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.
Sue smandych
I cannot thank you enough for this recipe. When I met my husband, the red velvet cake was THE official Birthday cake and Ermine icing was used but when my mother-in-law gave me the recipe, she told me to be prepared to have to make it 3-4 times before it would work. I actually stopped making it because it always curdled and I didn’t know to keep on beating it. Since I have discovered your recipe, I haven’t had it fail yet and I use it on everything that needs icing because I don’t like sweet icing. Thank you so, so much.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re SO happy you found our recipe, Sue! Curdled frosting is never fun, but thankfully, it can usually be fixed! Thanks so much for your review 😊
Petra
I really liked this recipe! I used almond milk instead of cow milk and it turned out amazing! Although I had to add a little extra flour while making the pudding than was called for. Maybe because the almond milk was thinner than whole or 2%? I’m not sure but it still worked great on my almond cupcakes (and my frosting still turned out airy)! Thanks for the troubleshooting section! It really helped! 🙂
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for letting us know how it turned out with your substitution, Petra! The extra flour could very well be from the thinner milk. Enjoy ❤️
C
I love the taste but I refrigerated it and then re-whipped it and it split, can you please tell me what to do? It was a perfect consistency before I put it in the fridge. Thanks.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi there! Did you let your frosting sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before whipping, or did you whip it straight from the fridge? This could be the issue. Check out the troubleshooting section of the post–that should be helpful too! 🙂
C
Thanks for the answer. I didn’t let it sit and whipped it straight away, I left it for about 15 minutes when I realized it wasn’t working. I read the troubleshooting and it did all that but it did not fully come together, I put it on the cake anyways and it did not look as bad as I thought it would. Thanks for the recipe.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
That was most likely the issue then 🙁 We’re happy you were still able to get it back together enough to frost with it!
Kathy
Love love this icing! But I also had the same problem with it changing consistency, it sat out for more than 30 minutes, and with the second batch, I even transferred it to a different bowl( thinking the other bowl was keeping it cooler 🤷🏻♀️, my cakes are done, so I’m hoping when I take them to the party tomorrow they will be ok. It tastes great, despite the “change” but it just doesn’t look as “fluffy”
Holly
I usually make Swiss Meringue Buttercream but I’ve been switching between that and Ermine Frosting for the last 10 years. The first time I tried it the sugar was not cooked with the flour so I detected some grit from the sugar. Next I bought extra fine sugar and that helped but when I discovered your method of cooking the sugar I knew that was the ticket. As you said in your directions and tips, it is important for the pudding mixture and the butter to be at the same room temperature. It takes several hours to cool so I try to make the pudding early in the morning or the night before. Thanks for the recipe.
Miriam Rose Blanar
Would this frosting work well with your confetti cupcakes or should I stick with the vanilla butter cream that goes with the recipe?
Sam
Hi Miriam! It’s a personal preference here. Either one is a great choice. 🙂
Julie
Hi Sam
I will be trying this recipe out for my gorgeous nephews christening cake later this month as my sil doesn’t like overly sweet buttercream. I am just wondering can the cake be frosted and stored in the fridge the night before and can edible gold leaf be used to decorate without any issues?
Thank you
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Julie! This frosting holds up well in the fridge, and the gold leaf shouldn’t be a problem. We hope everyone loves it!
Alexandra Waltrip
Will this work on angel food cake?
Sam
Hi Alexandra! I’ve never frosted an angel food cake, but if you would like to frost one this recipe will work to do so. I hope that helps!
Charlie
What flour can I substitute so as to make this gluten free, please?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Charlie! We haven’t tried to make this recipe gluten-free, but we think using a 1:1 gluten-free flour would probably work fine. Enjoy!
Nan
First time making this frosting and I LOVE it! I find it helpful to watch your videos if I haven’t made the recipe before and reading tips and tricks, very helpful. The frosting is Not overly sweet which I prefer. I also added coconut extract and used the frosting as the filling to my coconut cake. Yummm.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you loved it, Nan! Thanks for your review 😊
Ann
Made it for the first time. I used 1/4 cup of Baileys Strawberry Cream as part of the milk. After it was whipped with the butter I stirred in a 1/4 c strawberry jam. I am using for a filling on a lemon velvet cake. Loved that it was not so sweet.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Sounds delicious! Thanks for letting us know how you enjoyed it, Ann! 🙂
Nancy Focht
This frosting literally ruined my son’s birthday cake. It never set up no matter what I tried. When I spread it on the cake it just oozed down the sides into a puddle on the plate. Then the layers started sliding off. I ended up having to just grab handfuls of the sticky, gooey mess and put them in a trifle bowl. It tastes terrible too – like eating a stick of butter. No other flavor at all and I added tons of powdered sugar and extra vanilla. Thankfully my son requested a whipped chocolate ganache so at least there’s that in the trifle to help offset it he flavor. I consider myself a pretty seasoned baker, so I don’t know what happened. Won’t try this again!
Sam
Hi Nancy, I’m sorry you didn’t have success with this recipe and it definitely sounds like something went wrong, most likely while cooking the pudding. Ermine frosting can be a bit tricky if you haven’t made it before or if you’re in a particularly humid environment, which is why I include lots of tips and a video to help with it. I would encourage you to take a look at the troubleshooting section and take a look at the video, though it sounds like you may simply not like the taste of this particular frosting, which is more buttery and less sweet than classic American buttercream (though it should certainly not be runny).
Diane
This is a great recipe. I’ve been making a variation of this for over 50 years but this is way better! If someone had trouble they didn’t read and follow the directions!
Ariel
Fantastic! Not sure why I haven’t made this frosting yet. Perhaps the thought of flour was off putting but let me tell you, this is probably the best frosting I’ve ever had! As a baker I’ve made them all, Italian, American, German, Swiss, stabilized whipped, ganaches and nothing beats this Ermine! To test I mixed half with cocoa powder and kept half plain vanilla. The chocolate version tastes like a slightly less thick Swiss or Italian buttercream with more of a whipped texture. The plain vanilla, I cant describe it but would say simply amazing! Just be sure to double or make 1 1/2 batches if you plan to cover a 2-layer 8inch cake or have enough left to pipe decor on top or on the sides. I barely had enough with one batch and left the sides as more of a naked look.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Ariel! 🙂
Judy
Thank you for the recipe! I tried it twice already but for some reason after I finish adding the pudding into the butter and incorporating it, it turns into this greasy, unappetising mess and excuse my lack of better words, but it looks like a cat’s vomit. I still don’t know what I did wrong! I hope you can help please?
Sam
I’m so sorry this is happening Judy! It sounds like your mixture is curdling. I actually cover how to fix this in the post. 🙂
Judy
Thank you Sam! Is that what curdling is then? Thank you, I assume I have to cool my roux for longer as per your tip? Can I keep the roux in the fridge to help it cool faster and take it out so it comes back to room temperature just before I use it? I thought it cooled enough because it’s winter where I am at the moment and it’s been quite cold (but humid).
Sam
It also might be separating if the roux isn’t cooked or cooled long enough. I would probably make sure it looks the same as it does in the video and yes cooling it longer will help. You can speed up the process by putting it in the fridge, but make sure you stir the pudding and make sure it is evenly cooled (sometimes it stays warm in the center if not cooled long enough). I hope that helps!
Arlyn
Hi! Can I use heavy cream instead of milk?
Or a combination of milk snd heavy cream?
Sam
I think a combination would work 🙂
Marilyn Titzer
I’ve been making this a frosting for years. I found the recipe in an old church cookbook. I have never cooked the sugar, only flour and milk because that’s how it written. I will have try it this way next time.
Sadie
Excellent! Silky smooth, not greasy, and not cloyingly sweet like an American buttercream with powdered sugar. Effortless to make. The flour mixture cooled to 74°. The butter was 69°. The two came together smoothly without excessive beating. I added a rounded 1/4 cup of sifted cocoa for chocolate frosting and used it to fill doughnuts.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Sadie! 🙂
Wendy k
Holy. Monkey. I’m never making frosting with powdered sugar ever again. This is the best. I put it on your vanilla cake recipe that was linked to this frosting. Delicious!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Wendy! It’s the perfect topping for a vanilla cake. 🙂