Ermine Frosting
Looking for a frosting that’s ultra creamy, pipeable, and not too sweet? This ermine frosting recipe—also known as boiled milk frosting, flour frosting, or roux frosting—might just become your new favorite.
Made by cooking milk, sugar, and flour into a thick pudding, then whipping it with butter until light and fluffy, ermine buttercream has a unique texture that’s somewhere between Swiss meringue and American buttercream. It’s smooth, airy, and incredibly stable—perfect for piping, filling, and even covering layer cakes.
This cooked flour frosting has been around for generations and is the original frosting paired with red velvet cake. But honestly? It goes with just about anything—from chocolate cupcakes to vanilla layer cakes and beyond.
When I was running my cake decorating business, I used to get requests for “something less sweet” more often than you’d expect. Clients loved the look of American buttercream but weren’t always a fan of the sugar hit.
That’s when I turned to ermine frosting—which I’d first seen in an old cookbook labeled as “boiled milk frosting.” I was skeptical at first (flour in frosting?!) but after one batch, I was sold. It’s soft and fluffy like whipped cream, but much more stable and pipeable. And it holds up beautifully under fondant, which made it a dream to use for wedding cakes.
What Is Ermine Frosting?
Ermine frosting (also known as boiled milk frosting, flour frosting, or cooked flour buttercream) is made by cooking milk, sugar, and flour into a thick custard-like paste, cooling it, and whipping it with butter.
Unlike American buttercream, it doesn’t use powdered sugar and isn’t overly sweet. It’s light, fluffy, and silky smooth—making it ideal for layered cakes, cupcakes, and piping.
It’s a traditional pairing for red velvet cake, but it works just as beautifully with vanilla, chocolate, and spice cakes.
Why you’ll love this frosting
- Less Sweet Than Traditional Buttercream – No powdered sugar needed.
- Light and Fluffy Texture – Like whipped cream, but stable and pipeable.
- Perfect for Layer Cakes and Cupcakes – Smooth enough to spread, strong enough to pipe.
- Budget-Friendly – Made with flour, milk, and butter—no meringue or fancy ingredients required.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Flour – All-purpose flour is used to thicken the milk and sugar into a pudding base. Do not substitute with cornstarch or other flours.
- Sugar – White granulated sugar works best here. Brown sugar will affect flavor and color.
- Milk – Whole milk gives the creamiest texture, but 2% also works. Avoid non-dairy or skim milk for best results.
- Butter – Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature. If using salted, omit extra salt.
- Salt – A pinch helps balance the sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract – Adds flavor and rounds out the taste.
Step-by-step: Easy ermine buttercream frosting
Make the pudding base:
In a saucepan, whisk together the flour and sugar. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
Cook until thick:
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens into a smooth pudding-like texture. This can take 5–7 minutes. Don’t rush it.
Cool completely:
Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap (pressing it directly onto the surface), and let it cool to room temperature. You can also refrigerate it to speed up the process—but let it come back to room temp before beating in butter.
Beat with butter:
In a stand mixer, beat the butter until pale and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes). Gradually add the cooled pudding mixture, one tablespoon at a time, and beat until smooth and light.
Flavor and whip:
Add vanilla and beat until light and airy. Your ermine frosting is ready to use.
Tips for Success
- Cool the pudding completely before adding to the butter or the frosting will split.
- Whip your butter until light and fluffy for a more stable buttercream.
- If your frosting looks split or curdled, keep whipping—it usually comes back together.
- The pudding base should be thick like custard—not runny. If it’s too thin, cook it a bit longer.
- For extra smoothness, strain the cooked flour mixture before cooling.
Storage & Make-Ahead
- Store ermine frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Bring to room temperature before re-whipping.
- Not ideal for freezing, as texture may change.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | What It Looks Like | Why It Happens | How to Fix It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frosting looks curdled or separated | Grainy, split, or chunky texture | The pudding base was too cold or added too quickly | Keep whipping. Let it warm slightly and beat until smooth again. |
| Frosting is runny | Too soft to hold shape, slides off cake | Pudding was undercooked or butter was too soft | Chill the frosting 15–20 mins, then rewhip. Cook pudding longer next time. |
| Frosting is too thick or stiff | Difficult to spread or pipe | Too much flour or overcooked pudding | Add 1–2 tsp milk, one at a time, while beating to loosen texture. |
| Frosting is grainy | Sugar crystals, not smooth | Pudding wasn’t cooked properly or not fully dissolved | Try straining the pudding before cooling next time. |
| Pudding formed lumps | Lumpy mixture while cooking | Milk added too fast or not whisked enough | Whisk vigorously while slowly adding milk. Strain mixture before cooling. |
| Butter didn’t fully combine | Streaks or oily spots in the frosting | Butter or pudding was too cold or too firm | Let everything come to room temp, then beat until emulsified. |
How to Flavor Ermine Frosting
Ermine frosting is a great base because it’s light, creamy, and neutral—perfect for adding unique flavors! Here are some of my favorite variations:
- Chocolate: Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the pudding mixture or 60g (2 oz) melted cooled chocolate during whipping.
- Berry: Add 2–3 tablespoons of thick berry puree or jam (raspberry, strawberry, blueberry). Adjust sweetness if needed.
- Citrus: Stir in 1–2 teaspoons of lemon, lime, or orange zest. A little citrus juice (1 tsp) can be added for extra zing.
- Spiced: Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, or pumpkin spice—great for fall cakes.
- Coffee: Dissolve 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder in 1 teaspoon hot water, then beat into the frosting.
- Liqueur: Add 1–2 tablespoons of Baileys, Kahlúa, Grand Marnier, or your favorite liqueur—great for grown-up cakes.
- Nutty: Add 1–2 tablespoons finely ground hazelnuts, pistachios, or almond flour. Toast them for extra flavor.
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Frequently asked questions
Once frosted, the cakes and cupcakes with Ermine frosting will keep in the fridge for three to four days. And the frosting itself will keep in the fridge for up to a week. However, you will need to bring it to room temperature and re-whip it.
Yes! Store in the fridge for up to 5 days and re-whip before using.
Absolutely. Ermine frosting holds its shape beautifully and is great for rosettes, swirls, and borders.
Yes, you can freeze ermine frosting. Store it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and re-whip before using.
No—Swiss meringue is made with egg whites and sugar. Ermine uses flour, milk, and butter for a lighter, eggless alternative.
Ermine frosting can be used in bakeries, but it’s not very common—especially in commercial or high-volume settings.
Why it’s not as common in bakeries:
It’s more delicate than American buttercream or Swiss meringue. Because it’s made with a cooked roux (flour + milk), it has a shorter shelf life and needs to be refrigerated, which can be a hassle in a bakery setting.
It takes more time. You have to cook and cool the base before whipping in the butter. That extra step isn’t ideal for busy bakeries working on tight production schedules.
Less stable in warm environments. It holds up well at room temp, but not as well as meringue or shortening-based frostings under heat or long display hours.
But here’s where it shines:
Smaller, boutique bakeries or home-based cake artists use ermine frosting for wedding cakes, red velvet cakes, or special requests because it’s so smooth, light, and less sweet. It feels luxurious, like something made with care.
Some old-school bakeries still use it because it’s the original frosting used on red velvet cake before cream cheese frosting became the trend.
So while it’s not a bakery staple like American or SMBC, it’s definitely loved by bakers who want that soft, whipped texture and a more refined flavor.
Ermine Frosting – Boiled Milk Frosting
Learn how to make ermine frosting—also known as boiled milk frosting or cooked flour frosting. This smooth, pipeable buttercream is less sweet and perfect for cakes and cupcakes.
Video
Ingredients
- 226 g (1 cups) Granulated sugar
- 40 g (⅓ cup) All-purpose flour
- 240 g (1 cups) Whole Milk 3% at least
- 226 g (1 cups) Butter
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Method
- Make the pudding base: In a saucepan, whisk together the flour and sugar. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps.40 g All-purpose flour, 240 g Whole Milk, 226 g Granulated sugar
- Cook until thick: Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens into a smooth pudding-like texture. This can take 5–7 minutes. Don’t rush it.
- Cool completely: Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap (pressing it directly onto the surface), and let it cool to room temperature. You can also refrigerate it to speed up the process, but let it come back to room temperature before beating in the butter.
- Beat with butter: In a stand mixer, beat the butter and salt until pale and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes). Gradually add the cooled pudding mixture, one tablespoon at a time, and beat until smooth and light.226 g Butter, ¼ tsp Salt
- Flavor and whip: Add vanilla and beat until light and airy. Your ermine frosting is ready to use.1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Notes
Tips for Success
- Cool the pudding completely before adding to the butter or the frosting will split.
- Whip your butter until light and fluffy for a more stable buttercream.
- If your frosting looks split or curdled, keep whipping—it usually comes back together.
- The pudding base should be thick like custard—not runny. If it’s too thin, cook it a bit longer.
- For extra smoothness, strain the cooked flour mixture before cooling.
Storage & Make-Ahead
- Store ermine frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Bring to room temperature before re-whipping.
- Not ideal for freezing, as texture may change.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
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Recipe is written wrong!!! Please fix it. You say it made by boiling mild flour and sugar. Instructions say flour and milk. Sugar and butter. I have to throw out my batch. Gritty
Camille – the milk and flour has to be cooked into a thick roux and set aside to cool. The butter and sugar are creamed until light and fluffy. This should take about 3 to 5 minutes.
If you do not cream long enough, the sugar will not dissolve and will result in a gritty frosting.
I made this and its gritty from the sugar. Tastes great though. I there a way to eliminate the grittyness?
You have to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, so that means you should not feel any grittiness. If it’s gritty, it means your sugar has yet to be creamed long enough. Alternatively, give your sugar a few pulses in the food processor to grind it finer so it will dissolve easily. Hope this helps.
HiI have two questions
1. Can I make the roux a night before and leave in refrigerator
2. If I need to make the cake and frost it a night before will the frosting be good the next day?
Thanks shani
No, Shani, the roux will set and become very lumpy once it cools. You must make it fresh and use it before the flour sets.
I made the frosting but didn’t put the plastic wrap to remove the skin and I mixed it in and there are lots of the roux in my frosting. is there any way I can get this out before using it?
Hey Kathy. The only way to remove them would be to pass them through a sieve! Similar to how we strain custard/pastry cream.
I’m wondering why the photo above, of the milk, says egg yolk?
An Ermine buttercream is an old-fashioned frosting. It’s the original frosting for Velvet Cakes – Red Velvet, White Velvet, etc. It’s used in the south for a couple of reasons – it’s the closest in texture to whipped cream, and it holds up the best in the southern heat.
It has been called many different names, including a Roux Frosting. This isn’t an accurate name since it is not made with a roux. A “roux” is a mixture of equal parts flour and fat, cooked together over low to medium heat, to create a uniform thickening agent that’s deployed to thicken sauces like gravies, Bolognese, Gumbo, etc. Gravy is made by adding stock and/or meat drippings to a roux.
There are options when it comes to the fat, but more often than not, a roux is made from either neutral oil (i.e. vegetable or canola) or unsalted butter. When used in soups, sauces, and casseroles a roux provides creaminess and density, helps incorporate other fatty ingredients like cream or cheese, and generally binds things together into a cohesive finished product.
It is not used as a base for any frosting.
Is it possible to reduce the sugar a little bit or will it turn out too runny?
This one is already less sweet so I usually don’t and have not tested it. But, you can try. It should still work.
It’s heart that you shared this wonder it’s great that you shared this wonderful frosting recipe . I m old enough to remember this recipe from way back . Not many people make it . So often people say that buttercream is too sweet . Well here’s the frosting for them . The original recipe that I have for Red Velvet cake uses this delicious frosting from the 50s . I’ve never made it with cream cheese for just that reason It is soooo rich and delicate .
Thank you, Kiki. Yes, it was a very common frosting back when my mom made cakes. I remember eating it out of the bowl with a spoon. We could never get enough!! Red velvet used to be a classic with Ermine before people started getting crazy over cream cheese in frostings.