Before getting a stand mixer I made one batch of buttercream by hand (and got quite the arm workout from whisking). After all, I told myself somewhat naievely, what did they do to make buttercream before electricity and stand mixers? Happily I now own one and can attest that it is much easier to make (I recently made Swiss buttercream). But I left the cake at room temperature for a couple days after frosting it, instead of refrigerating it. Is that a big no-no? Fortunately, no one was sick... If the frosting was made with meringue powder, I'd be more comfortable with the room temperature storage, but obviously there was no harm done. Everyone has their own comfort level with this kind of thing, and if it's weighing on your mind, you can always find some refrigerator or freezer space next time. Susan

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