Light & Fluffy Ermine Frosting (Less Sweet)

Ermine Frosting is made by cooking milk, sugar, and flour into a roux. This roux is then added to whipped butter, which creates a rich and creamy, yet light, airy, and fluffy buttercream that is less sweet than traditional buttercreams.

Often referred to as boiled milk frosting or flour frosting, this is no new buttercream. It has been here for many years but recently has gained some renewed popularity.

So, yes, this is an old-fashion buttercream. I grew up calling this boiled flour frosting until I became a professional cake decorator. My mom would make this for cupcakes. In fact, it was often her default for cupcakes. Because it is light, airy, very fluffy, and best of all, less sweet than American buttercream.

About this frosting

• The process may sound weird, but if you've made a roux, pudding, or custard before, then it's very similar. Cooking milk, sugar, and flour becomes a thickening agent that then emulsifies with the butter to create this creamy, velvet-like light and airy frosting.
• Unlike meringue buttercream, this one does not have eggs, so it's also an eggless frosting.
• Today, I am frosting my white cake recipe with it. And yet, you can use this on any of my cupcakes or cake recipes. Red velvet is absolutely delicious with this frosting and so is my moist chocolate cake. So, here's another addition to my 50 plus frosting recipes on this blog.
• You can replace some of the butter in this frosting with cream cheese to make a cream cheese ermine frosting.

Ingredients and substitutes

• Butter - I always use unsalted butter and butter that is white in color. The color of your frosting will depend on the color of the butter.
• Sugar - this frosting is less sweet than regular frosting but you can add up to ½ cup additional sugar. Alternatively, you can taste the buttercream and add a few tablespoons of powdered sugar to bring to your taste.
• Flour - I am using all-purpose flour. I think that works best for this.
• Milk - I like to use full-fat milk of about 3%. Using low-fat milk will make a very thin consistency buttercream which might not be easy to spread.

Step by step instructions

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• Make the roux - In a saucepan, combine sugar, flour, salt, and milk. Place over medium-low heat stirring constantly.
  Pro tip - before you place on heat use a whisk to ensure you have no lump in the milk. Otherwise, the roux will be lumpy.
• Cook until you have a thick smooth paste for about 5 to 7 mins. Remove from heat and transfer to a cool bowl.
  Pro tip - transferring to a clean bowl will ensure the mixture stops cooking and prevent lumps.

• Cover with plastic wrap making sure the plastic touches the top surface of the roux. Set aside to cool completely.
  Pro tip - roux like this can crust and form a skin very quickly similar to custard which can be very lumpy later in the frosting so cover immediately.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, cream the butter for a minute until light and fluffy.
  Pro tip - when whipped the butter will lighter in color as air will be incorporated into it.
• Gradually add the cooled roux - one tablespoon at a time. Making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl for any butter stuck to the bowl.

• Once all the milk paste/roux has been added, whip the buttercream for 2 full minutes until light and fluffy.
  Pro tip- it is important to whip the buttercream so you have a consistency similar to whipped cream. Otherwise it mixture will be very soft and won't be easy to frost.
• Finally, add the vanilla extract and any other flavoring if desired.

Frosting a cake

• This frosting is best used when just made as it's smooth and creamy.
• If it is too soft, place it in the fridge for a few minutes, then re-whip it again.
• Use an offset spatula for the top and a bench scraper to smooth the sides of the cake.

What can you do with this frosting?

There is so much you can do with ermine frosting. And yet, there are limitations to its uses. For example:

• You can use it to fill and frost cakes and cupcakes.
• It works great to pipe borders and patterns on the cake.
• But, you cannot pipe buttercream flowers as the frosting is too soft. For that, you will still have to use my stiff buttercream for making flowers.
• Ermine frosting is perfect on the day it is made. After that, the flour in the frosting thickens and you end up with lumpy frosting.
• This is not the frosting to use under fondant. It's too soft even after you chill it it does not become hard.

More frosting recipes

• American buttercream
• Swiss meringue buttercream.
• Italian meringue butterceam
• French buttercream
• German buttercream

Frequently asked questions

How to flavor Ermine frosting

The frosting is soft, so it's best to use fruit powders instead of fruit purees.

• Chocolate - Add 2 tbsp cocoa powder to make a chocolate Ermine frosting. Add at the end of the whipping.
• Add 2 tbsp fruit powder such as strawberry, raspberry, berry at the end of the final whipping.
• Peanut butter - you can use ¼ cup peanut butter but it will make the frosting softer. 
• Others - you can add 50 grams of melted chocolate, ¼ cup caramel sauce, dulce de leche, lemon curd.  It will make the frosting softer (still delicious).

How much buttercream frosting do I need for my cake?

This is a general guide I use for my cakes. Note I have given you the filling and frosting separately so you can choose to use another filling with your buttercream. If you choose to fill and frost the cake with this - you can use the last column/total. The amount is in cups - 1 kgs frosting makes about 8 cups

Round	Square	Layers	Filling	Frosting	Total
6-inch	5-inch	2	1.5 C	2.5 C	4.5 C
8-inch	6-inch	2	2 C	4 C	6 C
9-inch	7-inch	2	2.5 C	5 C	7.5 C
10-inch	8-inch	2	3 C	6 C	9 C
12-inch	10-inch	2	5 C	8 C	13 C
14-inch	12-inch	2	7 C	10 C	17 C
Sheet	9x13x2	1	2 C	5 C	12 C
Tube	9-inch	1		4 C	4 C
Cupcake		12		3 C	3 C

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