an eye out for bulging around the edges, even if the can hasn’t been opened.

A bulging container may indicate deterioration and should be destroyed promptly to be on the safe side.

*By the way, I just published an article titled How to Repair Detached Buttercream Frosting. This article explains why your buttercream frosting separates and why the color applied to the icing occasionally separates. This article may be found here!

FAQs:

What is the shelf life of buttercream on a cake?

When properly preserved in the refrigerator, a cake with buttercream icing may survive for up to 7 days. Since frosting is often produced with dairy products, a frosted cake should be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated to prevent the frosting from deteriorating.

How long does buttercream keep in the refrigerator?

Buttercream may be stored at room temperature for up to two days. Keeping it in an airtight container may extend its shelf life by up to a week. Yet, the texture will gradually alter. For maximum freshness and quality, keep buttercream in the refrigerator.

Is it necessary to refrigerate buttercream frosting with milk?

Since it contains dairy, buttercream frosting with milk should be kept refrigerated. Dairy products deteriorate fast if not refrigerated. As a general guideline, put your frosting in an airtight container and refrigerate it.

Is it necessary to refrigerate buttercream made using heavy cream?

As a general rule, heavy cream buttercream should be chilled. At room temperature, heavy cream is somewhat more stable than milk, but since it is a dairy product, it has a limited shelf life. Refrigerating your buttercream will assist to preserve its taste and quality.