Cream in cake left out overnight?

[MaggieFS]

Complete mind blank... can I put a layer of whipped cream in a cake tonight and leave it out until tomorrow when it will be eaten?

I'm sure I've done this before, but as I'm thinking about it, my head says surely cream needs to stay in the fridge?

I think it needs to go in the fridge otherwise it will just melt. Even in the fridge it might lose some shape but shouldn't be as bad.

Cream in the fridge. Can you exclude as much air as possible though, to save the cake from getting stale.

Bugger. What if I get up early to do the cream and it only has to sit out until lunchtime?

I wouldn't leave cream.out for hours, it will go off.

@joystir59 That's what my head is telling me - so how on Earth do other people do it?

Why do you want to leave it out of the fridge?

Not a good idea to leave dairy like cream out without refrigeration. Sorry.

As long as it’s not too hot it will be fine to do in the morning and leave out till lunchtime. I wouldn’t do much longer than 3 hours though.

Put the whipped cream in the cake and put the cake in the fridge until serving

If you can't put the whole cake in the fridge and it needs to come out in the morning (assume it is for a lunch party somewhere without a fridge?) then I'd put the cream on at the very last minute in the morning and hope for the best. I don't think it's going to go off in a few hours but it might melt a bit if it's very hot.

if it's because you're taking it somewhere and there's not enough fridge space for a whole cake, whip.the cream and put it I a container and leave that in the fridge. take the cake separately then construct just before serving. If theres no fridge at all, take the container of whipped cream in a cool.bag with an ice pack

It's for a work bake off on Friday and I'm too competitive for my own good! I've already made the sponge so I'm committed but the stupid fancy decoration I've decided on means I can't leave the middle until last.

No fridge at work so from the morning until lunchtime it's sitting out. I'd hoped to do it the night before but worry the sponge will dry out in my fridge.

Looks like an early start and fingers crossed.

Thanks for the replies!

@MaggieFS just do buttercream instead of fresh cream?

Box big enough to hold freezer blocks on the bottom, cake plate on top, wrap in clean blanket for insulation, then give it half an hour to reach room temperature before lunchtime.

Why are you making the cakes now for Friday? Won't they have gone stale?

Because I'm an idiot about the whole thing and wanted to get ahead so hoping the sponge will keep ok in an airtight box!