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.
Terry says
My favorite frosting, and yes you can use almondmilk.
Gianmarco says
Is it good to decorate cakes? I’m afraid of it being too bubbly and just not good to decorate 🙁 also what about the consistency? How is it compared to standard SMBC? waiting for your reply
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes, of course, you can decorate a cake with it. That's what I used it for 🙂 It is not as easy to get smooth as SMBC and isnt as smooth the next day so its best to use it right after you make it. Taste is amazing though. Very similar to whipped cream
Jenn says
How long will the frosting on cake keep in the fridge? I’ll be gifting your buttermilk cake so I don’t want it to melt or go bad too quickly. Cheers
The Sugar Geek Show says
It lasts for days 🙂 At least as long as the cake would
Carla says
Hi. Is it possible to overcook the flour-sugar-milk mixture? You mentioned that it be thick like a paste so I let it cook til it was bubbling (whisking all the time). Mine came out really thick like a pasty pudding. Your video showed a more softer consistency. Can I still use this or start again? Thanks!
The Sugar Geek Show says
As long as it's not burned I don't see a problem 🙂
Nida says
Hi . Sounds like an amazung recipe. Can we use it under fondant cakes ?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I havent tested this frosting under fondant. If you do, please let me know how it goes 🙂
Lea says
My niece wants this frosting for her wedding cake but I won’t be able to refrigerate it the day of the wedding. The wedding is February 1 so where I live it will be cold outside. The venue is heated but due to its size I don’t think it will get very warm. Do you think the cake will be okay sitting out all day?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I haven't tested this recipe for wedding cakes so I would recommend doing a test to see it works for you first
Delvene Boso says
Was looking to try a whipping cream-like buttercream, and OMG i love this frosting! Thank you Liz!
Gianmarco says
Can i use icing sugar
The Sugar Geek Show says
For best results, use the ingredients listed in the recipe
Francheska says
Not sure what happened. Watchwd the video and followed the recipe to a T and the final product had the consistency of melty ice cream. It also taste like the “sweetened condensed milk frosting” that is all over Pinterest (tried that yesterday, we did not like it...threw out). It’s in the fridge right now trying to stiffen up. I really wanted to like this because I think regular American buttercream is way too sweet. Do you know what I might have done wrong? Thanks!
The Sugar Geek Show says
If your frosting was too soft, either you didn't measure correctly using a scale or your flour mixture was too hot, causing the frosting to be soft. This frosting is not sweet at all, so something is definitely not right
Shilpi says
Which flour you are using?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Regular all purpose flour
Dehne says
I didn’t mind the taste but It came out way to thin to pipe!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Your flour mixture may have been a little too warm which can cause the buttercream to be too thin
Iris says
I only have salted butter and can not go out to buy more, can i use that instead and not add in the extra salt?
The Sugar Geek Show says
You can if that is all you have but your buttercream might be too salty for your taste because there is a lot of salt in butter.
Sophie says
Hi! I tried making this recipe yesterday and i do have some questions.. I was basically running out of sugar and i only added about a cup and a half of it, about half a cup less than what your recipe called for.
The frosting came out pretty good, the taste was awesome but the consistency was a little too thin for my liking and it was kind of hard to work with. Do you think the lack of sugar in my flour mixture might have caused the frosting to be so unstable and runny? Waiting for your reply ?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes, you need the sugar for stability and balance in the recipe
Yasmin Benson says
Can this frost a 2 or 3 layer 10 inch cake or would I need to double frosting?
The Sugar Geek Show says
You would definitely need a double batch
Nwachi says
Can I use a hand mixer since I do not have a stand mixer? Would I get same result?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I haven't tried this with a hand mixer but I think you could still achieve the same results as long as you mix for long enough 🙂
Gwen says
Is it possible to use any kind of sugar with this? Say, brown sugar?
The Sugar Geek Show says
You can definitely use brown sugar or brown butter! yum!
Kells says
So when I was making this recipe I suddenly had flashbacks of this cake my late mother used to make that everyone but I loved (Ho Ho Cake). It had a white frosting underneath a chocolate ganache and the white frosting was terrible (in my opinion!). It was made by boiling flour and milk on the stove and she would put the entire pot in the fridge with the whisk sticking straight out of it and at some point I think she beat in margarine.
I was extremely skeptical of this frosting once I remembered my mother's cake but was pleasantly surprised when I tried it and it became my new favorite! I make the boiled milk mixture a day ahead and keep it in the fridge until ready to make the frosting.
My six year old decided she wanted to make orange cupcakes for her girl scout troop's virtual cupcake war, so we added orange zest to the milk mixture. We may have added too much zest, but its delicious and refreshing, perfect for our Easter dessert!
Kae says
Can you use icing sugar with ermine frosting? Or is it only granulated sugar?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I havent tried using powdered sugar so I can't say for sure but I think it would be fine
Carole says
Hi! Is this something I could use under fondant and how long would it last? I make the cakes 1-2 days in advance. Thanks!
The Sugar Geek Show says
No this is not great for under fondant and it needs to be used right after you make it
Ady says
What kind of flour should be used? Can I used cake flour?
Doing this for my baby's first bday tomorrow
The Sugar Geek Show says
regular all-purpose flour
Nancee says
I know this is probably blasphemy, but I have a ton of Sweetex high ratio icing shortening to use. Do you think I can do a 1/2 and 1/2 of Sweetex and butter in your icing recipes, including this one, until I use it up and they would still turn out? By the way, watched your Bosch mixer tutorial, very informative. Just waiting until they come back in stock to get one. Thank you for all your advice and recipes.
Elizabeth Marek says
HOW DARE YOU! haha jk. Yes you can definitely use it! Great way to stretch out your butter too 🙂
Vivi Rodriguez says
Can I frost sugar cookies with this frosting?
Elizabeth Marek says
I don't think it would set up for sugar cookies
Lisa says
Hello,
Can this be made with chocolate? At what point would I add it?
Thanks!
Elizabeth Marek says
After your ermine frosting is fluffy and white, you can whip in 1/4 cup sifted cocoa powder to make this chocolate.
Ree-ree says
Can I use heavy cream/whipping cream for the milk? Also how should the cake be stored after decorating?
Elizabeth Marek says
I would use half cream half water and I store my cake in the fridge until its time to serve it
Hollie says
Made this once and it was delightful. I see that you can flavor with cocoa powder....has anyone tried any other flavors? Trying to figure out if you could use the same amount of freeze dried fruit that’s been ground up to give it a different flavor.
Elizabeth Marek says
You can definitely use other flavors
Hina says
I need the cake for Saturday and today is Friday can I crumb coat the cake and leave in the fridge till Saturday night to put on the final coat?
Elizabeth Marek says
Ermine frosting should be used as soon as possible because it "sets" so if you try to frost this cake tomorrow, your frosting will not but creamy anymore.