Introduction
Nowadays, the frosting becomes a staple in a kitchen, especially when it comes to the baking season. It is a sweet and creamy glaze that is enriched with plenty of ingredients that classically are butter, egg whites, cream cheese or flavorings.
It not only makes your favorite cake more completely and yummy but also is an indispensable ornament for your cake. Today, with the sufficiency of kitchen equipment, you can easily make your own frosting at home with versatile flavors and colors per your preference.
However, this seems to be a challenge if you have to make cakes with frosting in a party for a dozen people. That’s why more and more people prefer buying processed canned frosting at the supermarket due to its convenience. Some people might feel confused or hesitant when buying prepared food but there must be a healthier or low-fat kind, but the price will be equivalent to its quality.
In this article, we will help you dig in all the essential knowledge of canned frosting like its life span, how to store it properly and when we need to toss the frosting out. Let’s check it out.
How long does canned frosting last?
Sugar is a base ingredient of frosting, that’s why frosting- especially the processed one that is sold in a can usually has a fairly long shelf life. Normally, an unopened can of frosting can last 12 to 18 months at room temperature or 3 to 4 months after the printed date on its label.
Even the opened frosting doesn’t require to be refrigerated immediately if you intend to use it within 2 next weeks. Storing in a fridge will extend the life of opened frosting a little bit and freezing it in the freezer may allow frosting to reach 3-month safety.
It can be safe to consume frosting after the mentioned estimated time but for peak quality, you should follow those above suggestions.
How to tell if canned frosting goes bad?
Detecting a spoiled can of frosting is not tricky. When there is discoloration in your frosting from light to a darker color, the texture suddenly turns thicker or watery or the frosting develops a sour and unpleasant smell, it’s time to think about throwing the whole can away.
An unopened can of frosting is rarely getting spoiled but if there is any damage on the can like rusting or bulging, the cake icing inside must have been affected. There sooner you find the can is ruined, the quicker you need to check the content to transfer to another container for better storage and discard it if needed.
How to store canned frosting?
For the canned frosting, the best place to store it is in its unopened original package in the pantry. Your kitchen cabinet works well if there is any space saved for this icing can. However, once it is opened, you better pop it in the fridge or freezer to lengthen the frosting life.
One notable thing is, keeping your frosting solid cold can only work with the icing that is kept in the conventional can. The squeezable decorating tubes should be best stored at room temperature or in a refrigerator for a short period of time as the cold temperature over time can make the icing too hard to flow out of the tube.
Can you freeze canned frosting?
Does canned frosting freeze well? Yes, freezing frosting will be a simple but better option if you want to prolong the storage time to months while refrigerating can only extend the icing shelf life to 2-3 weeks. In fact, canned frosting freezes fairly well and this will allow you to save more money and time.
How to freeze canned frosting?
Now you are going to learn how to freeze canned frosting properly in just some simple steps.
Tips to freeze canned frosting
- If you use a ziplock bag to contain frosting, push the icing to the very bottom of the bag and squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible before sealing it shut. This will allow keeping the consistency of the frosting, also avoid freezer burn
- Use different containers or bags to freeze different kinds or colors of frosting
Things you’ll need to freeze canned frosting
- An airtight container or a ziplock bag
- A spoon
How to freeze canned frosting in just 2 steps
- Scoop the frosting into an airtight container or a ziplock bag with a spoon
- Label the container with name and storage date then stick to the freezer
How to defrost/ thaw canned frosting?
When it comes to thawing frozen canned frosting, you just need to simply transfer it from the freezer to the fridge and let it defrost in several hours or overnight (or submerge the bag in a bowl of cold water)
Remember that you should only keep your thawed frosting in the fridge for an additional 3 to 4 days. The sooner you consume it, the better quality it is.
Thawing frosting in a microwave or cold water is only the last resort, not a recommended choice and once you use these methods, the entire cake icing needs to be used immediately.
