Whipped Buttercream Frosting is the best frosting ever! This flour frosting (ermine frosting) is made without powdered sugar. It has the rich creaminess of a buttercream & the light, airy texture of a whipped cream frosting without being too sweet!
This Whipped Buttercream Frosting recipe pretty much blew my mind. I’m not a big frosting person; most buttercream frostings are just ok, and I can take them or leave them.
Well, this buttercream frosting is amazing, and it uses (are you ready for this?) granulated sugar!
Yep! Regular, old granulated sugar. So, if you’ve ever wondered how to make frosting without powdered sugar, this is it!
Don’t worry – it’s not gritty at all. In fact, this ermine frosting has the texture of a light whipped cream with the flavor of a sweet, vanilla buttercream.
It’s honestly the best frosting (buttercream or otherwise) that I’ve ever had. It’s sweet but isn’t overwhelmingly, make-your-teeth-ache sweet.
I’ve put answers to a lot of the questions I’ve received in the recipe notes. Please take a second to read through those notes before making the frosting.
How to make frosting without powdered sugar
Step 1 Whisk the milk and flour together in a small heavy saucepan before beginning to heat.
Step 2 Once combined, heat the mixture over medium-low heat until it has thickened. At this point, it should be the consistency of a thick paste.
Step 3 Remove from heat, and stir in the vanilla extract.
Step 4 Let the mixture cool to room temperature before continuing. This step is key. If the mixture is warm, it will cause the butter to warm up, and you’ll end up with a thin, runny frosting.
Step 5 In a separate large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and salt together on medium-high to high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Be sure to scrape down the sides to avoid gritty frosting.
Step 6 Add the completely cooled milk/flour mixture to the beaten butter/sugar mixture, and beat on medium-high to high for 5 minutes. It may look separated at first, but keep whipping the frosting until it is light and fluffy.
FAQs
This recipe has been posted for nearly 10 years. During that time, I’ve made and re-made this frosting countless times to be able to answer the thousands of questions that I’ve received. Here are some answers to the most commonly asked questions.
The recipe will make enough to frost a 2 layer 9-inch round cake or 24 cupcakes.
I recommend chilling any unused or leftover frosting because of the high dairy content.
This recipe uses granulated sugar instead of powdered sugar to make frosting.
I’ve used almond milk to make this frosting, and it worked well.
I’ve tried this recipe with skim milk, 1% milk, 2% milk, whole milk, and nondairy milk. I’ve successfully made the frosting with all of those types of milk. However, using whole milk will give you a richer, creamier frosting than using skim milk.
I’ve tried the recipe with both salted butter and with unsalted butter + salt. I prefer the version with the salted butter because the unsalted butter + salt version tastes flatter.
You can. Clear vanilla doesn’t have as much flavor as pure vanilla extract, so you may find that you need to use more clear vanilla for the frosting to have as much flavor.
You can! Feel free to substitute another type of flavoring or extract for the vanilla.
You can! I’ve used both gel and regular food dye. Both have worked well. If you’re going to use a large quantity of food coloring, I would recommend a gel to avoid making the frosting runny.
I’ve doubled this recipe. It filled my 5 quart stand mixer, so be sure to use a larger mixing bowl.
I use regular granulated sugar. Using a larger grain (natural) sugar can give you gritty frosting. If you’re worried about the frosting ending up gritty, you can give the sugar a couple of zips in a blender or food processor to break it down.
Yes, you can use an equal amount of vanilla bean paste in place of the vanilla extract to make vanilla bean buttercream.
I’ve frozen cupcakes that were frosted with this frosting. They froze and thawed beautifully.
What flavors of cake go well with this frosting?
This frosting has a light, sweet vanilla flavor that works well with a number of cake flavors. Here are a few ideas!
- Red velvet – This type of frosting with the classic frosting for red velvet cake.
- Chocolate cake
- Carrot cake – Cream cheese frosting is the classic carrot cake frosting, but you could get adventurous and try out vanilla for a change.
- Zucchini cake
- Spice cake
- White cake
Can I make this frosting in other flavors?
You can! Here are some of the different flavors of this frosting that I’ve made.
Troubleshooting tips
- First, not cooking the milk mixture long enough. The mixture should be a thick paste. If it’s too wet, the frosting will be too loose.
- Second, the cooked milk mixture needs to cool completely. If it’s too warm, it will melt the butter, and you’ll end up with loose frosting that doesn’t come together.
- Third, using butter that’s too warm. The butter should be at cool room temperature. It should dent if pushed, but it shouldn’t be too warm and certainly not beginning to melt.
- Fourth, using other types of sugars. This frosting needs to be made with granulated sugar, not powdered sugar.
- Fifth, not whipped the frosting long enough. The frosting needs to be whipped to get the right light and airy texture. Cutting the time short could leave you with a grainy frosting or a frosting that separates.
- If your frosting is still a little gritty after beating it for 5 minutes, go ahead and add the cooled milk/flour mixture. That will usually smooth out any remaining sugar.
- A couple people have reported that a film has formed on their milk/flour mixture. I haven’t had this happen, but another person said that she’s had good luck with blending the milk/flour mixture with a blender before cooking it. She said that it removed any lumps and helped prevent a skin from forming.
If you’ve tried this whipped buttercream frosting recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!
You can SUBSCRIBE to receive my latest recipe newsletters or FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for even more delicious food.
Whipped Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 ½ tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups salted butter at cool room temperature1
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk together over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. It will be the consistency of a thick paste2. Make sure that you whisk the flour and milk together well before you begin cooking it to avoid lumps.
- Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. This step is key. If your mixture is warm, it will melt your butter, and you’ll end up with runny frosting.
- Stir in vanilla.
- While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter, sugar, and salt together until light and fluffy on medium high-high3, about 5 minutes4. Make sure that you scrape down the sides and really incorporate the butter and sugar to avoid gritty frosting.
- Then add the completely cooled milk mixture.
- Beat it for about 5 more minutes on medium-high to high until it looks like whipped cream. It may look separated at first, so keep beating it until it comes together and looks like a whipped cream.
Video
Notes
- Make sure that your butter isn’t too warm! The butter should be at cool room temperature. You want it to dent if you press it, but you don’t want it to be so warm that it’s near melting.
- When cooking the milk/flour mixture, you don’t want it to look wet. It should be like a thick paste. If it’s wet and runny, your frosting will be too loose.
- If you’re using a hand mixer, beat it on high. This recipe work well with a stand mixer because it has the power to really whip the frosting.
- Please don’t cut the mixing time short! I know it’s tempting, but it’s important to beat the butter and sugar together for the time the recipe calls for to keep it from being gritty. If you cut the mixing times short, you won’t end up with the right texture of frosting.
- To get the best flavor, you’ll want to use real butter and pure vanilla extract.
- Want to try a buttercream made with powdered sugar instead? Here is my favorite vanilla buttercream frosting that’s made with powdered sugar.
- I recommend chilling any leftover frosted cake or cupcakes.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
Share it with me on Instagram @i_heart_eating and follow on Youtube @katedean and Pinterest @katedean for more!
More frosting recipes that are made without powdered sugar!
This recipe was originally published on 12/22/12. It was updated with new pictures on 7/25/16. Updated again on 2/10/22 with additional information and tips.
Reader Interactions
Love this recipe?
Share your thoughts below and let’s chat! Make sure to connect with me on your favorite social platform below and show me what you made!
Comments & Reviews
PC Goh says
Awesome…I tried it for the first time and it turned out better than my expectation. It’s smooth (not grainy) and not too sweet and firm enough to pipe on cupcakes. However, I modified the recipe by using half all purpose flour and half corn flour. Thank you Kate!
Kate says
I’m so glad!! Interesting! I’ll have to try that next time I make it. Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment! =D
Tinju says
Hi.. Thanks for this awesome recipe. Please let me know if I can add fondant accents to this frosting.
Tinju says
And can I do delicate designs like filigree with it/on it?
Thank you!
Kate says
I’m not sure! I haven’t ever tried adding fondant accents, but maybe someone else will be of more help. Good luck!
simisola says
Wow!!!, very delicious buttercream recipe!!! I was skeptical about using flour and milk batter to make buttercream but, it turned out amazing!!!…..thanks so much kate for sharing this recipe. Its my all time favorite now!!!
Kate says
Thank you so much!! I’m so glad that you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment! =)
Isabella says
Hi Kate. Do you have a video of this whipped buttercream? If so, can you send me a link to it. I have not made buttercream with flour in it but I do want to try as your cupcakes look yummy. Thank you.
Isabella
Kate says
Hi, Isabella! I don’t. I’m just starting to make videos, and I haven’t had a chance to make one for this recipe yet. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask! =)
Kate
Lisa pham says
Did you use salted or unsalted butter? Thanks In advance!
Kate says
I prefer salted butter in this frosting. =)
jessica says
My nephew is really getting into baking and I’m looking for recipes for other butter cream frosting cause he uses the Wilton buttercream and it’s too sweet and hard.. this recipe looks good. But I had a question. Does the TV Stand for tea spoon or tablespoons??
Kate says
This one definitely isn’t hard! In my recipes, T= tablespoon and tsp= teaspoon. If you have any other questions, please let me know!
Dianna says
This is my all time favorite buttercream ever! I could seriously eat a bowl of it on my own. I’m wanting to make this into a strawberry cream type filling. Any suggestions? THANK YOU!
Kate says
I would guess that adding a strawberry flavor instead of the vanilla or part of the vanilla would be the easiest way. Mashed fruit would be delicious, but I’m not sure what that would do to the consistency. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out! =)
Sarah says
Hello, I would love to try this recipe and I’m curious as to The color of the icing. I’m a beginner and since this calls for butter I’m assuming it will not be white icing, is that correct?
Looking to get a white icing.
any ideas?
Thanks
Thank you!
Kate says
The end frosting is actually white. Here is another pic of this frosting – https://www.ihearteating.com/2012/12/16/white-cupcakes-wedding-cupcakes/. Just make sure that you use clear vanilla. Otherwise, it will end up with a bit of color from all of the vanilla.
Bishara says
Hey I want to make this frosting, but I don’t have butter I only have ‘I cant believe its not butter ‘ and I think that is a margarine . What would happen if I used that instead of real butter .
Kate says
It’s not going to work the same way. The water content is different in spreads like ICBINB, which is one of the reasons that they’re soft and spreadable. Sorry, but your best bet would be to wait until you have real butter for this one.
Celess says
Thank you so much! Best frosting I’ve ever made and I’ve made A LOT!! I cut the recipe in half and it worked perfectly. I’ll be using this recipe for ever and always. Most people don’t understand the difference between a gourmet cupcake and regular cupcakes. This frosting is gourmet all the way! Light, fluffy, with a bit of sweetness, not too buttery or lard-tasting that the top of your mouth is greasy…. absolutely wonderful! Used this on my dark chocolate, cookie dough filled cupcakes today, and my favorite part is the frosting now that I’ve found this recipe! ;) Thank you. XOXO
Kate says
So glad that you like it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment! =)
Beckie says
I used this frosting when I made my son’s classroom birthday cupcakes. My son came home and said the class unanimously decided I made the best cupcakes ever! Uh-oh, sorry other Mom’s. :)
Kate says
Awww! So glad that they liked them! =)
QUENTIN says
HI KATE! I absolutely love this frosting, I have a coffee shop and use this on all my cupcakes. It is very, very good. I added another couple of spoons of flour to the milk and whisked it a bit longer, it makes for a bit thicker frosting and does not separate, My cupcakes are kept at room temp all day long and looks and tastes lovely! also if you have extra keep it in the fridge and Wisk it again as soon as it is at room temp the next tome you need to use it. what a wonderful frosting, I also use different flavorings and colors !
Kate says
So glad that you like it! Also, thanks for letting me know that you keep them at room temp! I get lots of questions about using this, so that helps! =)
Hala says
Hello.. perhaps you can share with us the colors you use and at what stage you add the flavors.
Thank you,
Amanda says
Hi Kate, I love this recipe. I have a question, how many tablespoons of flour should I add to the milk to makes frosting thickness for cake decorating. Thanks!
Kate says
Hi! The cake will work for basic piping as is. I’ve heard from other people who have used it for decorating, but I haven’t tried it beyond basic piping. I would suggest trying it as-is first because it may work the way it’s written. GL! =)
Myriam says
OMG!! This buttercream is amazing! It was quite easy to make, I’ve divided the recipe in 3 to have 3 shades of pink and made an ombre cake. It was not only beautiful but DELICIOUS! Not too sweet, which was perfect! Will definitely stick to this recipe for the future! Thank you so much!
Kate says
Thanks!! So glad that you liked it! =)
PS What a great idea! Your cake sounds so pretty!
Sierra says
Hi I saw there were a LOT of comments but this was from years ago so sorry if it’s a repeat. I’m just wondering if this icing consistency is stiff enough to pipe/ design a cake. Like Not just to ice it, but to do stuff on top. Thanks!
Kate says
I have heard that it is! I’m not much of a decorator, but people have said that they have been able to pipe with it. =)
Tabitha says
i am wondering if it would be just as good with Whipping cream instead of milk?
Kate says
I’m not sure! It would certainly be richer. I know that whipping cream whips up differently milk, but I’ve never tried it. If you do, please let me know how it turns out!
Erin says
I love this frosting so much. I’ve made it numerous times since finding the recipe 2 years ago. I have had separation issues but I love it so much I just try again and normally the 2nd time works. Have you ever tried to make it ahead of time, freeze it, thaw it, and use? Just curious if that would work or if the separation might occur? Hope to hear back from you! Thanks for such a great recipe!
Kate says
I’m glad that you like it! I’ve never tried to freeze it. If you try it, please let me know how it works out!
Denise says
I was making test cakes for a wedding and I needed to see how this would do being made, frozen, rewhipped then used. It worked great! I brought it to almost room temp first then whipped it. It did separate at first but after a few mins it came together. It may have been just a touch looser than before but I live in Hawaii so that could have been a temperature thing. I’m using this as the cake filling with a bunch of coconut flakes in it :D
Dawn says
Oh my!!! This is the best frosting I have ever made :) This will be the frosting of choice from now on. Thank you for sharing!
Kate says
I’m so glad you liked it! =)
Cat says
I have been searching for and trying many buttercream frosting recipes over the last couple of years, trying to find the perfect, fluffy, not too sweet icing. I had about given up, then I found this recipe. There are not enough adjectives in the English language to describe our PERFECT this icing is – my search has finally ended! The heated milk with flour gave me pause, as did the granulated sugar rather than confectioners; but not to worry – the mixture cam together into a beautiful, fluffy, glorious bowl of delicious buttercream frosting. Try this – you will not be sorry!!
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked it! Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment! =)
PS – I had the same concerns the first time I made it, but it’s a family favorite in our house.
Michelle says
Do you use the beater paddle or wire whisk attachment to mix the frosting??
Kate says
I use the wire whisk attachment.
Shelly says
I made this last night and it was good,but tonight mixed it again to ice my cake and it didn’t whip up well at all runny
Kate says
I’m sorry, but I’m not sure what you mean by mixing it again.
Barbara says
I did this as well–KEEP MIXING! It will reincorporate, if closer to room temp and mixed for 4-5 minutes (at least, depending upon how much icing you’ve made).
Kate says
Thanks for the tip!
Lara says
This really is one of the best frostings I’ve ever had. It’s now my go to recipe!
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment! =)
heather says
Hello! Just wondering how many cupcakes one batch of icing will cover? I have to make 60 cupcakes for a bridal shower. I was making my shopping list for supplies and wanted some idea of how many batches I will need to make. Thanks!
Kate says
It should make enough frosting for 24 cupcakes.