Unlike traditional buttercream, this Fluffy Vanilla Frosting is silky smooth, much fluffier and far less sweet. The texture is closer to whipped cream, but unlike cream, this Frosting is stable for days. It pipes like a dream, as featured in Vanilla Cupcakes, and is straightforward to make.
Made without icing sugar / powdered sugar, this is actually an old fashioned frosting called “Ermine Frosting”. If you’ve never heard of it before, the ingredients and method will intrigue you!
SNAPSHOT: My Secret Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
Texture: Light and fluffy. Sits between buttercream and whipped cream, but more towards lightness of whipped cream. 100% smooth.
Sweetness and richness: Much less sweet than buttercream with 60% less sugar. In reality it is quite rich because it uses 225g/2 sticks of butter but it doesn’t taste rich because of the very fluffy, whipped cream-like texture.
Uses: Piped or spread onto cakes and cupcakes, or used in place of cream to dollop onto or on the side.
How it sets: At room temperature, it’s soft and fluffy but firm enough to be piped into tall swirls. In the fridge, it will set and become firmer, but not hard like butter. This frosting does not get a crust.
Storage: Keep covered in airtight container or cake dome. On counter on mild days up to about 22°C/71°F. Refrigerate on warmer days that makes butter melt.
Best served at: room temperature. If too cold, the frosting is firmer than ideal.
My secret Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
I call this my “secret” Vanilla Frosting because it’s not a widely known type of frosting and people are always flabbergasted when I tell them how it’s made using butter, milk, flour and sugar.
It’s my best all-rounder that’s a hit with everyone. Take a classic buttercream, in all its rich, sweet glory, and a lightly sweetened vanilla whipped cream, and this Vanilla Frosting sits squarely in the middle.
But unlike buttercream, it’s 100% silky smooth. And unlike whipped cream which deflates within hours, this Vanilla Frosting will hold a tall piped swirl for days and days.
This looks and pipes like buttercream, but it’s WAY less sweet and rich!
This frosting is actually an old fashioned frosting called Ermine Frosting. Also known as boiled-milk frosting, roux frosting and mock cream, none of these names sound particularly flash nor do they capture the magic of this frosting that has a cult following. Some declare it as the best frosting in the world!
About this Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
Though the proper name of this frosting is Ermine Frosting, I’m going to continue to call it Fluffy Vanilla Frosting because that’s exactly what it is – and it sounds a lot more flattering than the real name!😂
The method by which it is made will sound highly unusual: hot milk, flour and sugar is cooked on the stove until thickened into a thick custard texture, then once cool it becomes a thoroughly unappetising looking bowl of gluey-jelly which is then whipped into butter.
And this is when the ugly duckling transforms into a beautiful swan. Because suddenly, you’re staring into a bowl of what looks like whipped cream. Except….. you haven’t used cream at all. You touch it and know that it’s firm enough to pipe into sky-high swirls. You taste it, and it’s silky smooth. A cross between buttercream and whipped cream!
What you need for this Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
All you need is butter, flour, milk, sugar and vanilla. Flour?? I hear you query. YES. That is what thickens this into a frosting texture. I promise you will not detect even the faintest bit of flour once finished – not in texture and certainly not taste.
How to make my secret Less-Sweet Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
First, we make the roux. It’s just like how we start creamy-sauce savoury foods like Mac and Cheese – except it’s sweet, and we take it much further until it’s very thick.
Milk, sugar, flour – Stir the sugar and flour in a dry saucepan over medium heat – this just toasts the sugar lightly to bring out some flavour. Then slowly pour the warm milk in as you whisk (this avoids lumps)
Cook over medium heat until it thickens in a thick dolloping custard. The range of thickness possible is actually quite broad – I’ve made it way thicker and it still worked perfectly. In fact, the frosting holds its structure longer, and it pipes with sharper, more defined edges even though it is just as fluffy. Just don’t take it off when it’s still watery.
Scrape it into a bowl (“it” being a roux);
Cover roux with cling wrap, pressing onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming (or use paper if you’re plastic adverse) then very importantly, allow to fully cool otherwise it will melt the butter. It will become like a thick, pasty, thoroughly unappetising jelly and at this stage you will start doubting me. Have faith!
Cooling the roux / making ahead – I usually cool on counter for 20 minutes then refrigerate for 30 minutes or so to speed things up but don’t let it get fridge cold because otherwise it won’t mix together well with the room temp butter (because the temperatures are too different). You can also leave it overnight in the fridge but take it out about 1 hour prior to dechill it and bring to room temperature.
Now, we whip it up like any other frosting.
5. Beat butter until creamy – just for a couple of minutes. We don’t need it to become aerated because we will be whipping the combined mixture like you do whipped cream and at this stage it will fluff up more;
6. Add dollops of the roux, beating as you go. Take about 1 minute to add all the roux in, this will ensure your Frosting stays smooth;
7. Beat, beat, beat – Add vanilla and a pinch of salt for flavour, then beat for another 2 to 3 minutes, just like you’re whipping up a big bowl of cream; and
8. Voila! Your Fluffy Vanilla Frosting is done!
How to use this Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
Spreading and piping
Spread it onto cakes (like Vanilla Cake) and cupcakes Vanilla Cupcakes or Chocolate Cupcakes).
Or transfer to a piping bag and pipe sky-high swirls, as pictured throughout this post (Wilton 2D tip).
In fact, this frosting was the traditional frosting used for Red Velvet Cake! It was only in modern times that cream cheese frosting became the frosting of choice for Red Velvet.
You can pipe sky-high mounds of this frosting onto cupcakes, and you won’t find it sickly sweet like with buttercream!
Flavours and colouring
Treat it like your everyday buttercream – this frosting can be tinted and flavoured with concentrated flavouring.
To make it Chocolate flavoured, just whip in 1/4 cup cocoa powder at end. Melted chocolate doesn’t work as well because it weighs it down.
Note: I haven’t tried using fresh citrus like lemon, lime and orange to ensure it doesn’t split.
Storage
The butter in this frosting will require refrigeration if the temperature is warm enough for the butter to start softening – this causes the frosting to droop. I find that up to about 23°/73°F, this frosting is fine out on the counter.
If you are forced to refrigerate, make sure you take cakes out 1 1/2 hours prior to serving and cupcakes out 1 hour prior so they come to room temperature. The frosting firms up in the fridge (because the butter goes hard) which is not very pleasant to eat! You need the frosting to come to room temperature so it’s creamy and soft again. It will soften faster than fridge-cold butter because the fridge-cold frosting is not as hard as butter.
So, now you know my secret frosting recipe. 🙂 I’ve been making it for years, relishing in how people who ordinarily shy-away from sky high mounds of frosting have dived into it after I assured them that it’s way less sweet and rich than typical frostings.
Tell me what you think if you try it! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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My Secret Less-Sweet, Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp flour , plain/all purpose
- 1 cup white sugar , regular/granulated (can reduce to 1/2 cup, Note 1)
- 1 cup milk, warmed using any method , full fat best (but even 0% fat works)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 225g / 1 cup unsalted butter , softened but not too soft! (Note 3)
Chocolate Frosting option:
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened (Dutch processed best, if you can)
Instructions
Thickening Roux:
- Place flour and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
- While whisking constantly, slowly pour the milk in (this ensure it’s lump free).
- As the milk gets hotter, it will start to thicken – stir constantly so the base doesn’t catch.
- Cook until the mixture thickens in a thick, dolloping custard – see video for texture. TIP: Thicker texture = thicker frosting texture but won't make the frosting dense, it's still fluffy and spreadable but it just makes it "sturdier" with sharper edges when piped.
- Remove from heat and scrape into a bowl. Cover with cling wrap, pressing down onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
- Cool completely (I leave on counter for 20 min or so then refrigerate 30 min to speed up but don't let it get chilled, best at room temp to beat into butter). You can leave in fridge overnight but take it out 1 hour prior to using (to dechill – otherwise it won't mix well with softened butter).
Making the Fluffy Frosting:
- Place butter in a bowl and use either a handheld beater or stand mixer (with whisk attachment) to beat for 3 minutes until it's smooth and changes from yellow to very pale yellow, almost white.
- Now start whipping in the Thickening Roux. On speed 5 (medium), start adding the thick roux one heaped tablespoon at a time. Take about 1 minute to add it all.
- Once all added, add vanilla and salt, then whip for 2 to 3 minutes until you can see that it is still enough to hold peaks. Then it's ready to use!
Chocolate flavoured option:
- Beat in the cocoa powder at the end, just until mixed through.
Frosting cakes and cupcakes:
- Use it like any other frosting on cakes and cupcakes – either spread it on with a knife or put in a piping bag. You can pipe sky-high mounds and it will hold its form, as pictured on Vanilla Cupcakes in this post.
- See notes for storage / make ahead.
Recipe Notes:
- This frosting is best used straight after making.
- On cooler days (22C/71F or so), frosted cakes, cupcakes etc can stay out on the counter.
- On warmer days, it will need to be refrigerated – the butter is what will make the frosting droop. Take out of fridge 1 – 1.5 hrs before serving to bring so the frosting can soften (it firms up in the fridge due to the butter).
- The flour milk roux can be made the day before and refrigerated overnight, but then take it out of the fridge 1 hour prior to take the chill out of it, you want it at room temperature.
- Freezing – up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
When he literally DIVES in to inhale a cupcake and gets a big splodge of frosting on his nose that is JUST out of licking range….
I honestly thought I did it wrong I watched the video and I thought “mine doesn’t look right I’m gonna have to redo this” but NO it’s so good, so much better than buttercream, I love this recipe it’s gonna now be my girlfriend to frosting
Hi 👋
Do you recommend this frosting for a wedding cake ?
If not what would be the best frosting for a December in Sydney
Thank you 😊
I would do a buttercream! it’s a classic
This was SO delicious! This is a recipe I’ve been looking to find for years. When I was a kid my neighbor would make us our birthday cakes with the most delicious “buttercream”. I always tried to replicate her frosting but could never get it anywhere close. This recipe is EXACTLY what she used to make. Thank you thank you! The family loved this frosting on a cake I made.
I made it dairy free with Chobani oat milk and Country Crock plant butter. It came out to a caramel dip like consistency before adding the butter which still yielded an amazingly fluffy frosting.
Thanks so much.
Omg. This is the best frosting recipe I have ever tried. I made it with 1/2 of the sugar amount mentioned and it came out perfectly. I have already made it two times. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Your details and notes were excellent and the pictures helped a lot because of the roux. I have yet to test it on a cupcake to see how long the peaks will last but the taste is so delicious and doesn’t leave that greasy feel like some frostings do.
I made this a few days ago for an informal wedding cake for my nephew. It wasn’t the correct consistency. I’m still rating it 5 stars because i think it was my mistake. Maybe it was because I doubled it? Any idea if doubling it should work or not? It tasted pretty good, but it was not stiff enough. I definitely couldn’t have piped with it. I’d love to try it again. Any suggestions?
I am thinking of throwing in the towel with Ermine frosting after several attempts…I LOVE the taste, but I find it very finicky to work with, especially in warmer weather. I have concluded that temperature plays a significant factor in the success. The importance of not having too cold/warm butter or roux is crucial to success. I have carefully made the roux on slow heat until a very thick custard. But I still have instances where after whipping it is just too soft to pipe and end up putting it in the fridge for a while and then if left for 2 minutes too long in fridge it splits. Then you have to beat again for it to come together (and repeat the process again in warm weather). I have also increased the amount of flour slightly to get a firmer frosting, but it didn’t help much. I am awaiting Nagi’s Swiss meringue buttercream instructions in the mean time. 🙂 I will resort to only making Ermine frosting in cooler weather as everyone I serve it too say it is the best icing they have tasted since it isn’t too sweet or rich.
This is by far the best icing ever!
This is bomb! So easy to make and so easy to pipe. Can’t believe I have never made this before. Thanks again Nagi.
Can I add baking soda to this recipe? I feel as though these tastes as good.
They don’t puff up as much as other cupcakes I have made. I’ve made these plenty of times, but they seem on the smaller scale compared to all the other cupcakes I’ve made. They are still light and fluffy.
I made this and it was very soft so I put it in the fridge for a but then whipped it more after any piped onto cupcakes. As I was piping it started to split. I decided to mix it again for a long time hoping it would come together but it never did. What could of been the reason why it split?
This was a great frosting. Used on a cookie cake so it was a nice balance in the sweetness. Perfect and was a hit with the family!!
I had some gummy/wax like pieces in mine. What did I do wrong? I am not a baker! I am remaking tomorrow 🙂
I don’t know where I went wrong, but this didn’t taste very good.
I could taste the flour in it. I had to scrape it into the trash and get store bought.
Mersin don’t give up on this. It is absolutely delicious if you don’t like most overly sweet buttercream frostings. I’m not a baker either but did you constantly wisk the flour and sugar with warm milk on the stove? Maybe that is it? Good luck
I did too. I hate to dump it but there are many little beads that I cant scoop out all.
The first batch I made was flawlessly smooth.
???
Delicious frosting, my new go to frosting recipe! Easy preparation, just sweet enough and so creamy! Thank you Nagi !
This is the best buttercream frosting I have ever tasted. I halved the sugar quantity and instead of using granulated sugar, I used powdered sugar and the sweetness was perfect for my pallet as I do not like very sweet frosting.
Also, I substituted the vanilla essence with a banana flavoured one as I was using it to frost a banana cake. It was simply divine and smooth.
I am keeping this recipe for life!!!
Thank you for sharing
I never imagined that a flour-based buttercream would taste so delicious. I have to say after trying so many types of buttercream this by far is my favourite. Thank you for sharing it’s so yummy 😋
I used this recipe along with your vanilla cupcake recipe for coworkers as a halloween treat and everyone loved them! Only downside: I’m not sure where I went wrong but the frosting didn’t turn out as stiff as I would’ve liked. Still turned out decent and the flavor was great!
P.S. I will be trying this again and I will perfect it!!! Thanks for the challenge mama
Just wondering about a way to make it coffee flavoured for a mocha cake without jeopardizing the ratios of ingredients. Would love advice on this.
You could try prepping the milk before hand. Steep coffee beans or a little instant coffee in the milk, then let it cool completely and just use the milk as instructed in the recipe. Should be yummy!
I’d suggest dissolving instant coffee into your warm milk before adding it to the flour and sugar. Use 1-3 teaspoons of instant coffee depending on how strong you want the coffee flavor.
The less sweet cooking frosting my mom has made for over 60 yrs now. I make it all the time my family loves it. We have. Always called it bakery shop icing.
I’m a total baking newbie. I tried this recipe to ice your Vanilla Cake Recipe!. I don’t care for super sweet icing so I reduced the sugar to 1/2 heaping cup and it was delish! It didn’t make enough to completely cover the 2 layer cake so next time I will double it!