Alex Rast wrote:
>
> As Vox said, best to refrigerate, although left out on the counter it
> shouldn't immediately spoil. However, one thing I thought I would add is
> that if the cake is to be transported a fair distance, especially by car,
> you definitely should refrigerate because the icing will soften if left out
> and could sag or run during transit if unchilled. Furthermore, soft icing
> has a notorious habit of sticking to boxes, shirts, knives, anything that
> gets in contact with it.
>
> Very minor terminological point: if the covering is fairly soft and fluffy,
> then technically it should be called a "frosting", where an "icing" would
> be a harder, shell-like covering.

LOL...my Midwestern upbringing is coming out. My Mom always called it
icing no matter what it was. Thanks for the clarification.

>
> >2. My Spice Islands brand "pure vanilla extract" looks cloudy. I
> >tasted it and mainly taste alcohol - should I just toss it and start
> >anew? Is there a way to use real vanilla bean to flavor the icing
> >(above)?
>
> Absolutely. Using the milk base, what you do is to scald the milk, split
> the vanilla bean and scrape into the milk, then steep both scrapings and
> bean in the milk for about 10 minutes or so - long enough for all the
> little seeds to become totally separate instead of clumping. Then, chill
> the mix. When chilled, fish out the bean and scrape off clinging milk and
> bits back into the milk, and discard the bean. Then use the milk as usual.
> Your icing will end up with inviting black spots in it indicating the use
> of real vanilla.
>
> If you have to have a pure white icing (e.g. for a wedding cake), then
> steep the bean for longer - about 30 minutes, and at the point where you're
> discarding the bean, run the mixture through a fine cheesecloth (coarse
> won't do) or very fine sieve. This should get rid of the seeds, if you
> absolutely must not have them in there.

Thanks for the info. I will file it away for later use. This frosting
will be colored so flecks aren't an issue.

Thanks to all who replied. I think I willl stick the cake in the
fridge overnight and then take it out in the AM. The party is at noon,
and I am making the cake the night before.

-L.