This Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling 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!
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- All purpose flour
- Milk – Whole milk is best, but I’ve used non-fat when it’s all I’ve had and it actually does work ok as well.
- Butter – Use real butter here!
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract – Or other extract or flavoring oil of choice.
How to Make Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling
Step 1: Make the Cooked Flour Base
- 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.
Step 2: Mix it up!
- When the flour mixture is chilled, 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. 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.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store finished frosting or frosted desserts, covered tightly, in the refrigerator. Allow to come to temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving.
- If using frosting within a few hours of making the frosting or within a few hours of frosting cakes or cupcakes, simply cover and store at room temperature until time to serve.
- This frosting can be soft or even melt if it gets too warm. If needed, pop the whole mixing bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes and rewhip to help it hold its shape.
- Don’t leave frosted desserts sitting in the sun or in a warm environment for too long with this frosting or it may soften/melt!
Additional Tips
- Use real butter, and a good name-brand. Cheap butter does weird things.
- 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!
- 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.
- Add extracts to your hearts content; lemon and almond are both wonderful! Food coloring is also okay.
- The white sugar can be exchanged for brown. Try 1/2 white 1/2 brown for a warm caramel flavor.
- 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.
- 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 Chocolate Frosting isn’t exactly the same, but very similar!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar?
Yes. Brown sugar gives this frosting a deeper, almost caramelly flavor. Just be sure you’re using fine brown sugar (some brands like the organic one sold at Costco have quite large grains) and it may help to sift it first. When creaming with the butter, give it some extra time and make sure the sugar has dissolved well before adding the flour mixture to ensure a smooth texture.
Can I make this frosting other flavors like chocolate?
This frosting is best flavored with extracts or flavoring oils. If you are looking for similar flour-based frosting, try this Chocolate Frosting.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. If making just a couple of hours before use, cover tightly and store at room temperature (if your kitchen isn’t too warm) until ready to use. You may need to rewhip it before use.
If making a day or two in advance, cover tightly and store in the refrigerator. Before use, bring to room temperature and rewhip briefly to restore texture.
Can I add food coloring?
Yes, add gel or paste food coloring (not liquid) when you add the flour mixture.
Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling
This light, creamy, dreamy flour-based frosting is THE perfect cupcake frosting and filling!
Servings 1/4 cup servings
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup milk whole milk is best, but I’ve used non-fat when it’s all I have and it’s actually fine
- ½ cup real butter slightly softened (I prefer salted, but you can use also unsalted and add salt to taste)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or other flavor if you wish
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour and the milk (you could also run it through the blender first). 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, any food coloring, 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.
Notes
- Store finished frosting or frosted desserts, covered tightly, in the refrigerator. Allow to come to temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving.
- If using frosting within a few hours of making the frosting or within a few hours of frosting cakes or cupcakes, simply cover and store at room temperature until time to serve.
- This frosting can be soft or even melt if it gets too warm. If needed, pop the whole mixing bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes and rewhip to help it hold its shape.
- Don’t leave frosted desserts sitting in the sun or in a warm environment for too long with this frosting or it may soften/melt!
- Use real butter, and a good name-brand. Cheap butter does weird things.
- 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!
- 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.
- Add extracts to your hearts content; lemon and almond are both wonderful! Food coloring is also okay.
- The white sugar can be exchanged for brown. Try 1/2 white 1/2 brown for a warm caramel flavor.
- 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.
- 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 Chocolate Frosting isn’t exactly the same, but very similar!
Nutrition
Serving: 0.25cup, Calories: 112kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 65mg, Potassium: 21mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 256IU, Calcium: 15mg, Iron: 0.1mg
Calories: 112kcal
Cost: $4
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Questions & Reviews
Thanks much for this Sara. This is the perfect icing I have been looking for, not the overly-sweet buttercream but holds it place perfectly on the cookies and cream cupcakes as cookies and cream-flavored icing:) And I am amazed that my nephew ate 5 cupcakes in just within 2 hours along with his lunch:) And that’s five times his usual food intake within the same period:)
It definitely tasted good, not buttery in tasteand it is really fluffy. Thanks for stressing the importance of patience in beating until sugar is dissolved. I did not have a grainy icing because I waited until the 8th minute, it’s worth all the wait and the perseverance especially since I am using a hand mixer:) The mixer I have is not at all that good as I felt iron-like heat at its machine-base from the 5th until the 8th minutes of beating this icing. But I will definitely do the same thing just to have this icing the next time I bake:)
And another very good thing about this is that I can put the frosted cakes in the fridge so that I may avoid having runny icing when I transport my cakes. Here in the Philippines, weather can be like summer even at rainy season:) And it has usually been my problem. Mine did not separate when I stored themin the fridge last night. In fact, it’s like a hardened butter and I am checking if it will return to the fluffy condition after hours of leaving it at room temp. I just can’t wait to tell you my good news, I did it:) And I am enthusiastically thankful to Sara and fellow fans who inquired further details of the icing:)
Oh my goodness, this is the best icing in the whole world. I, too, do not like icing that is overly heavy and sweet. This icing has the perfect amount of sweetness and the perfect consistency. It’s just beautiful! I made it to frost cupcakes for a baby shower. At first I thought I was going to have to buy storebought icing due to lack of time, but in the end I squeezed in the time to make this icing, risking being late for the shower. It was SO worth it! I cannot sing the praises of this icing enough – both the vanilla and the chocolate version. Absolutely delicious! I’m never searching for frosting recipes again.
OMG! This is hands downn the best icing I have ever made! Thank you so much for posting. Everyone agrees that is it so good because it is rich as well as sweet, not just overly sweet like others. Made it exactly as the recipe stated and it was perfect! Love it!
I made frosting for the first time today for my daughter’s 4th birthday and was looking for something light and not too sweet and followed the recipe to the tee. It worked perfectly! It was simply amazingly fluffy and downright delish. I made the first milk/flour part yesterday as I knew I would be pressed for time this morning and left it in the fridge overnight. It worked fine. One quick note about that 1st part: don’t leave it on the fire for too long. Once it thickens and you see the bottom of the pan, turn the stove off immediately! If you leave it on for too long and it gets too thick, there is no coming back! (I had to redo my first batch). Other than this, it went beautifully this morning (with a hand mixer and the whisk attachment) and the guest of honor did as she usually does: she ate the frosting and left the cupcake! (always a good sign!) Thank you Sara!
I can’t wait to make this frosting/filling!!! I also want to know if this frosting will be okay to use between 2-layer cake. Will it hold the cake layers or will the cake layers slide around when I try to cut it to serve. Please let me know asap, thanks.
My focus is great food and feeling like luxury, and though I am an author, my passion is blogging now and this is going to be a link for sure! I love this recipe. Delicious. Kudos!
Any suggestions for making this chocolate? I need to make a cupcake cake that will be decorated as a road and a chocolate base will mean a lot less detail work on the decorations.
Do you think I can use Bailey’s Irish Cream as flavoring? Thinking about making a mocha cupcake with Baileys frosting. I know a coffee flavored frosting would work (using your chocolate frosting recipe), but I’ve been in a booze-infused-desserts craze lately lol.
That would probably work Melissa, as long as you don’t get too much liquid in there.
Hi
I have used this recipe this weekend as a topping for Blackforest gateaux muffins for gifts for Fathers Day (in the UK) and I am pleased to report that it worked a treat and wowed both my Dad and my boyfriends. When I told my mum how you make the frosting with white sauce she was amazed. It worked fantastically as it looked just like whipped cream and tasted like chantilly cream, just perfect sprinked with very good quality Swiss dark chocolate shavings and topped with a pitted black cherry…I am going to experiment with goats milk, goats butter and rice flour for an allergy friendly version so that I can try one. I promise I will share my results with you all.
All my Best
Charlotte
Guernsey, Channel Islands
Hi Charlie- check out this conversion chart, it should have all of the measurements you need!