Ermine frosting is light, fluffy and not too sweet
Ermine frosting (also called roux frosting or boiled milk frosting) is made by cooking flour and sugar with milk to make a sweet paste. This paste is then whipped into softened butter until light and fluffy. Vanilla and salt is added for flavoring.
This might sound like a bizarre process (it did to me at first) but it's actually a delicious frosting! Ermine frosting reminds me a lot of that frosting that you find in a ding dong or twinkie. Very light and almost like whipped cream.
This frosting does not have eggs in it so it's a fantastic alternative to Swiss Meringue Buttercream if you want a light frosting but can't have eggs.
What does ermine frosting taste like?
Ermine frosting actually tastes really good! I admit making the roux did not seem very appetizing but after I gave it a taste, I could see why ermine frosting is the traditional frosting used with red velvet cake. It's so good!
The frosting is super smooth and creamy. A nice light vanilla flavor and no hint of a flour taste. I promise.
How do you make ermine frosting?
Making ermine frosting is actually pretty simple.
- Combine your flour and sugar in a medium sized saucepan and toast on medium high heat for a couple of minutes to cook the flour.
- Add in your milk and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and reduce to medium heat. Cook until the mixture thickens. Make sure you stir constantly to prevent the milk from burning.
- Pour the mixture into a heat-proof bowl and cover with plastic wrap (make sure the plastic touches the surface of the mixture) and let cool. I put mine in the fridge.
- Place your butter in the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attached. Whisk until light and fluffy.
- Add your flour mixture into your butter a little at a time. I used a spoon but you can also use a piping bag or measuring cup.
- Add in your vanilla and salt and you're done!
Does ermine frosting need to be refrigerated?
This frosting can be left at room temperature for 6 hours as long as it's not too hot. You shouldn't have any buttercream in high heat anyway. Because it does contain milk then leftovers should be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to 6 months. Similar to cream cheese frosting.
Ermine frosting should be eaten at room temperature. Bring your cake out of the fridge for an hour or two before consuming.
Can you use ermine frosting under fondant?
This frosting is definitely firm enough to be used under fondant but I prefer to use it as a filling and use a firmer frosting like my easy buttercream for the outside.
You can also pipe ermine frosting easily.
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Cups of Batter Needed
8 cups
Cups of Frosting Needed
5 cups
Note: measurements are estimated based off the vanilla cake recipe using standard US cake pans and sizes. Measurements used are for 2" tall cake pans only. Your results may vary. Do not overfill cake pans above manufacturer's recommended guidelines.
Recipe
Ingredients
Ermine Frosting Ingredients
- 14 oz granulated sugar
- 3 oz flour
- 16 oz whole milk
- 16 oz unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Ermine Frosting Instructions
- Whisk together your flour and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 2 minutes to toast the flour. Be careful not to burn it!
- Slowly add in your milk, whisk to combine, and bring your heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisk continuously until it is thick and pudding-like. Once it's simmering, cook for one minute more.
- (Optional) If your mixture has any lumps, place a colander on top of a heat-proof bowl and push your mixture through and into the bowl. Transfer the mixture into a heat-proof bowl. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap so that it is touching the surface without any air bubbles in between, this will prevent a skin from forming on the top of the mixture. Let cool in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. You can also transfer the mixture to a sheet pan, spread it out, cover it with plastic, and put it in the freezer for about 30 minutes to cool faster. Make sure the mixture is completely cool or it will melt your butter.
- Add your softened butter to the bowl of your stand mixer and whisk on high until very light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Once the butter is fluffy, place the cooled flour mixture into a piping bag and slowly pipe it into your butter as your whip. Incorporating slowly ensures a smooth buttercream.
- Add in your vanilla and salt, then mix until everything is creamy. Use it to frost your cooled cake. This buttercream will set quickly, so it's best used immediately.
Video
Notes
- After your ermine frosting is fluffy and white, you can whip in ¼ cup sifted cocoa powder to make this chocolate.
- Make sure your flour mixture is completely cool before making your frosting
- Ermine frosting does not work well the next day. It's best to use it right after you make it as it tends to "set" and not stay creamy.
- Ermine frosting is not ideal for using under fondant because it is very soft but it is great for using it as a filling between layers.
Nutrition
Sam says
Thank you for this. I've been wanting to research a less sweet frosting for people who don't like regular buttercream. And now I don't have to 😉
Question: how many cups of frosting does this recipe make?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I would say about 6
Stacey says
You are the best! Love following your page. Definitely going to try this out!
Ayesha says
Can I make half of this for trial?
If yes can I just half the ingredients?
The Sugar Geek Show says
yes you can
Crystal hayes says
My mum use to make a similar frosting ,about 40 years ago, but using cornflour.
She use to top her jam tarts with it , ‘‘twas yummy ?
Manisha says
Hi Liz,
You are a genius. Love your work.
Would this recipe work for a tall cake?
For filling and frosting?
How quickly would it melt? I’m in Bangladesh 🙂
Thanks so much,
Manisha
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes it can work for any cake. I don't know how quickly it would melt because I don't know what temperature it is outside. Butter melts in warm weather.
Manisha says
Hi,
I made the frosting it light and tasted amazing.
However, when I used it for frosting, the finish is not nice! The frosting was silky but leaves like air holes on the cake. Crumb coated and did another coat too.
Hoping there is a way to fix it.
Need it for a birthday tomorrow. So less than 15 hours to go.
Thanks a million for your prompt reply earlier.
So grateful for you!
Judy says
When you make any buttercream you can use the whip on your mixer to get it mixed and fluffy, but then you need to change to a paddle (on a stand mixer) and let it run for 4 or 5 minutes on low with that paddle. It will make it silky and get rid of most of the air bubbles.
Ritchie says
How can we make it into chocolate ermine frosting? Is that possible?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Just add cocoa powder to taste 🙂
Stephanie says
Should we add the cocoa in to the paste mix or during the butter whipping process?
The Sugar Geek Show says
You can add it at the end once everything is together and whipping
Bonnie says
Delish frosting came out amazing. I doubled it for A layer cake. Not too sweet or fake tasting just plain old delicious. Easier than French or Italian butter cream. Everyone should try and taste this light fluffy frosting.
mary says
if i use evaporated milk or long life milk would that mean i could leave it out of the fridge
The Sugar Geek Show says
I honestly don't know, we don't have long life milk here. Evaporated milk is not the same thing as regular milk.
Lynne Enzweiler says
I am considering this frosting for a coconut cake that needs drifts of shredded coconut covering it. Is this frosting sturdy and sticky enough to press shredded coconut into it?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes it is
Brice says
Thank you for posting this, I have been trying to find the recipe my grandmother used for her famous coconut cake frosting. All I remember is she used to mix milk and flour on the stove to make it. ... this is it! And it is PERFECT for coconut layer cake.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yay! I'm so glad these classic recipes are coming back in style <3
Terri says
Hi- I love the taste but my icing came out really soft. How can I stiffen it up?
Thanks
The Sugar Geek Show says
Put it in the fridge
Noelle says
I'm looking forward to making this recipe. Do you know how it would work as the frosting on the outside of a semi naked cake?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Totally, works like any other frosting I have tried 😀
Laura Harley says
I have made your White Velvet Cake to celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary but tinted it green (emerald is the 20th year gem stone). It turned out beautifully btw and your cake goop tip is amazeballs, never will I go back to cooking spray! I wanted to ice it with the Ermine frosting but the finished product looks a little curdled after adding in the vanilla extract. Is there a trick I can do to smooth out the texture a little more? My flour mixture was smooth & silky so I’m not sure where this went wrong. Thanks in advance!
The Sugar Geek Show says
OH that's odd, I would just keep mixing
Darcy says
Just FYI to the audience; This frosting tastes a lot like whipped cream, but has a denser texture. If you like sweetened whipped cream, you will like this. This is an old recipe. One of those that often has been forgotten and so people are all skeptical of it but it's tried and true for generations.
Jessica Matt says
I'm making a cake with fondant decorations. Usually I use American buttercream. Will the decorations begin to slide down the cake as it comes to room temperature and the icing softens?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I haven't tested this recipe with fondant decorations but it is pretty soft so if the fondant decorations are really big and heavy I don't think this frosting would support them
Debby says
Would this frosting be firm enough to pipe with Russian tips?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes it is
Stephanie says
How far ahead could I make the flour, milk, and sugar mixture? Would it keep alright for a couple of days before using to make the buttercream?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I have made it a day ahead with no problems
DEBORAH A says
Hi Liz, been waiting to try this recipe. I am making the copycat Hostess cupcakes and I put flour mixture into the fridge, but I didn't like the cupcake recipe I was using so had to wait until today to finish a new recipe and frost them. Would I bring the flour mixture to room temperature before adding it to the butter? Thank you for all the wonderful tutorials.
The Sugar Geek Show says
I didn't bring mine to room temp, just drizzled it in cold
Diane W. says
We have made this frosting for years in my family...they always called it "Poor Man's Frosting" and my mom always filled her lady locks and madeleines with it. It was called Poor Man's Frosting because it used shortening in place of butter. But the cooked flour/sugar/milk step is the same. If you are looking for something a little more shelf stable and able to sit at room temp longer, try using the same amt of solid shortening in place of butter (I prefer butter flavored Crisco).
The Sugar Geek Show says
Thanks for the tip!
Rania says
You are amazing , thank you . I will try it??
Stephanie says
Do you think it would be fine for me to add your berry purée into this to make strawberry buttercream?
Maureen says
I just did that last night with a raspberry reduction. It was amazing. I used vanilla for the frosting and raspberry for the filling.
Di says
Does this frosting crust?
I also would like to know if you could add a strawberry puree to it for strawberry frosting?
The Sugar Geek Show says
No it is not a crusting frosting. It's very light, like whipped ice cream.
Susan says
I’m in the process of making this frosting. The paste is cooling in the frig. The butter was beaten. Will beaten it when the paste is cooled. Should I store the frosting in the frig for a day or so or frost the cupcakes and store them in the frig
The Sugar Geek Show says
I would use the frosting right away.
Sherry Gill says
Hello,
Does this recipe yield enough to fill and frost a 7 inch 3 layer cake?
Thank you
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes it does
Lei says
What recipe is the cupcake in this pic? It’s so perfect looking!!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Its the ermine frosting 🙂
Nat says
Hi. I tried this recipe and it tasted amazing. The only thing is, I live in Asia so the buttercream tends to melt quickly. So I was wondering if the recipe would still work if I substituted half of the butter with shortening? Thanks!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can do that
Rebecca says
Can you color ermine frosting?