Here is a fun fact that will make you sound smart at parties. Sugar is antimicrobial. Yes, really. Sugar is a dehydrating machine.
In high concentrations, sugar sucks the water out of bacteria. Those little germs shrivel up and die. That’s why jam can sit on your shelf for years.
American buttercream has a crazy high sugar-to-butter ratio. It’s basically sugary cement. Bacteria don’t stand a chance. It’s a tiny fortress of sweetness.
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But Wait—What About the Butter?
Butter is dairy. Dairy goes bad. You’re not wrong. But butter has very low water content compared to milk.
Also, the powdered sugar in American buttercream is like a sponge. It holds onto any moisture. The butter is suspended in a sugar matrix.
So, room temp butter won’t kill you for a day or two. It will just sit there, being delicious. Quietly. Menacingly.