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!
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
Questions & Reviews
By the way, I don’t have a stand mixer either, just the handheld electric and this worked just fine.
This was an amazing recipe. I followed it exactly as is and it was easy and ridiculously delicious. They were a huge hit at a baby shower. Now I need to find a worthy cupcake recipe! 🙂
This is the best frosting. I doubled it and used 1 1/2t vanilla and 1/2t butter flavor, yes butter flavor. It is devine. This will be my go to recipe. Butter cream is way to sweet for us. It did take about 10 min with my kitchen aid mixer. I finally put it on the highest speed about 7 min in.
I don’t have a stand mixer, just an old fashioned beater thing that you have to hold (it’s still electric). Is this okay?
I am a cupcake freak but have never made a vanilla frosting that I really enjoyed because I strongly dislike the flavor of powdered sugar (I think it’s the cornstarch that’s added to it). Homemade chocolate frosting is fine because the chocolate flavor covers the weirdness. I so, SO want to try your frosting recipe because it looks and sounds delicious (and doesn’t use powdered sugar!), but there are only two of us here and I’m reluctant to make a frosting that will only stay good for a day since it takes us several days to eat even a small batch of cupcakes. One of these days though I WILL make this frosting and I very much look forward to it!
Please can anyone tell me why when I made this frosting it had a buttery after taste , even though it looked and piped really well onto my cupcakes.The buttery taste was a big let down for me.Please Please help…….
Thanks in Advance
im sorry but this taste like plain flour and sugar, nice texture just not that great tasting! and i have the biggest sweet tooth in the world!! unless i done something wrong?
Well, I would assume you did something wrong, because it’s pretty heavenly- but maybe it’s just your preference!
I love this recipe! I have had great success with this recipe in small batches. In larger batches though, something goes wrong. I really love to pile on the frosting and have to make a double batch per batch of cupcakes. Our extended family has grown by leaps and bounds and it now requires a quadruple batch of the frosting…….this is where I need your help. I have not been successfull with this quadrupling….tastes great, but isn’t quite the right consistancy as when I prepare a single or double batch. Any suggestion you have would be appreciated. Thanks so much for posting so many wonderful ideas.
You know, I’m not sure- I usually stick to double or triple too!
I tried this for a baby shower last weekend. I def wanted to add lemon ext and vanilla (both) for flavor. Mine has stayed good for 3+ days now in the fridge and looks great (tripled it and had extra). Great for creme filling, didn’t love it for frosting top…ended up making a batch of reg lemon icing for top…perfect rich creme filling-will use again! 🙂
Haven’t tried the chocolate version yet, but the vanilla one was very nice. I didn’t have to worry about lumps because I put the whisk attachment on my mixer and blended the flour and milk in a small bowl until smooth before heating it. I also don’t particularly like things made with white sauce so I was very hesitant to try it. I didn’t want to risk tasting raw flour in my frosting, so I cooked it until it was quite thick. Thicker than pudding as the recipe suggests. I let it cool (get cold) in the refrigerator while I mixed butter and sugar. When I combined the flour mixture with the sugar mixture, it never even went through the “ugly” stage. It didn’t even take 5 minutes. Made it twice, once was a double batch and it turned out great both times. Oh, I made too many cupcakes so I put them in a covered container in the frig for a couple of days. The frosting was hard while it was cold, but once it reached room temp, it was exactly as before. No seperating at all. I even prefered the cold texture. VERY firm and smooth, but I’m weird that way. I’ll be trying the chocolate version tomorrow!
OMG!! I just have to say THANK YOU! I have been looking for a frosting just like this for a very long time its so light and fluffy. I just made it and it looks just like your pictures. Its just the right sweetness with the cake. =) Thank you again for this amazing frosting recipe.
Can I replace the whole milk for evaporated milk in this recipe
I wouldn’t–too many things can go wrong when you start tinkering with this recipe… 🙂
Yum!! These cupcakes are so good and moist! We used light pink, purple and green and they are so pretty. Definitely double icing as it is just barely enough. The icing is super smooth and way different than buttercream. I like it so much more. It’s almost cream cheese like.
Just tried this today. It was wonderful. I will say I added those new Duncan Haines frosting starters. Ya know the ones with flavor. Added it at the very end and it worked. Although I just don’t like the taste of raspberry. Which is the kind my youngest daughter chose because it was purple. Next will be the strawberry add in. Just thought I would share!
I have been looking for a perfect frosting recipe for a long time, and I finally found it!! Just ate my cupcake, oh it was just delicious!!!!!!! Thank-You so much!!!
Ok. I tried this recipe. However I substituted a number of ingredients. Instead of butter I used Nuttelex, a vegetable based spread. Also, instead of full fat milk, I used ‘lite’ soymilk. I used raw cane suger instead of white granulated sugar. Also, to half the mix I added cocoa powder at the end of the process ie. after the mixture had been beaten for ~ 5 minutes. And it turned out great! It came together well and is now sitting on chocolate cupcakes waiting to be eaten. I found the mix did 12 cupcakes nicely. Thanks for the recipe.
This was, without a doubt, the most delicious frosting I have ever tasted. It was the perfect sweetness & texture. In fact, I couldn’t stop eating the frosting out of the mixer. Yummmmmy.
Thanks so much for sharing. This is the only recipe I will ever use again.
I was really scared to make it after reading all the reviews, but I found it quite simple. I followed the directions exactly. I wouldn’t change a single thing. I even used a store brand butter (Trader Joe’s) & my frosting was absolute perfection. For those of you that thought it was too salty – here’s a little trick I use often, especially with my holiday butter cookies. I use half salted & half unsalted butter. It’s the best of both worlds. Once again, thanks so much. I can’t wait to try your other recipes.
Any ideas on how to get rid of the buttery taste I get when I make this frosting ??
Every other aspect of it I love to bits ,as do the whole extended family.
The taste of butter is kind of the whole point, lol! I would honestly suggest a different recipe if you don’t like that taste!
omg! i have a new baby and am going on very little sleep here and just realized i used “flower” instead of flour…. more.than.once! sorry for looking so crazy. ;0)
Omg just made this and all I can say is AMAZING!
Can not wait to try different versions!
Is there a way to pin this in interest? I would love to share with my girls!
Just use the pin button in your browser- you can pin anything, it doesn’t have to have a pin icon on it!
Amazing frosting! I made it tonight to add to cake for cake balls. Simple delicious. I have made the chocolate version as well and will never make any other frosting again!
I cannot believe it. This is the recipe that my family has handed down for the last few generations. I have never seen it before ANYWHERE. We handed it down on scraps of paper. I make it for everyone’s birthday and everyone who has tasted it will tell you that it is the only frosting you will want to eat ever again!
I absolutely love this recipe. I tried it the first time with Wal mart butter and 1% milk. I cooked the milk and flour into a big glob, and then i chilled it and it became a big playdough looking glob. I put it in my stand mixer with the butter and sugar and sure enough fter 8 minutes I had perfect frosting. I was making a cinnamon flavored cake at the time so I chucked 1 tsp of cinnamon in this frosting and my family went gaga. The next one I made I put almond extract and it was delish! I can’t go wrong with this easy wonderful recipe. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad I found this website. I am intrigued by the frosting, especially it being something creamy but not too sweet. I read that someone else did strawberry puree with disastrous result, but I decided to give using strawberry puree a try and it worked beautifully with one big modification: I macerated the pureed strawberries first with some sugar (puree 1 pint of strawberries with 1/3 cup sugar, then wait about a half hour). Then I took 1/2 cup of the macerated puree and thickened it as in the recipe. After it cooled, I whipped the butter a bit without adding any sugar. Then I added the cooled strawberry mixture. It came out perfect, slightly sweet, but mostly tart, and ultra creamy. And the strawberry flavor is as clear as if it were sorbet. So, for those interested, here’s the ingredient modification:
3 Tbs flour
1/2 cup macerated strawberry puree
1/2 cup real butter (I used unsalted since it’s fruity)
I make this frosting so much that I just leave my tablespoon in the flour! Love it. I think I made my best batch this morning, and realized that one part that can go wrong is if you don’t beat the butter and sugar enough. It struggles to come together in the end if you don’t. And now that I have a stand up mixer this recipe is sooo much easier. Thanks, mom!
Oh. My. Goodness. I’ve had this recipe bookmarked for a couple days now and I’ve been waiting to try it out. My Daughter’s Birthday party is tomorrow and I wanted to test it out today and see how yummy it was. Let’s just say my mouth didn’t know what was about to hit it! DELICIOUS!! I’ve made/had so many different versions of frosting/buttercream but this one seriously is THE best. Thank you so much for sharing this! I know it will be a hit tomorrow at the party and I can’t wait to share it with all my friends 😀
Hi Sara,
I don’t even like iceing and if I ever would eat it it would be chocolate but this vanilla iceing is so very good. I have one problem. I know I did something wrong. The iceing has some lumps in it. How can I make it more smooth and also I’m making an arrangement of roses which really is cupcakes attached to styraphome with tooth picks. Will the iceing fall off if the cupcake is tilted on it’s side for a period of time. This is for my son’s engagement so please let me know so I can have a WOW desert for that occasion. Thank you, Lu Ann
This recipe worked beautifully for my Valentine’s cupcakes. I quadrupled (4x) it with no problem. Colored it dark pink with pink sprinkles; cupcakes looked shiny as if with morning dew. I saw one of the children licking the frosting like ice cream. There’s a testimony for you! I tried the recipe again a few days later and ended up with soup, but put it in the frig until it chilled a bit and then it fluffed right back up. Room temperature does matter.
Hi! I have to try to this recipe, how can you not with all those fabulous reviews. Will be baking the cupcakes tonight and preparing the frosting tomorrow. I will be filling the cupcakes with a custard filling that needs to be refrigerated. (these cupcakes will be served on Monday) So, frosting them Sunday and refrigerating overnight. Do you think the frosting will be ok? Unfortunately I wont have time to do a trial run before hand.
Do you think this would work on the chocolate cut-out cookie recipe y’all posted? I hate regular frosting and would love something that tastes better but is still easy to decorate with.
Thanks!
Okay, this is THE BEST frosting! I hate the really sweet stuff. This is delightful. I actually used this to make cake pops and ended up making more just so I could have some frosting for another cake. OH MY GOODNESS it was amazing. Using REAL butter is the only way this will work. I was worried a bit about it when I heated it on the stove top cause it got thick quick, but it turned out amazing! Thank you so much!