Buttercream in hot weather: 7 fixes for Sri Lankan kitchens

Buttercream is mostly butter — and butter melts at body temperature. Here is how we keep cakes looking sharp.

1. Swap a quarter of the butter for high-ratio shortening. It holds up to about 35°C.
2. Ice in the coolest room, with a fan pointing away from the cake.
3. Chill between every stage: crumb coat, chill 20 minutes, final coat, chill again.
4. Try Swiss meringue buttercream — it is more stable than American buttercream once set.
5. Keep your hands off the piping bag — hold it by the twist and swap bags often.
6. Deliver in a cool car with the AC on for 10 minutes beforehand.
7. Tell your customer: cakes should go in the fridge and come out 30 minutes before cutting.

We practise all of these on our Diploma in Cake Design and in the Buttercream Flowers workshop.