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.
Katie
Just curious how much frosting this recipe makes?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Katie! This recipe makes approximately 3 cups of icing, which is enough to cover a two layer 8″ or 9″ round cake, a 9×13 sheet cake, or 12 cupcakes. We typically include this info in the recipe card at the bottom of the post 🥰
Linda
I made this yesterday and I love it! Much less sweet than ABC. My question is .. I don’t know how to flavour it. I used almond extract … however, could I use a a Tbsp of flavoured Jell-O powder?
Sam
Hi Linda! I don’t usually flavor it beyond the vanilla extract, but you could use your favorite flavored extract or emulsion. I have not tried with Jell-O powder and would be a bit worried about it clumping but I don’t use Jell-O often so I just don’t honestly know how it would work. Maybe someone else who has tried it could chime in!
Becca
What happens if a skin forms? Should I remove the top layer before continuing?
Sam
Hi Becca! I would remove it before proceeding.
Temi
Has anyone tried this with margarine or becel instead of butter? I have a lactose intolerant husband sadly
Sam
This is an old fashioned recipe that was often made using margarine/shortening so it should work just fine. 🙂
ashma
wayy to sweet, cut the sugar and it came so thicc i was scared to overworked it also, mine separated at one point, and i heated some up and it became okay. this is my 4 time trying a buttercream and they’ve all failed, I’m just cursed at this point.
Sam
Hi Ashma! If you cut the sugar that is why it came out so thick and would’ve contributed to the difficulty you had with it. Compared to standard buttercream recipes, ermine is actually not a sweet frosting and I would not recommend reducing the sugar, it may taste more like a paste if you do. For an even less sweet frosting you could try my stabilized whipped cream frosting instead.
Jennifer
The recipe itself is great. However, I feel like the storing instructions are misleading. I’ve had two separate batches (followed instructions exactly) separate after mixing up in advance, refrigerating, allowing to come to room temp then whisking. As soon as I whisk it up to use it, it’s grainy and curdled looking, but certainly wasn’t that way when it went in the fridge.
Sam
Hi Jennifer! I’m sorry to hear this happened! It may have been a bit too cold when you tried to whisk it again. 🙁
Sarah
Can I use brown sugar in an ermine frosting? I’d like to try it on a brown sugar spice cake.
Sam
Hi Sarah! I haven’t tried it, but I think it could work. 🙂
Asma
is it ok to do crumb coating and decorating cake from ermine buttercream?
Sam
Hi Asma! This frosting will work for a crumb coating and decorating the cake. 🙂
Michelle
This is an awesome frosting! I did adapt it and used browned butter that I had made and chilled down to solid.
I’ll use this recipe again and again
Lisa
is this frosting stable enough to use as a dam with a fruit filling?
Sam
Hi Lisa! It is pretty soft and would need to be kept cool so it doesn’t melt. It’s not impossible to do, but it wouldn’t be my first choice. 🙂
Lori MacLaren
After icing a cake or cupcakes do you have to store in the refrigerator? This is my new go to icing , seriously the best !
Sam
Hi Lori! This frosting can be stored at room temperature in an air tight container for several days. If your cupcakes require refrigeration you will want to take that into account. 🙂
Lydia
Is this stable enough to pour a thinning ganache over it?
Sam
Hi Lydia! I think it will be ok, but you definitely want to chill it first. 🙂
Eileen Kloss
I love the taste of this frosting. I have made it to frost cookies on multiple occasions and again the flavor is wonderful. The continued issue I have is the consistency when I use coloring product the frosting is flat and separates. I’ve used two different brands of colors. Is there a specific brand that you recommend? Any modifications I could make to recipe to balance out the color affect on consistency? I appreciate any suggestions.
Sam
Hi Eileen! It really shouldn’t separate. You should be able to color it without issue. Are you using a liquid food color and using a lot of it? I like to use Amerigel gel food coloring. The gel is a lot more vibrant so requires a lot less. 🙂
Kris
From my experience with ermine, add the food coloring to the butter, while whipping it, before you incorporate the pudding part. And agreed, gel frosting is better. The liquid kinds have different additives in them that can breakdown the bonds that the fat molecules contain in the frosting.
Becky
I’ve used this recipe to ice cinnamon rolls and it was perfect! I’ve also tried it with coconut milk and it worked great!
Aimee
This is the only frosting I use now! American buttercream is far too sweet. The only mistake I’ve ever made with this is not letting a cake come back to room temp from the fridge. That was my fault! I always receive comments about how smooth, silky, and rich this frosting is. People love that it’s not too sugary!
Rosa
This is a great recipe and used it numerous times within the last month or so. I wanted to mention that I use Rice Milk and it’s great. Thank you!!!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Rosa! Thank you for your feedback using a different milk. 🙂
Peggy King
I have used this recipe almost 55 years, but have always had better results cooking just the flour and milk, then creaming together salted butter and sugar to a fluffy consistency before whipping in the cold cooked mixture by tablespoonfuls. Just a different way of doing it, always delicious!
Thank you for the chocolate variation … I’ll be trying it out later today on a sourdough chocolate cake. 😉
Beverly Stephens
Me too! I’ve made this since I was about 10 years old (67 now) & have always whipped the sugar with the butter. I’m sure either way would work just fine however. This is definitely a cake icing I love! Not nearly as sweet as the powder sugar butter cream.
Jill
I make this at least once a year and is always hit or miss if it turns out right. I appreciate the trouble shooting suggestions!!
Vanessa
Can I infuse the milk with culinary grade lavender, cool it and then make the pudding? I am not sure if the lavender taste will get lost.
Sam
Hi Vanessa! I think it’s worth a try, but I honestly am not sure how the flavor will come through.