Can You Make Frosting Ahead of Time? (8 Steps to Make and Store It)

Baking may seem tedious and never-ending when you start from scratch on the same day.

You can reduce your overall effort and time if you can prepare and store at least some of the ingredients ahead of time.

But can you make the frosting ahead of time?

How Well Does Frosting Hold up When Made in Advance?

Frostings vary: some use butter and sugar, while others contain cream cheese, cream or eggs. Their storage needs differ. Make-ahead frosting can work well when you follow the exact recipe’s handling and storage directions.

Use a tested recipe or the manufacturer’s storage guidance. Unless the formulation is validated as shelf-stable, refrigerate cream cheese, cream and egg-based frostings.

Steps to Make Frosting Ahead of Time and Store It Properly

There are two main problems with making frosting in advance.

Firstly, the ingredients hold together for only some time, after which they tend to separate.

Once they start separating, the texture of the frosting changes, and it doesn’t spread well.

Secondly, frostings use perishable ingredients that spoil quickly at room temperature.

You must refrigerate it soon after preparation if you intend to use it later.

Despite these issues, you can make buttercream or cream cheese-based frosting ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for later use.

Royal icing can also be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator when you take a few precautions.

Let’s find out what they are.

1. Refrigerate the Frosting Immediately After Preparing It

Buttercream recipes differ, and not all contain eggs. Use pasteurized egg products when the recipe leaves eggs uncooked.

However, they will melt and separate as time passes.

The longer you leave it outside, the more likely the frosting will separate and become unusable.

Refrigeration protects perishable frosting, though it does not guarantee that the texture will stay unchanged.

Since it will already be at room temperature when fresh, transfer it to a container and put it in the fridge.

Label the container with the preparation date and follow the recipe’s storage limit.

2. Choose an Airtight Container or Bag for Storage

There are two main advantages to storing buttercream or cream cheese frosting in an airtight container.

It helps the frosting retain its texture.

Additionally, it prevents contamination, and the cold environment preserves the frosting for longer.

When storing frosting in the refrigerator, choose any airtight box with a lid that seals properly.

It should also be big enough so that you don’t have to stuff the contents inside.

Frosting contains fatty ingredients that attract odors.

If you store it loosely beside smelly ingredients like fish or onions, the frosting can take on their scent.

This will ruin its smell and taste. Always store it in an airtight container to avoid such issues.

3. Follow the Recipe’s Storage Limit

There is no single refrigerator shelf life for every frosting. Follow the tested recipe or product label, including any shorter limit for a filling or topping used with it. Do not assume that refrigeration makes every frosting safe for one or two weeks.

4. Soften a Small Portion as the Recipe Directs

Frosting stored in the refrigerator undergoes changes in texture regardless of how efficiently you store it.

The constituents end up separating, and you will find that the original consistency has changed.

Keeping this factor in mind, don’t attempt to use frosting directly from the refrigerator.

Soften only the amount you need. Keep perishable frosting out for no more than two hours in total, or one hour above 90°F (32°C).

If you store it well and it has not remained in the fridge for too long, it will easily regain its original consistency.

However, if it’s too dry or wet, try stirring it.

This should allow the different ingredients to blend and reach the right consistency.

5. Whip the Frosting if It Doesn’t Reach the Right Consistency

In most cases, frosting regains its original consistency when you leave it on the countertop for some time.

If the frosting looks separated, check the recipe’s advice for gently mixing it back together.

In this case, the frosting would be runny. You won’t be able to spread it on a cake.

You can make your frosting again by beating it with a hand whisk or a hand mixer to fluff it up.

For a large batch, you can even use a stand mixer to blend the ingredients and make them fluffy again.

Related Reading: What’s A Paddle Attachment Of A Hand Mixer?

6. Put Frosting in The Freezer for Long-Term Storage

If the recipe allows freezing, freeze the frosting while it is fresh rather than waiting until its refrigerator storage limit has passed. Follow that recipe’s freezing guidance; not every frosting thaws well.

To store the frosting in the freezer, transfer it into an airtight container or freezer bag when it’s still fresh.

If you are using a container, you can seal the frosting with plastic wrap on the top before placing the lid.

When using a freezer bag, squeeze out the excess air before sealing the top.

Label it with the preparation date and follow the recipe’s freezing directions.

Frosting will become very hard when left in the freezer, and you will have to thaw it for several hours to use it again.

7. Thaw It in the Refrigerator

Frosting that was kept in the freezer takes much longer to achieve the right consistency than that which was stored in the refrigerator.

It needs several hours to thaw.

If you have a large batch of frosting to thaw, you may have to wait for up to a day for it to thaw completely.

The best way to thaw frozen frosting is in the refrigerator.

This will allow it to defrost gradually without undergoing temperature shock.

Hence, it will thaw evenly without any frozen bits.

Leave the frosting overnight in the refrigerator for thawing. Then, take it out and whisk it once.

Do not thaw perishable frosting on the countertop. Once thawed in the refrigerator, soften a small portion briefly if the recipe calls for it.

Check that the portion is fully thawed before mixing.

Whisk the entire mixture with a hand mixer or stand mixer to restore the original consistency and make it easy to spread and decorate.

8. Decorate the Cake and Refrigerate or Freeze It Ahead of Time

An alternative way to use defrosting and using frosting is to decorate the cake after making the frosting and store it in the fridge or freezer.

This will make your work a lot easier since you will be working with fresh frosting.

Store the decorated cake according to its most perishable component. A cake with frosting or filling that needs refrigeration must be kept cold; a shelf-stable cake alone does not make its frosting shelf-stable.

However, take care to isolate it from smelly or fragrant foods since these odors can seep into the frosting.

If you wish to store the entire cake for much longer, place it unwrapped in the freezer.

If the recipe permits freezing, firm up the frosting in the freezer, then wrap the cake to protect it from drying and odors.

Thaw a perishable frosted cake in the refrigerator, following the recipe’s instructions. Its texture may change after freezing.

Allow enough refrigerator time for the cake to thaw; freezing can affect the frosting’s texture.