Ermine Frosting is an old-fashioned recipe also often known as “boiled milk frosting”. It’s silky smooth and less sweet than traditional buttercream and is the traditional frosting used for red velvet cake. If you’re not a fan of sugary, overly-sweet icings, you’ll appreciate the more subtle sweetness but beautiful pipe-ability (it’s great for decorating) of today’s recipe. Recipe includes lots of tips and a how-to video so you can have flawless results in your own kitchen!
Adding another one to my frosting library today! This was a must-have considering the recipes I have coming for you later this week… (hint!)! Ermine frosting is a classic, old-fashioned recipe that’s been around for ages. I bet your grandmother knows how to make it!
It’s great for piping and can be colored with food coloring. While there is some stovetop time required, there’s no candy thermometer needed. If you’ve tried my Whoopie Pies yet and made the filling, you’ve essentially had ermine frosting before, but today we’re making it the traditional way with granulated sugar.
What Does Ermine Icing Taste Like?
If I had to compare it to any of my other frostings I would say it most reminds me of my Swiss meringue buttercream. It’s buttery, silky smooth on the tongue, and not too sweet. In fact, it’s much less sweet than traditional buttercream frosting. I have to be careful when I make it, it’s so delicious it’s easy to eat several cupcake’s worth by the finger-full without even realizing it.
What You Need (and Key Ingredient Tips and Substitutions):
- Sugar. We are using white granulated sugar and not powdered sugar (which is the most commonly used icing sugar, and what I use for my cream cheese frosting.). Don’t worry, we’ll cook this with our flour and milk so your icing will not be grainy. Brown sugar may be substituted (expect a richer, slightly caramelized flavor!).
- Flour. Use all-purpose or plain flour, and whisk it well with the sugar to remove any lumps. Flour works as a thickener here and we’ll be making a pudding out of the flour, sugar, salt, and milk. This will then be whipped into the butter, giving our Ermine frosting its signature consistency and smooth, velvety mouthfeel.
- Salt. For flavor.
- Milk. I use whole milk, but 2% milk would work as would almond or coconut milk.
- Butter. I recommend using unsalted and adding salt to best control the flavor, but if you only have salted on hand please see my post on substituting salted for unsalted butter. The butter should be softened, but not so soft that it’s greasy or melty or your ermine frosting will be too soft.
- Vanilla extract. You may substitute your favorite flavoring, but vanilla is the classic flavor used here.
If you’d like, you can also add any food coloring. Stir this in at the end until the desired color is reached (I love using gel food colorings for the most vibrant color).
How to Make Ermine Frosting BRIGHT White
Ermine frosting typically turns out to be very white, but if your butter is particularly yellow or your vanilla extract particularly dark, then sometimes it doesn’t have that pure, snow-white consistency you might be looking for. To get a pure white frosting, I recommend using clear vanilla extract instead of typical vanilla.
If that isn’t enough to keep your frosting a true-white color, you can add a tiny bit of violet colored food coloring. And I do mean a tiny bit! I dip the very end of a toothpick into the food color, dip that in my frosting, then stir well. This works because violet is on the opposite end of the color wheel from yellow (and if your frosting isn’t bright white, it’s yellow from the butter and vanilla), so we balance this with a tiny hint of violet for bright white frosting.
What to Pair It With:
Ermine icing is traditionally made to be served on red velvet cake and red velvet cupcakes. Click the links to see my perfected version of each.
It will also work with just about any of my other cake or cupcake recipes but pairs especially well with my chocolate cake, coconut cake, chocolate cupcakes, and dark chocolate cupcakes.
Troubleshooting
While ermine frosting is generally pretty simple to make, occasionally a would-be-cake-decorator finds themselves with a melty, gloppy mess instead of a bowl of billowy smooth frosting. There are three main issues that usually cause this, and knowing about them in advance and knowing what to look for is the best way to prevent this.
Runny Frosting
- Your roux wasn’t cooked properly. It’s important to whisk constantly while cooking and keep your heat on medium. Do not crank the heat up to high to speed up the cooking process, or you’re liable to burn your roux and the sugar won’t have a chance to melt properly. Remember: medium-low and slow is the way to go!
- The flour mixture was added to the butter before it was cooled completely. This is so important. If your roux is even a bit too warm when you add it to your butter, you’ll have a greasy, curdled mess on your hands. Have patience and let it cool completely.
- Your butter was too soft. Remember, you want it to be softened, but not to the point where it is melty or oily to pick up. If your butter is too soft (this happens quickly, especially during the summer) you could end up with an icing that’s much too soft and runny. I usually remove my butter from the refrigerator 45-60 minutes before I’m ready to begin creaming it for the frosting.
If your frosting isn’t necessarily “runny” but is still quite soft and difficult to decorate with, it may just be a bit too warm. Pop it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before using.
Help! My Icing Curdled!
If your ermine frosting looks curdled, split, or grainy, the most likely problem is that either your butter was too cold or your flour mixture was too cold.
Don’t worry, there’s still hope! Keep whipping it (this could take several minutes or longer) and most of the time it will eventually come together.
Storing and Making in Advance
You can make ermine frosting up to a week in advance of using. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Before using, let the frosting come sit at room temperature for at least 15-30 minutes. You may need to briefly whip it again with an electric mixer to return it to the proper consistency before using. Alternatively you may freeze in an airtight container for several months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then follow the steps above (sit at room temperature and re-whip) before using.
Once you’ve frosted your cake or cupcakes, this icing will do well at room temperature (below 75F) for up to two days. Beyond that I recommend refrigerating. As with just about any frosting recipe, this one does not stand up well to heat and is prone to melting outdoors at high summertime temperatures.
Other Recipes to Try:
Enjoy, and stay tuned for my long-awaited Red Velvet Cake recipe that’s coming later this week!
Let’s bake together! Don’t forget to watch the how-to VIDEO in the recipe card!
Ermine Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 5 Tablespoons (40 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (236 ml) milk¹
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened but not melty
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Combine sugar, flour, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan and whisk well to combine and remove any lumps from the flour.1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 5 Tablespoons (40 g) all-purpose (plain), ¼ teaspoon salt
- Turn stovetop heat to medium and whisk in milk until mixture is smooth.1 cup (236 ml) milk¹
- Continue whisking constantly until mixture is thickened to a pudding-like consistency (do not crank up the heat or you’ll burn it and the sugar won’t dissolve properly) and the whisk leaves a trail.
- Remove from heat and pour into a heat-proof container and cover the surface with a piece of plastic wrap, wax paper, or parchment paper pressed directly against the surface (to prevent a skin from forming). Allow to cool completely to room temperature (alternatively you may make this mixture a day or two in advance, store in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before proceeding).
- Once flour mixture has cooled, use an electric mixer or stand mixer to beat butter on high speed until it is light and fluffy (this usually takes several minutes, and you may need to scrape the bowl with a spatula).1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- Reduce mixer speed to medium and gradually add flour mixture, one heaping spoonful at a time, waiting until each spoonful is incorporated before adding the next and beating until all ingredients are well-combined. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl with a spatula, then stir in vanilla extract. Gradually increase speed to medium-high and whip frosting until it is smooth, light, and airy (it should not seem greasy). If you have any difficulty or experience your frosting splitting please see the troubleshooting section in the blog post.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Use your spatula to deflate the frosting to work out any air bubbles, then use as desired.
Notes
Storing
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Before using, allow icing to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or longer and then re-whip with mixer before using. Frosting may also be frozen for several months, thawed in the refrigerator, and then brought to room temperature, whipped, and used.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
gigi
I will stick to my own recipe for Red Velvet cake, but I have never liked the cream cheese frosting. I will try the Ermine frosting. It sounds much better. I am Southern and have been baking my own version of Red Velvet cake for 65 years.
Sam
Hi Gigi! I just published a red velvet cake recipe today that maybe I can tempt you to try 😉
Kiera
Would this work for icing cinnamon rolls? I’m trying to find a good icing that is not as sweet as the typical powdered sugar recipes and cream cheese frosting just isn’t working for me either. Going to keep this on hand for future use regardless!
Sam
Hi Kiera! This should work on cinnamon rolls. 🙂
Maricris A. Pontino
Hello Sam I am a newbie in cake making…but would you believe I have my compilation of your delay shared recipe (in printed form)…thank you much…
Sam
You’re very welcome, I’m so glad you have been enjoying the recipes!
Eibhlin
Can I use this frosting with Russian piping tips?
Sam
Yup!
HeatherAnn W.
Hi, Sam! My go-to cake topper is a sugar-free ermine frosting: I use flour, cornstarch, skim milk, a pinch of salt, and a sweetener called NatraTaste (made of dextrose, maltodextrin, and aspartame) for my roux, then whip it with vanilla and a 50/50 blend of Smart Balance buttery spread/veggie shortening. It consistently produces awesome results in terms of texture, pipeability, and how it takes icing colors, but the flavor throws me–it always has a slight tanginess similar to cream cheese frosting, even though there’s no cream cheese in it! Is this flavor inherent to ermine frosting, even one made with sugar? Or are one of my ingredients causing it? What could I add to counteract the tanginess without changing the texture? I’d love to taste the vanilla only, so it becomes a base frosting that’s good on its own or with variations (I like to play around with different flavors in my frosting, but with the recipe as-is, they all wind up having that cream-cheesy undertone).
Sam
Hi Heather! Since I haven’t tried it your way I’m not quite sure why it is turning out that way. I would assume it’s from the different ingredients you are using.
Jean Van Voorhis
Can you use monk fruit sugar in place of regular sugar? Thank you!
Sam
I’m so sorry, I’m not very familiar with baking with monk fruit sugar so I can’t give you a really good answer here. Maybe someone else can chime in, or if you do try it I would love to know how it turns out. 🙂
Zahra
Hi
Can u use margerin instead of butter
Sam
Hi Zahra! It could work. I’m honestly not sure how it would hold up/taste since I haven’t tried it. If you do try it I would love to know how it turns out for you. 🙂
Sally
I have been making this recipe for more than 50 years and I love it! It was the original frosting for Red Velvet Cake served at the Waldorf Astoria, the current use of cream cheese frosting is believed to be a southern twist on the original recipe. It can be used with chocolate cake roll to make an adult version of “Ho Ho”cake. We’ve also used it to fill mini lady locks for the cookie tables at dozens of family weddings. Sam thank you for adding this recipe to your site. I appreciate all of your tips and troubleshooting hints!
Sam
You are welcome, Sally! I’m so glad you have enjoyed everything. 🙂
Lisa Fisher
I have made this icing. It is very good. It doesn’t decorate like trim and flowers very good but it is good.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Lisa! 🙂
Faith
This sounds delicious! I cannot wait to try it. My b day is next week and I think I know what I’m making! I know the red velvet recipe will be delecable. I made cupcakes with butter cream just last week and was thinking of finding a frosting with as much flavor but less sweet. As always, the timing is impeccable! I’m so excited to make this! It is very warm here now, 100 degrees outside and often 80-ish inside since we don’t like to use much energy on cooling. Will the warmer temperatures affect it much? Should I tweak the recipe some, maybe put something in the fridge for a few minutes? Thanks in advance!!😁
Sam
Hi Faith! Happy early birthday!! This recipe like pretty much all of my frostings won’t do too well in the heat because the butter will start to melt. The last little section in the post talks about refrigerating and how to make it in advance. 🙂
Donna
This recipe has been used in my family to frost Red Velvet Cake for generations, although we never knew it by that name! It’s always been a favorite of mine. For those that have never tried it, you don’t know what you’re missing.
Sam
It’s so tasty! 🙂
Lee Brushwood
My mom bless her soul was the master at making this frosting and Red Velvet Cake, the Lord took her home at the young age of 36 when I was 9 I joke how the Lord wanted her Red Velvet Cake and Ermine Frosting for HIMSELF!!! SOLI DEO GLORIA!!;
Sam
I hope this can help bring back some sweet memories. ❤️
Lily
This was my dear departed mother’s “go to” icing for as long as I can remember. Her delicious; made from scratch 3 tier coconut cake was layered and topped with this icing.💗
Thank you so much for sharing this gem.
Sam
It is such a good frosting. Hopefully this brings back some great memories and will help you carry on the tradition. 🙂
Fawn
I make something similar called crisco frosting. It can be Very temperamental but if you have the patience, its worth it! I will have to try your recipe soon
Sam
I hope you love it, Fawn! 🙂
Anna
I have never ever heard of this! I am making a red velvet cake for my birthday and I might just frost it with this!
Sam
I hope you love it, Anna! I will have a red velvet cake recipe for you to try very shortly. 🙂