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.
Kristie
My frosting doesn’t seem firm enough. It’s really creamy and soft. I doubled the recipe because I have a larger sheet cake. Should I have mixed it one batch at a time? And, is there a remedy or do I have to start over?
Sam
Hi Kristie! I’m sorry I’m just now seeing this comment. I do have a troubleshooting section in the post that addresses this, but if it’s really soft it may just be too warm and you could try popping it in the fridge for a bit. How did it ultimately turn out?
Lisa
So silky smooth, light and airy, yet no air bubbles! I could forget the cake and just eat a bowl of this!
I’d love to make a gluten free version. Can that be done?
Sam
Hi Lisa! Unfortunately I am not familiar with making this gluten free so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out. If you do try it I would love to know how it goes. 🙂
Bruce
I don’t have an answer, but at least I have a little information. America’s Test Kitchen’s recipe uses part flour and part cornstarch, because they say that all flour produces a floury flavor. So, it’s possible that it would work with only cornstarch. They probably tested it that way and rejected it, so it couldn’t be as good, but it might be good enough. Good luck.
Hutoon
I was wondering if I could toast the flour before adding all the other ingredients, to get more of a nutty flavor. Would that effect the final texture?
Sam
I don’t see any reason why it couldn’t work. I would sift it after baking. 🙂
Erika
This is really good & easy to make. I added a 1/2-ish cup of Nutella toward the end of mixing & it’s delicious. There are so many flavor possibilities. Thanks!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Yum! We’re so happy you like it, Erika 🩷
Beth H
I have been making ermine frosting for a while now, much less sweet than traditional buttercream. It’s my go to, I was wondering if we could add dried fruit powder to the finished frosting for a flavor other than vanilla or chocolate? I have not tried it yet but it’s on the radar. Appreciate your reply.
Sam
Hi Beth! I haven’t tried adding freeze dried fruit powder, but I would suspect it would work. 🙂
Beth H
I will let you know when I try it, very soon!
Nancy
Hi Beth – I have paired raspberry juice (from thawed frozen raspberries)with the milk and used it to top chocolate cupcakes. Then I made this with coconut milk, added coconut extract, and topped lime-flavoured cupcakes – “chef’s kiss”
My next goal is to use brown sugar instead of white to have more of a caramel flavour – as long as the flour-to-liquid ratio is maintained, the sky is the limit!
Beth H
Thank you, very helpful. The brown sugar sub sounds wonderful. I made the frosting yesterday and added maple praline flavoring on a zucchini bunt cake. Turned out great.
Chanel Prinsloo
I use to always use the normal butter, icing sugar, milk recipes, but they were always to sweet. Found this recipe this week and used for my daughters cake this weekend. WOW!! I will never use anything else again. Thank you for the share
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
It’s a game changer for sure! We’re so happy you enjoyed it 😊
DLM
My recipe is the same but I do not put the sugar in with the flour when cooking. I boil the salt, flour and milk. Cool. I cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. The I add dollops of the flour and milk mixture into the butter mixture. Whipping until the icing comes together, maybe another 2-3 minutes. I will try this on a cake just for home to test it out.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We hope you love it! 😊
Julia
Hi Sam! When adding cocoa to make the frosting chocolate, two questions: 1) Do I add the cocoa after completing step 6? I want to be sure I’m understanding your substitution Note correctly. And, 2) Is baking cocoa powder or Dutched cocoa powder better to use? Thank you!
Sam
Hi Julia! Personally I would use natural cocoa powder. I would add the cocoa powder right after you stir in the last of the flour mixture. 🙂
Jud
Hi!
I really loved this recipe! But my frosting was a bit runny. I think it was because the flour mix might have been to warm and the fact that i did not whip the butter enough with my hand mixer. Do you think it would be okey to use a stand mixer with a plastic bowl or will it affect the result in some way because of the plastic? I hope you understand my question.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Jud! The plastic bowl shouldn’t be an issue with this recipe. We do have a troubleshooting section in the post that will be helpful for you 😊
Kristie
Does this frosting need to be refrigerated? I’ve made it and used it the same day before, but I want to use it for a sheet cake I’m making for a birthday celebration. I will need to frost the cake the day before. Also, will it hold up under a few artificial flowers on the cake?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Kristie! It can sit at room temperature for a few days. And yes, it should hold up 😊
Ellen
I cannot find the link to the video,
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Ellen! Do you see it at the bottom of the post in the recipe card? If not, you may have ad blockers enabled. You can always find our videos on YouTube as well 😊
valerie goo
I always use this recipe.. everyone loves it !
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy to hear that, Valerie! Thanks for the review ❤️
Emily
This recipe works wonderfully with brown sugar if you’re going for a caramel-y flavor! The texture is amazing, and I love that it’s not overly sweet. The frosting seems soft, but I find it actually is pretty sturdy and pipes nicely.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for letting us know how it worked for you, Emily! 😊
Melissa L
I only have salted butter. would that totally ruin it?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Melissa! It might turn out a bit too salty, even if you omit the salt. One stick of butter typically contains ¼ teaspoon of salt, so using two sticks would add ½ teaspoon.
Sadie
I loved this frosting. It’s silky smooth, not greasy or oily, and not too sweet. I prefer it to an American buttercream. It was a bit too soft to pipe cleanly, but it swirled beautifully on the cake. It held up well as a filling at cool room temperature. Both the flour mixture and butter were 72° and came together quickly. Definitely a keeper!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for giving it a try, Sadie! We appreciate the review 🥰
Denise Price
Have you tried adding lemon? Like real lemon/lemon zest? Wondering when/where would be best time to add this.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Denise! We haven’t tried making a lemon version of this frosting, but we do have a lemon frosting that’s our absolute favorite 😍
Emily
Hi, Denise! Did you end up trying a lemon version? I’m wondering the same thing! I think instead of adding vanilla at the end, it would work to add lemon zest and/or lemon extract. I’m unsure about incorporating lemon juice – I worry about the frosting becoming too soft.
Denise Price
Yes, I actually did.
I was worried about it curdling, so I added the zest of one lemon at the end of making the milk/flour mixture when it came off the heat. I then added lemon extract instead of the vanilla, when whipping. It was perfect!
I paired it with strawberry cupcakes for my parents 50th anniversary party. Everyone LOVED it!
Now, I need to search for a chocolate version
Anne Wickman
I don’t know if you’ll see this in time to help me, but here goes. I have been asked to make birthday cupcakes for a party. I have never made this frosting before and am wondering how long it will hold up at room temp?
Sam
Hi Anne! I actually provide storage information in the post. 🙂
Anya
I have made this frosting several times for my friends who absolutely hate the sweetness of ABC. However, every single time I try to color this frosting or sometimes even just the white frosting splits when I transfer it to a piping bag. It looks beautiful and smooth in the mixing bowl.. I mix it on low for 29 minutes.. it comes together beautifully.. but colors and piping bags just ruin it..any suggestions as to why this happens? I have made this in winter and in summer and face the same problem Every Single Time
Sam
Hi Anya! I do have a trouble shooting section that may help trouble shoot a little bit. It may also just be getting mixed for too long. 🙁