This is known as Ermine Frosting, or sometimes referred to as boiled milk frosting, because it begins with a cooked roux of flour and milk. That might sound incredibly strange for a frosting recipe, but trust me! I’d say it’s the perfect frosting. It’s not so thick and sweet that you need a gallon of milk to get it down your throat. It’s mild and smooth, and light as air. I also love it because it doesn’t take away from a good cupcake like other really rich frostings can. It’s often the traditional frosting used with Red Velvet Cake. This frosting has a similar taste and texture to a Swiss Buttercream, but with way less effort. Try this unique frosting recipe and you’ll be hooked!
Instructions
The frosting starts out with a mixture of all purpose flour and milk.
And even though I’m showing it here being whisked together, I’ve actually found you’ll get a much smoother result if you mix this part in a blender first and then pour it in your pan.
Now comes the weird part. You’re going to cook this mixture until it gets thick–it happens fast and you’ll want to have a rubber spatula and constantly smash/stir it to keep it smooth.
I usually take it off the heat when it looks like this photo above. There are still some wet spots but as you stir it all comes together like this:
Don’t taste it. It’s not frosting yet! Pop it in the fridge; it needs to cool completely (I sometimes pop it in the freezer if I want it to cool fast.) Put it in a bowl and smoosh it around and stir every few minutes to cool it off.
While it’s chilling, place some real, high-quality butter (definitely no margarine) and granulated sugar (not powdered sugar!) in a stand mixer.
Whip it up for a few minutes so it’s light and creamy. I use the whisk attachment on my kitchenaid, but any paddle should work. Then you’ll add that glob of flour. I know. Weird!
I’m warning you right now it’s going to look weird at first. Like, what the heck did I do weird. But keep going. You’ve got to whip it for a long time for all the sugar to dissolve and everything to come together. Don’t be startled if it looks curdled and weird. Eventually it will look like fluffy soft clouds of heaven.
I usually give it a little taste and if I can still feel quite a bit of granulated sugar I keep on whipping. Sometimes it takes 5 minutes, other times I let it go for almost 10 or so! It’s worth it for this silky, fluffy, magical mixture.
Pipe it or spread it or fill it or whatever. Anyway you eat it, it’s fantastic.
Helpful Tips
1. Use real butter, and a good name-brand. Cheap butter does weird things.
2. If you beat for the 6-8 minutes and the mixture still looks strange, beat longer and at a higher speed if you can. It should come together, but it takes a little patience!
3. I personally think this frosting is best eaten fresh. You can store for a few hours at room temperature, or try storing in the fridge overnight, letting it come to room temperature on its own, and then re-beating to fluff. If you want to frost cupcakes or a cake the day before, refrigerate and just let come to room temp after.
4. Add extracts to your hearts content; lemon and almond are both wonderful! Food coloring is also okay.
5. The white sugar can be exchanged for brown. Try 1/2 white 1/2 brown for a warm caramel flavor.
6. Do not try to make other substitutions or additions. Sour cream, fruit purees etc. can do disastrous things. Some people have had amazing success, just experiment at your own risk.
7. If trying to decide whether or not to double it- double it. Chances are you’ll want more. It’s a rather small batch, but on purpose.
1 batch will not look like much, but it can spread on (just with a knife, a normal amount) 24 cupcakes. If you want to pipe it thick, definitely double it.
Looking for Chocolate? This isn’t exactly the same, but very similar!
PrintPerfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling
Description
This light, creamy, dreamy frosting is THE perfect cupcake frosting and filling!
Ingredients
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk (whole milk is best, but I’ve used non-fat when it’s all I have and it’s actually fine)
1/2 cup real butter, slightly softened (I prefer salted, but you can use also unsalted and add salt to taste)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or other flavor if you wish)
Instructions
Whisk together the flour and the milk. Heat in a small sauce pan on medium heat.
Whisk continuously until it starts to thicken. Let it cook, while stirring with a rubber spatula, until you can start to see the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook until mixture has the consistency of thick pudding or paste.
Put mixture in the fridge and let it cool completely; it’s fine if it stays in there long enough to get chilly, you just don’t want it warm at all. As it’s cooling, feel free to stir it occasionally to speed up the process and keep it from forming a crust on top. You can also do this quickly in the freezer, just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t freeze.
Using the whisk attachment on an electric stand mixer, beat the butter and the sugar for a minute or two until well combined and fluffy. While beating, add in the thickened milk mixture and the flavor extracts. Beat to combine and then scrape down the sides. Mixture will separate and look messy, keep beating! Continue beating until mixture comes together and is light and fluffy, about 7-8 minutes, but time varies. Take a sample of frosting between your fingers; frosting is done when light and fluffy and sugar granules are dissolved.
Related Recipes:
Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes
Chocolate Glazed Cupcakes with Vanilla Creme Filling
Colorburst Cupcakes
This was delicious!!! Tasted like whip cream, been looking for a recipe like this for a while! Thank you!
I just made this and it turned into a big fail for me. =(
I used a bit of brown sugar and a teaspoon of maple syrup for flavouring. But it just stayed runny and kept separating. Maybe I used too much butter?
I think it’s because I live in France and converting cups and tablespoons into grams is a little risky sometimes, specially with pastry. I’ll keep on experimenting.
My grandmother used to make this. It was tasty, but often lumpy. Wonderful on coconut cake. On my site is a frosting that will yield almost identical results, but no cooking. Far less finicky. Called custard frosting. Agreed, wonderful icing.
it seperates =(
i just put the batch in the fridge and ill whip it more in the morning.. one other blog said that if it seperates, its overmixed.. but you mention i need to whip more. im really confused what to do!! im making the chocolate version.
I finally got around to trying this and it was a perfect topper for Picky Palate’s Biscoff Cupcakes. Thanks for scaling it down to a recipe for 12 cupcakes! We love it and will be using this as our go-to cupcake frosting.
Hi Sara or Kate,
I made this delish frosting and it turned out great! One question I have is whether I should add the food coloring into the roux as part of the liquid, or at what stage? Because i used liquid coloring, and around 15 drops for a double batch. Everything was great, but it was softer/less stiff than your pictures appear and I’m wondering if the added liquid is the cause.
ps. I followed the directions exactly and my roux was plenty thick.
I usually add it at the very end, but I always use gel or paste color. If you add that much liquid, that’s probably what the problem was.
OMG..this is THE PERFECT frosting. My friend and I just made your frosting. It was simple to make and not too sweet. Yum yum! Thanks for sharing. We really appreciate it.
A variation of this recipe has been in my family forever, with just a few differences.
We start with the milk and flour but we use crisco instead of butter and confectionary sugar instead of granualated. We add a tsp of vanilla but not to much as this frosting in white
For a change we add maple walnut extract and it is so good and use this on a pound cake
Also, if anyone wants to use this as filing for a fondant cake, it’s perfect. I did a dry run for my daughters birthday cake. It paired well with the red velvet cake I made covered in marshmallow fondant. I’m going to use it for a red velvet trifle too!!!
Also, if anyone wants to use this as filing for a fondant cake, it’s perfect. I did a dry run for my daughters birthday cake. It paired well with the red velvet cake I made covered in marshmallow fondant. I’m going to use it for a red velvet trifle too!
This is hands down the best frosting I have ever had. I’ve been searching for a light, non-sickening sweet frosting for years. I was a little skeptical about the flour but man did it make the difference! I will never use another recipe. This is it! It’s almost like whipped cream frosting with zero milk. It’s perfect, love it!
Hi i just tried this today with my 3 year old sister and mom and I just want to say that the frosting tastes absolutely fantabulous!!! 🙂 although we didn’t get the same ‘frosting look’ as yours (ours is a little more buttery soft and whatever– not as fluffy as we would like) because we don’t have an electric beater and had to do it by hand (which is tiring) but even so, IT STILL TASTES GREAT!! On the first try too!
I just wished we used your cupcake recipe as well; will try next time!
THANKS 🙂 <3
mmmm this was so good iv been looking for frosting like this for ages!!
I forgot to say earlier that I made this frosting gluten free using Orgran Plain Flour and no problems whatsoever. Cheers!!
Thanks so much have just made this for the first time and worked out perfectly exactly as you promised. I grew up in New Zealand and after I made the frosting realised had made this years ago and in NZ it was called Mock Cream, so great thanks so much. And way less sweet than the traditional butter creams and not graining. This is my fav icing and will be stickint to this one. 🙂
is it ok to use unsalted butter
Well be careful everyone if you put coloring on it. I did and it ruined everything I checked the bottle and realize that it contained citric acid 🙁 will have to try again though cause so many comments says it’s wonderful
im VERY disappointed in this recipe. i ried it multiple times and each time it urned out horrible. it turned out clumpy and had the consistency of glue. VERY disappointed.
has anyone tried this with coconut milk? I have a non-dairy person in need of a cake:)
I made mine with coconut milk and rice as well. Both batches turned out perfect! My husband cannot have dairy : )
Mine doesn’t look anything like yours, but it tastes good.
I probably didn’t mix it long enough, because it still has the consistancy of shifted crême fraiche 😉
What is KAF powder? I would love to find fruit powders or something of the sort!
I just made this frosting and quite honestly, I was glad that you wrote how it should look like a gloppy mess because mine sure did until all of a sudden, was amazing! I made a single batch and you are right on with this as well. I should have doubled it! It is simply amazing and not sugary, sweet. I’ll NEVER buy frosting again! Thank you, Ladies for all you do!
Sara….looking foward to trying this recipe…my question….is the frosting pretty sturdy?? you said it can be kept at room temp…so i can frost the cupcakes and the cupcakes can sit out correct?? thanks so much! 🙂
I think the butter i used wasn’t “real” butter because when i tried making this frosting today it came out with little grease bubbles and little clumps of butter that weren’t there before. I used fresh and easy brand butter since that was all i had ): any REAL butter recommendations?
This is the same frosting my mother has been making for 60 years. We call it “grandma’s frosting” and it is always the best! Everyone who tries it wants the recipe…so delicious!!
Hi there!!
This frosting sounds amazing! My question is, do you think I could use this on a large cake as the filling between the cake and the fondant/rolled icing?
I am making my nephews 1st birthday cake and doing cupcakes as well and don’t really want to make 3 different types of icing 🙂
Thanks in advance for your help!!!
Would this frosting work for cookies for a cokkie bouquet?
Hi I just tried a homemade cupcake recipe and frosting and was dissapointed in the taste. I didnt like either one. So I am thinking about trying your frosting but do you have a good cupcake recipe? And how do i get the frosting to look like that on the cupcakes? do I have to use a certain tip number?
I use this recipe for my Gobs. It’s been in our family for years. I cook my flour/milk mixture longer and beat constantly to avoid lumps. I cook it until it is more of a paste and not a glue like pictured–but whatever works for you 🙂 The trick to avoid separation is once you’ve combined the cooled flour mixture to the butter mixture is to add about 1 tblsp of crisco shortening, either butter flavor or regular. This fluffs this icicng right up! I am anxious to try the strawberry cupcakes!
so, i’ll add my name to the list of people who can’t quite get this right. i actually tried it twice (because i didn’t make enough the first time… oops)… and both times, it didn’t turn out as “fluffy” as it looks in your photo– but here’s the catch… although in my opinion, i did the SAME EXACT THING in both attempts, they didn’t even turn out the same as EACH OTHER.
even stranger: they both tasted amazing, and were thus “successful”– they didn’t separate, or anything like that… but they never quite fluffed up. even though i beat them each for at least 8 minutes and then FOREVER after that as well.
is there such a thing as beating it TOO MUCH? like– after that 8 minutes, should we be peeking over the edge of the bowl to make sure it’s not going too far?
either way, i’ll be making it again. tasted that good!
Cook the flour mixture longer until you are scraping off of the sides of the pot–beat constantly. You want the flour mixture to look like a paste and not a glue. I’ve been using this recipe for years–add some crisco shotening (about 1 tblsp) once you’ve combined the butter and cooled flour mixture–it will fluff right up. it doesn’t affect the taste at all. Good Luck!