If you like boiled milk frosting, this version has chocolate and coffee cooked in making it even more flavorful. Mocha ermine frosting is great on all sorts of chocolate and coffee flavored desserts.

Pipe swirl of fluffy brown ermine frosting flavored with chocolate and coffee.

This fluffy chocolate and coffee frosting is a fun and delicious twist on one of my all-time favorite frostings, ermine Frosting. I just love how light and fluffy it turns out.

The texture of this frosting is a lot like whipped cream. However, it is more stable so it is the best of both worlds.

It is perfect for spreading over layer cakes or put it on a coffee angel food cake like I did. If you get the texture right, you can even pipe swirls onto cupcakes.

Swirl of mocha ermine frosting on plate with coffee angel food cake slice.

Bite of coffee angel food cake on fork with swirl of mocha mousse frosting acting as a garnish on the plate.

However, the softer texture of this frosting does mean it is not the best for using for fine details. This coffee frosting is more for tasting great than for decorating.

A lot of ermine frosting recipes have you add the sugar in the mixer. However I prefer cooking it with the milk because it ensures that there won’t be any grainy texture left in the frosting.

Mocha ermine frosting ingredients including butter, sugar, milk, flour, cocoa powder, instant coffee, and vanilla extract.

Sugar, flour, cocoa powder and instant coffee stirred together in saucepan with whisk and measuring cup of milk nearby.

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 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.

Thick chocolate and coffee boiled milk mixture ready to chill.

Chilled chocolate boiled milk mixture in mixer bowl with whipped butter.

You don’t want to melt the butter at all. Other than that, just let it whip for several minutes. That is where you get that great fluffy texture.

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Don’t get yourself in a hurry and take it off too soon. This is a frosting recipe that likes lots of air whipped in.

whipped mocha boiled milk frosting in mixer bowl with balloon whisk attachement.

Hand holding balloon whisk mixer attachment with a fluffy bit of mocha ermine frosting on the top of the whisk.

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.

If you are having a summer BBQ, you’ll want to keep your cake in the house until it is time to serve. You can also chill the frosted cake in the refrigerator for a while to help set it, that will give you more time to serve the cake before it gets too soft.

Does boiled milk frosting get hard?

Boiled milk frosting does not form a crust. If you need to set the frosting, using the refrigerator is the way to go. The frosting will get soft again once it is at room temperature.

If you need a frosting that crusts, try crusting buttercream. Check out my Frosting 101 to learn about the different kinds of frosting and what each is good for.

Tips and Tricks for making Ermine/Boiled Milk Frosting

Getting the milk and flour paste just right is the key. You want it to be a thick paste before you remove it from the heat.

Be sure to keep stirring it, especially as it thickens. You don’t want it to scorch on the bottom of the pan.

Spreading mocha mousse frosting over coffee angel food cake.

Coffee angel food cake coated in layer of fluffy mocha frosting.

If the frosting seems a bit loose when you are done, there is a chance your butter was over softened or your paste wasn’t all the way cooled. Try placing the bowl of frosting in the refrigerator for 15 or 20 minutes and whipping it again.

If it is still loose, the paste probably wasn’t thick enough. A bit of powdered sugar or heat treated flour can help tighten it up this time.

Just cook your paste a little longer next time and you will be in good shape. And don’t worry, there will be a next time. It is definitely that good!

4.79 from 14 ratings

Mocha Ermine Frosting

Author: Carlee

Servings: Servings

This frosting is a fun fluffy mocha twist on ermine frosting. The boiled milk paste has coffee and chocolate cooked in for a tasty topping for cake or cupcakes.

Prep: 15

Cook: 10

Additional Time 30

Total: 55

Ingredients

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, whisk together flour, cocoa, instant coffee and sugar.
4 Tablespoons flour, 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon instant coffee, 1 cup granulated sugar
Add the cold milk, a little at a time. Whisk after each addition to avoid lumps.
1 cup milk
Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture becomes a thick paste.
Cool and then chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Once the cocoa paste you made is chilled, cream the butter in your mixer until smooth.
1 cup butter
Scoop the cocoa paste mixture into butter and add vanilla. Whip on high speed for 7-10 minutes or until light and airy.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frost your cake or cupcakes. Store in the refrigerator.