Ermine Frosting is an easy and delicious buttercream made with flour, sugar, milk, and butter. It may sound a little strange but, trust me, it’s delicious!
I may never go back to Swiss Meringue Buttercream again.
I can’t believe I’m saying that, but it’s true! And I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to try Ermine buttercream. I don’t know why I thought it would be complicated to get right. It’s the easiest frosting I’ve made aside from American buttercream.
What Is Ermine Frosting?
Ermine Frosting is an old fashioned French-inspired buttercream recipe. It’s also known as flour buttercream, heritage frosting, or boiled milk frosting.
The first step is cooking the flour, sugar, and milk into a thick paste (or roux). The texture is similar to pudding.
Once that’s cooled, you add it to your whipped butter… and that’s it! Super easy and delicious. The frosting is silky smooth and not too sweet.
Ermine buttercream was traditionally the frosting used on a Red Velvet Cake, though cream cheese frosting is more popular with it these days.
How to make Ermine Frosting
Making flour buttercream is very simple. The process is similar to that of German Buttercream, but it requires fewer steps.
STEP #1 – MAKE THE ROUX/Pudding
Place the flour, sugar, and salt into a medium pot. Whisk to combine.
Add milk and vanilla.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils. Continue cooking while stirring constantly for 1-2 more minutes until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency.
Step #2 – Cover and Cool
Pour into a bowl and place plastic wrap directly on top of the mixture to prevent a skin from forming. Cool to room temperature.
You can make this a day in advance and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature again before using in the buttercream.
If you’d like to cool it faster you can pour it onto a plate instead and cover it in plastic wrap. Or pop it into the fridge once it’s cooled a bit. But be sure it bring it to room temperature if it gets too cold.
STEP #3 – BEAT BUTTER UNTIL PALE & FLUFFY
Whip it for a good 3+ minutes on high. I use a paddle attachment because I like that mine scrapes the sides of the bowl, but you can use the whisk attachment if you prefer.
STEP #4 – ADD FLOUR MIXTURE
Slowly add the (room temperature) flour mixture, about 1 Tbsp at a time, while the butter is whipping. This is kind of like adding butter to a Swiss meringue buttercream. Incorporate it slowly.
STEP #5 – WHIP UNTIL FLUFFY AND SMOOTH
Once all of the mixture is incorporated, whip the buttercream on high for 2-3 minutes until it is smooth and fluffy. Add any other flavorings.
If you feel like your buttercream is too soft at this point (mine was), pop the whole bowl into the fridge for 20-30mins (or freezer for 10mins) and give it a good rewhip.
It should be perfectly pipeable.
Flavoring Flour Buttercream
You have a few options when it comes to flavoring the buttercream. You can infuse the milk — I talk about this a bit in my Pastry Cream post — or you can add flavor at the end. Here are some options:
Add either to the milk mixture before cooking or to the buttercream at the end:
- 1/4 cup freeze-dried berry powder
- 1/4 cup peanut butter powder
- 2 Tbsp instant espresso powder
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
Add to the buttercream at the end:
- 6 oz cooled, melted chocolate (will make the buttercream softer)
- 2 Tbsp instant espresso powder dissolved in 1 tsp hot water (cool before adding)
- 1/4 cup caramel or dulce de leche (will make the buttercream softer)
- 1/4 cup lemon curd (will make the buttercream softer)
Another option for lemon or any other citrus is to beat the butter with 1 Tbsp citrus zest before adding the pudding.
Does Ermine Frosting need to be Refrigerated?
Like most buttercreams, Ermine frosting will be fine at room temperature for a day or so; beyond that, it should be refrigerated.
I like to store mine in an airtight container in the fridge, but if I’m freezing it I spread the buttercream on a large sheet of plastic wrap, wrap it up, flatten it, and place it in a freezer bag.
Bring it to room temperature and give it a good rewhip before use. Be sure it’s completely at room temperature (but not too soft) before rewhipping. See troubleshooting section below if you run into issues.
Troubleshooting Ermine Buttercream
Ermine frosting is easy to make, but you can run into issues with it at times. As with all buttercream recipes, it’s important that your ingredients are at room temperature (but not too warm/soft) or this can wreak havoc on your buttercream.
Here are some common problems as well as my tips and suggestions on how to avoid/fix them:
- My frosting is too soft. This happens either if your butter is too soft or the flour mixture was still warm. Pop the whole bowl and whisk into the fridge for 20mins (or freezer for 10mins) and rewhip. Depending on how warm it was, you may need a couple of sessions in the fridge.
- My frosting is curdled. If your butter or flour mixture are too cold, this can cause the buttercream to curdle. If you keep whipping it, it will come together.
- My buttercream still looks curdled. If whipping didn’t get it to come together, you need to warm it up a bit. You can do this by either placing the bowl briefly over a pot with 1-2″ simmering water, or warm the sides of the bowl with a hairdryer. You can also try to microwave 1/4 cup of the buttercream for a few seconds then drizzle it back into the buttercream with the mixer until it comes together.
- It’s too sweet. You can add a bit more salt to help cut the sweetness, or cut back on the sugar next time you make it.
- The buttercream gets hard in the fridge. This is normal. Just like the butter it’s made from, it will firm up to the consistency of butter in the fridge. When you let it come to room temperature it will soften again.
- It tastes too buttery. The buttercream should be light and fluffy, not thick and greasy. If yours tastes like you’re eating a stick of butter, it probably just needs some more whipping.
Ermine Frosting FAQ
- Can I make it in advance? Yes. The frosting can be placed in an airtight container and refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for 3 months. Bring to room temperature and rewhip before using.
- How do I make it more/less sweet? You can reduce or add sugar to the recipe if you’d like to adjust the sweetness. You can also add powdered sugar at the end to add more sweetness or stiffen it up. It will change the texture though.
- How do I flavor it? Refer to the Flavoring Flour Buttercream section above.
- Can I color it? Yes! Just add color like you would to any buttercream recipe. I recommend color gels or powder for best results.
- Can I make it Gluten-free? Yes. Just use your favorite GF flour blend.
Ermine buttercream is perfect for those of you who don’t like the sweetness/gritty texture of American buttercream but want something a little easier than a meringue buttercream.
It is a little softer than meringue buttercreams, but I found it very easy to work with and easy to pipe. You just might need to chill it for a bit if you find it too soft.
The buttercream has a yellow tint to it due to the butter, but you can check out this post on How to Make White Buttercream.
I’m so excited for you guys to try this one. Let me know how you like it!
Looking for more tutorials?
- How to Make Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- How to Make German Buttercream (Custard Buttercream)
- How To Make Ganache
- How to Make Pastry Cream
- How to Bake Flat Cakes
- How to Make White Buttercream
Tips for making this Ermine Frosting
- This recipe makes enough to frost and decorate a two-layer 8″ cake or a three-layer 6″ cake.
- Make sure your flour mixture and butter are both at room temperature before combining.
- The frosting can be placed in an airtight container and refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for 3 months. Bring to room temp and rewhip before using.
- Learn how to keep your cakes moist using Simple Syrup.
- To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, check out my How to Bake Flat Cake Layers post!
Ermine Frosting (Flour Buttercream)
Ingredients
Ermine Buttercream:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- pinch salt
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
- other flavoring optional (see Notes)
Instructions
Ermine Buttercream:
- Place sugar, flour, and salt into a medium saucepan. Whisk to combine.
- Add milk and vanilla, stir to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils. Continue cooking while stirring constantly for 1-2 more minutes until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency. Remove from heat.
- Pour into a bowl and place plastic wrap directly on top of to prevent a skin from forming.
- Cool to room temperature.*
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the (room temperature) butter on high until pale and fluffy (3 mins).
- Add the (room temperature) pudding mixture 1 Tbsp at a time, incorporating well after each addition. Add other flavoring (optional). Beat for 2-3mins until smooth and fluffy.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. Allow buttercream to come to room temperature and rewhip before use.
Notes
- 1/4 cup freeze-dried berry powder
- 1/4 cup peanut butter powder
- 2 Tbsp instant espresso powder
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 6 oz cooled, melted chocolate (will make the buttercream softer)
- 2 Tbsp instant espresso powder dissolved in 1 tsp hot water (cool before adding)
- 1/4 cup caramel or dulce de leche (will make the buttercream softer)
- 1/4 cup lemon curd (will make the buttercream softer)
Mary DeNunzio says
I made this with half butter, half shortening and it was still delish! Wanted a little more stability
Olivia says
Hi Mary! That’s great, thanks for the tip!
Sandy says
I have been making this frosting since I was a child. I had no idea this is what is was called. We always called it white frosting. This frosting is always a hit.
Olivia says
So happy you love it Sandy!
Nozipho says
Thank you so much for an easy recipe. I tried it today using a hand mixer. It tastes great but it looks airy. What can be the reason? Do I need to maybe put it in a stand mixer with paddle attachment and rewhip?
Olivia says
Hi Nozipho! Does it feel soft? Like it could use a bit of time in the fridge? Otherwise perhaps the hand mixer whipped in too much air. You can try to knock some out by stirring it with a spatula or put it in your stand mixer and mix on low with a paddle for a few minutes.
Rebecca says
Just made this for a cake for my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary. It is a lovely, silky texture and great to pipe.
I do find it very sweet though. Do you know of any reason why I couldn’t decrease the amount of sugar in the “pudding” for next time?
Thanks you for sharing your beautiful cakes and recipes!
Olivia says
Hi Rebecca! So happy you loved it. You could totally reduce the sugar no problem!
Erin says
I can’t wait to try this! I love IMBC but it definitely takes time. Do you think I could add pureed strawberries to the milk and cook it into the pudding for a strawberry flavor? I don’t have any freeze-dried powders and I’ll be baking today.
Olivia says
Hi Erin! I would not add strawberry puree as it will thin out the pudding. It would require some experimentation (maybe less milk, maybe more flour) to ensure it’s as thick as it needs to be. The frosting is already a bit on the softer side. FD powder would be ideal for sure!
Erin says
Thanks Liv! I decided I had time to experiment. I made a half recipe and used 3/4 cup strawberry puree and 1/4 cup of milk. It was fantastic on your lemon cake with lemon curd filling!
Olivia says
Oh, perfect! Thanks for the update 😀
Jessica McManus says
Help! My frosting looks nothing like yours, it’s very runny–almost like a thick yogurt. I could make it work to simply ice my cake but it would be impossible to pipe with. What did I do wrong?? Will it thicken if I chill it?
Olivia says
Hi Jessica! Did you completely cool the flour mixture and was it thick like a pudding? Sounds like it just needs some time in the fridge. I give tips on that in my post.
Kara Leistyna says
It’s a nice, creamy and slightly sweet frosting but beware on a humid, not day — melts quickly. Easy to make though. I frosted the lemon blueberry cake with lemon curd filling. YUM.
Olivia says
Hi Kara! I agree it can get soft faster than other buttercreams. So happy you loved it! 🙂
Passant Elkadi says
Hello dear, thank you for the lovely recipe.. this recipe is enough for which cake size please.. filling and coating?
Olivia says
Hi Passant! The recipe makes enough to frost a 2-layer 8″ cake.
Tamara says
I was so excited about this but I’ve had no luck getting the pudding to the right texture. I would be forever grateful for a video 🤞🏼
Olivia says
Hi Tamara! I’m sorry to hear you’re having trouble with this one. What is happening with your pudding? Did you make any substitutions?
Pat Roser says
Just want to say thank you for this lovely recipe. I made this for the first time today and everyone who has tried it has raved about the silky velvety feel in the mouth. I for one will never use anything else if I can help it. 💖
Pat Roser says
Just want to say thank you for this beautiful recipe. Most Australians dislike because it is gritty and fatty but I made this for the first time today and everyone who has tried it has raved about the silky velvety feel in the mouth. I for one will never use anything else if I can help it. 💖
Olivia says
Hi Pat! I’m so happy you loved it. Thank you so much for the feedback! <3
Alice says
Just tried this recipe and I LOVE it! It tastes so good that at this rate there may not be any left to cover my cake with! It is a little bit soft, but seems to be firming up well in the fridge. Can’t wait to assemble the cake! 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Alice! So happy you love it. Thanks for the feedback!
Debby says
Hi
Please can you tell me whether Ermine frosting is good for making roses?
Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Debby! It is a bit softer than other buttercreams but you can chill it and rewhip to get it to a more firm consistency. I was able to pipe it without issue.
Alyssa says
Can this be made gluten free??
Olivia says
Hi Alyssa! Yes, I mention that in the post. You just need to use a GF flour blend.
Anne says
I’ve been making this frosting for 35 years. It has such a lovely texture and taste. I’ve even frosted an entire wedding cake with it!! With rave reviews!! Although I’ve known of its many names the recipe I have is simply named French Cream. The other thing I love about this frosting is it holds up beautifully in very warm weather. Better than any other frosting I’ve ever used.
Olivia says
Hi Anne! French Cream sounds way nicer than Ermine or Flour frosting. I might have to call it that too 🙂 Good to know you’ve had success with it in warm weather too!
Arlenne says
Hi Olivia, do you have any suggestions or comments for flavoring this buttercream with extracts or cordials (liquids)?
Olivia says
Hi Arlenne! I would add those to the milk mixture before cooking it. You could add them at the end to the buttercream, but that might make it too soft depending on how much you want to add. If only 1 tsp or so it will work fine either way 🙂
Meme says
Hi
This looks interesting. Can you tell me how much extra sugar I can add at the beginning without affecting the texture of the buttercream. I don’t want to make it gritty like American buttercream but I do want a sweet buttercream. Thank you !!
Olivia says
Hi Meme! The sugar will all dissolve during the cooking stage. You could try increasing it to 2 cups, but I would give it a try first and then add powdered sugar at the end of you like a sweeter frosting 🙂
Rakhee says
Hi Olivia,
You comment says that the sugar could be increased to 2 cups…. but the recipe originally says 2 cups. Could you pls clarify… I personally am not fond of very sweet buttercream. So how much sugar should I use ?
We live in a very hot and humid weather… so will this frosting hold the piped decorations on the cake ?
Thanks 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Rakhee! Huh, good catch. I’m not really sure what I was talking about there, maybe I meant 3 cups?? It’s a typo at any rate and thanks for catching that 🙂 If you don’t like a super sweet buttercream then I would use the recipe as is. However, this is not a good frosting for hot/humid weather. It’s quite soft at room temperature and am not sure how it would hold up being piped in high temperatures.
Prudence says
Hello! Thanks for the recipe, I would like to try it out. Can you pls put the measurements in grams as I am not sure of your measuring cups mine is 250ml
Olivia says
Hi Prudence! There is a metric converter below the list of ingredients.
Judith says
Hi, is there a conversion for metric (grams( as I’m in the UK and we don’t work in cups etc please? Thank you x
Olivia says
Hi Judith! There is a metric converter below the list of ingredients 🙂
Pat says
I tried your recipe as I usually just do my cornstarch and milk, yours would not thicken even adding more flour. Help?
Olivia says
Hi Pat! That’s strange, did you make any adjustments to the recipe? It should thicken quite a bit. Did it come to a boil?
Bette Donaldson says
My favorite part of cake is the icing: this looks so good.
Olivia says
Aww, thank you!! <3 It's my fave too 🙂