Ermine frosting is so fluffy, creamy, and delicious. It tastes a lot like whipped cream but is more stable. It starts with a boiled milk paste that gives it a fabulous whipped texture. It is frequently paired with red velvet cake but is great with so many desserts.
This frosting is fluffy and smooth and perfect. It starts by boiling milk and flour together to make a paste and that is whipped into butter to make a frosting that isn’t super sweet, but is really light and airy.
It is a lot like whipped cream, but more stable. It is a classic topping for red velvet cake, but is great in a variety of applications!
It is hard to believe, but I have been making this frosting for 10 years now! I was working with my friend Vicki and her birthday was coming up. Of course I had to bake her a cake!
She requested red velvet cake with whipped cream frosting. I had never heard of such a thing, other than the frosting some grocery stores call whipped cream.
As far as I knew, red velvet cakes were topped with cream cheese frosting. Apparently this is quite a point for debate, is it ermine frosting or cream cheese frosting that is the proper way to frost a red beauty.
Vicki was obviously on team boiled milk frosting and I am always happy to try a new frosting! She searched for the recipe of the exact thing she was talking about.
I had certainly never made a cooked frosting like this! I had melted chocolate for frosting before and made Marlene’s Fudge Frosting, but never something quite like this.
I instantly fell in love. This frosting is not too sweet, it is just right.
The flavor is subtle, a lot like whipped cream! However it does have better holding time and you don’t have to worry about mixing it too long and turning into butter… it is already butter!
The first time I made this for my family everyone loved it. I made a couple of brownies, covered them in whipped cream frosting and topped them in berries.
Everyone was asking for the recipe. Since then I have used the basic a idea for a number of other recipes. I love the final texture it gets.
If made properly you could certainly frost a layer cake with it with no problem! You can also use it to pipe onto cupcake or do embellishments on your cake.
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!
Of course this frosting is great on red velvet cake and the brownies with berries as I described above. I also used it on my Rolo poke cake and that was scrumptious if I do say so myself!
This frosting was also the perfect way to wrap a blackberry shortcake cake too! It really gives the feeling of whipped cream but with less worry!
Pipe Borders & Cupcakes
Ermine frosting can be used to pipe simple decorations. If you find the frosting is too soft to pipe, chill it for 10-15 minutes and try again.
I don’t think I would use it to do anything too detailed or small. It is a softer frosting and likely wouldn’t hold a perfect shape.
However it is perfect for ruffly piles, borders, and large rosettes.
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.
Originally I made the paste from just the flour and milk and added the sugar with the butter in the mixer. After a really long mixing period, it dissolves and isn’t grainy.
Lately I’ve taken to adding the sugar to the milk and flour to make sure it is dissolved.
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!
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.
If you are a frosting fanatic like me, check out my Frosting 101. It goes through the different types of frosting and links to all sorts of delicious recipes!
Ermine Boiled Milk Frosting
Ingredients
- 5 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup butter softened (must be real butter)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- This first step is the most crucial part to this frosting turning out. In a saucepan, whisk together the flour and sugar. Add the milk a few tablespoons at a time to get started. Stir until there are no lumps. Once you have a smooth paste, add the remaining milk and stir until combined. Turn on the burner to medium heat. Continue to whisk and cook until the mixture thickens to a paste consistency. You want it to be pretty thick. It will be tempting to walk away and so something else, but don’t. Once it starts to thicken it will go really quickly and it is important you don’t get lumps or scorch the bottom. Place paste in the refrigerator to cool.5 Tablespoons all purpose flour, 1 cup milk, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Once paste is room temperature or cooler, add butter and vanilla to mixer bowl. Turn on low and stir until smooth. Add flour/milk paste and whip on high for about 10 minutes. Don’t try to cut the time short, you really want to whip a lot of air into it.1 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Spread on cakes, cupcakes, cookies or whatever scrumptious treat you are making!
Notes
Video
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!
Did you try this recipe?
Don’t forget to leave a rating below and make sure to follow on Pinterest and Instagram for more!
Get social!
Recipes in your inbox
Love the recipe turned out great. My question is after I frost the Cupcakes. Do I need to put them in the refrigerator or can’t they be kept out on the Counter. Thank you
They can stay at room temperature for about 6 hours. For longer storage than that, I would refrigerate them. Because of the milk, it is safest to keep the frosting in the fridge.
@Carlee, Thank you so much.
How do u use this This recipe to make chocolate buttercream
You could add a couple of tablespoons of cocoa powder in with the flour before you cook it with the milk. In fact, that sounds delicious. I am going to have to try it myself!
My mom used to make this icing when I was a kid!! Forgot all about it till I saw this recipe!! Brings back lovely memories of her. Thank you!!
Turned out awesome!!
That makes me so happy! I am glad you liked it.
I’ve made it but it won’t thicken up in the stand mixer and stays mostly runny (i’ve beaten it for at least a half hour with a break between). Is there any way at all to save it in that state? It was at room temp at the start of the final step, but I did tried cooling it more just in case. I really want this to work ^^; It’s fantastic icing! My family has a variant of this recipe using a half cup of butter and a half cup of shortening (but i hate dealing with shortening and the steps for your recipe were much easier to follow lol)
It can get tricky. I’d try chilling it for longer and trying again. In a pinch, you can add little powdered sugar or cornstarch to thicken it up a bit. I’m wondering if your flour paste needed to cook just a bit longer. I hope it works out for you!
Thank you for this recipe! I had one like it years ago, but spilled something on the recipe card and can’t read it. This recipe reads to add the sugar to the flour; The recipe I had before had it added to the butter. I think I’m going to like this much better. I use this ‘frosting’ as a filling to my chocolate cake rolls …. family loves it!
When I first started making this recipe, I added the sugar to the butter as well. But I like dissolving it in the milk better. That way there isn’t any chance it is grainy when you are finished. Just make sure to get the paste good and thick and the rest is magic! I hope you like this method as much as I do.
This is such a great icing. The one my Mom used for her Red Velvet cake-so much better than cream cheese icing for Red Velvet! Mine has always been grainy and I didn’t know why. Mom had passed and I couldn’t ask her. So thank you for you excellent information! Time to try it again!
It is one of our favorites too. I hope this method works well for you!
Would this make a good frosting for a wedding cake? I tried the recipe and love it, and it seems stable, but not sure if it will spread nice and thinly over a huge cake (don’t mind the off-white color; it’s worth it for the superior taste).
It should spread and hold well, so I don’t see why not. My only concern would be the temperature. I wouldn’t want to use ermine frosting at an outdoor summer wedding. Otherwise I think you should be in good shape!
Oh this frosting is a winner! I just made it for a spice cake. I made it exactly like the recipe!
Yay!! I am so glad you liked it!
Will this cover a round layer cake? Or shall it be a double recipe?
It can cover a layer cake. I’ve used it several times to cover my blackberry shortcake cake and there is plenty.
My mother made this frosting using cornstarch instead of flour! Was delicious!
Isn’t it so good? I’ll have to try it with cornstarch sometime!