Chocolate ermine frosting is so smooth, fluffy and creamy. If you like boiled milk frosting, this chocolate version might just become your new favorite thing.

Close up of chocolate cupcakes topped with fluffy mousse-like chocolate ermine frosting.

Have you ever tried ermine frosting? It is a traditional topping for red velvet cake and has a texture like whipped cream.

The secret is a paste you make from boiling milk and flour together. You whip that into butter and it becomes something fabulous.

Over the years I have made a few different variations. There’s the cream cheese ermine frosting that is fabulous on carrot cake and banana cake.

We also loved the mocha ermine frosting. It is great on cupcakes, but also wonderful on coffee angel food cake.

So, I am not sure why it took me so long to make a chocolate boiled milk frosting. It’s okay though, it was worth the wait.

This frosting is super silky and fluffy like you would expect. There is a nice chocolate flavor thanks to the cocoa powder getting steeped in the milk as you make the roux.

Email Me The Link

I'll email this post to you, so you can easily find it later. Plus you’ll get new recipes from me every week!

Hand holding whisk attachment with fluffy chocolate ermine frosting on it with mixer bowl and remaining frosting in the background.

Chocolate cupcakes topped with ruffled chocolate ermine frosting.

I piped it on some chocolate pumpkin cupcakes and the combination was fabulous. It would also be great on butter cake or anything you want an airy chocolate frosting on.

The key to getting this frosting right is cooking the flour/sugar/cocoa mixture thick enough. It should be like a really thick pudding or paste when you take it off the heat.

You should have to scoop (or at least coax) it into the mixer bowl when it is cooled, it should not be able to be poured. The other key is to make sure it is completely cooled to room temperature or even chilled before you add it to the butter.

The only word of warning is that this frosting doesn’t fare well in hot temperatures. It is a very soft butter frosting and you are going to want to keep it cool or at room temperature.

Don’t let that scare you off, though, this frosting is definitely worth making!

Storage

Ermine frosting can stay at room temperature for up to 6 hours. Due to the milk, it should be refrigerated after that.

5 from 2 ratings

Chocolate Ermine Frosting

Author: Carlee

Servings: Servings (about 3.5 cups)

If you like fluffy boiled milk frosting, you are going to love the chocolate ermine frosting. It has rich cocoa flavors steeped in and all of the creamy whipped cream texture you love. It is almost like chocolate mousse in frosting form.

Prep: 15

Cook: 10

Additional Time 30

Total: 55

Ingredients

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, whisk together 5 Tablespoons flour, ⅓ cup cocoa powder, and 1 cup granulated sugar.
Add the cold 1 cup milk, a little at a time. Whisk after each addition to avoid lumps.
Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture becomes a thick paste. It is important that you get it nice and thick at this point. It should be thicker than a pudding and thick enough to leave a trail when stirring.
Cool and then chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. The mixture should be pretty solid at this point.
Once the cocoa paste you made is chilled, cream the 1 cup butter in your mixer until smooth.
Scoop the cocoa paste mixture into butter and add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whip on high speed for 7-10 minutes or until light and airy.
Frost your cake or cupcakes. Store in the refrigerator.

Notes

If your frosting is too soft, chill it for a bit and then whip it again.

If it is still too soft, add a little heat treated flour or powdered sugar to stiffen it up. Then remember to cook your boiled milk mixture longer next time.

This recipe makes about 3.5 cups of frosting which is enough to lightly frost a 2 layer 9 inch cake. It will also generously frost a 9×13 inch cake, 18-24 cupcakes, or an angel food cake.