Bad frosting is a term used to describe frosting that’s been sitting around for too long. It’s also called “cake crumbs” or “cake dust.”

If you’ve ever wondered what happens if you eat bad frosting, we’re here to tell you the answer. We spoke with Dr. Alan Hirsch, founder of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, about what happens when you eat cake crumbs.

“The taste is not pleasant,” he says. “It’s kind of like eating chalk.”

Bad frosting can also be stale and lack flavor, he says. The texture may be soft or powdery, depending on how long it has been sitting out at room temperature — or even worse, in your refrigerator!

But don’t worry: Eating bad frosting won’t hurt you. It might not taste great, but it won’t do any damage either (unless there are allergens in it).

That said, there are still some foods that can make us sick even when they’re not spoiled — including cake crumbs, according to Hirsch. That’s because when we eat something moldy or contaminated by bacteria like salmonella, we don’t always get sick right away.

Last modified: November 20, 2022