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!
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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
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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
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Comments & Reviews
Betty says
I’ve been making this frosting since the late 1960’s, it has always been my to go to. My recipe calls for half butter or margarine and half crisco, always comes out great, going to check out the other flavors though, never experimented with it
Kate says
Hope you like them!
Doris says
This is a cook frosting recipe cuz my mom used to make something like this
Kate says
Yes, this recipe is an old favorite!
Patty says
Gluten Free is also delicious! I used Bob’s 1 to 1 GF flour since I am gluten free and half and half instead of milk since I only had skim milk. I was skeptical at first that it would be gritty but I was proven totally wrong! SOOOOO smooth and fluffy! Plus the best part is that it is not as sweet as confectioner sugar buttercream! Thank you for this delicious easy recipe!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that the gf flour worked out well for you!
Rebeca says
Hi, how long can this cream be in room temperature? Can it hold 4-5 hours?
Kate says
It’s really going to depend on how warm the room is. It should be fine at room temperature for about 3 or so hours. However, I don’t like to leave it out longer than that because of its high dairy content.
Ashley says
Iove the recipe but I find that it’s a bit too soft. It’s not runny but when piping it on cupcakes if I am holding back down it will slowly just fall out. I do mix well but after mixing in the vanilla it does become less pasty but I do add in extra vanilla should I do that to it after I start to mix when I add it to the butter? And what is a good frosting recipe to use if I’m going to want them to be out for more then 3-4 hours and it will be in summer time so it doesn’t melt or go bad?
Thank you.
Kate says
Hi! If it’s coming out a little too soft, you can try cooking the milk/flour mixture a little longer. I’ve found that thickening up that paste gives a thicker frosting. You could also add the vanilla to the butter if it’s making the taste too soft. Frostings out in the summer are difficult! You may find that a shortening-based frosting would work better because you wouldn’t have to worry about dairy in the heat.
Patricia Mendez says
Hello Kate!
Have you tried this frosting with a “healthy” sugar like monk fruit, stevia, maple syrup, erythritol or the like? I’d like to make it for my sugar-free daughter.
Thanks in advance!
Kate says
Hi! I haven’t tried it using a sugar substitute, but I would guess that stevia would work. I would caution against using a liquid sweetener, like maple syrup, because that will change the consistency of the frosting. If you try it, I would love to hear how it works out!
Heather Good says
Great recipe! Came out nice and fluffy, tasty :). I found this recipe when made a cake and was just about to frost it, and, had no icing sugar. Worked perfect. I will use make it again for sure.
Thanks!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that it worked well for you!
isa says
it is called Ermine frosting and it is the BEST! Make sure you cover the custard with cling paper (paper should make contact with the custard) to avoid crusting
Kate says
Thanks!
Kitty says
Can you decorate a wedding cake with this frosting?
Kate says
Hi! I’ve used the frosting for basic piping (like rosettes), but I haven’t tried to use it for intricate designs.
Anastasia P. says
This is a beautiful, creamy and smooth frosting. Very easy to make and has a great flavour.
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Angela says
Best buttercream frosting I’ve ever made. So delicious.
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Jameen says
Would this buttercream be okay if I added colour to it?
Kate says
Hi! Yes, you can add coloring to the frosting. There’s a section above the recipe that talks about using different types of food coloring with this frosting.
Macy says
Curious if you’re able to sub the flour for other gluten free options like almond flour or the substitute blends of flour?
Kate says
I haven’t tried using gluten-free flour, but I’ve heard from a few people who have used measure-for-measure gluten free flour. They’ve said that it worked well. I haven’t heard from anyone who has used almond flour. My almond flour has more texture to it than flour, so I’m not sure how that would come out in the frosting.
Melanie says
This is truly the best icing! I found this recipe in 2015. And this is the only icing I make. Everyone loves it, as well! Follow the directions, as clearly stated and it will turn out perfectly, every single time.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so happy to hear that!
Darcy says
This is a great frosting recipe! I am new to making frosting from scratch. Today I realized I was out of powdered sugar! So I found this recipe. I only added 1 tablespoon of vanilla, because that’s all I had. I also added 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. This is frosting for some spice cupcakes I made. They turned out SO good!
Kate says
Yay! I’m so glad that you liked it!
Kyli says
Any idea on making a peanut butter frosting???
Kate says
Hi! I haven’t tried making this frosting into a peanut butter frosting. I’ve heard from a couple of people who have just added pb to the recipe, and they’ve said that it worked out for them. I also have a peanut butter buttercream recipe.
CC says
Can this be piped into roses? Thanks!
Kate says
Hi – I’ve used it to pipe rosettes, and it has worked well.
Bc teschner says
I already use this recipe from my late grandmother. Even as kids back in the 60’s, we looked forward to birthday cakes she made using this frosting. Light & just the right amount of sweetness! Thanks for sharing!!
Kate says
I love how recipes can bring back memories like these!
Jenna says
Would it be possible to swap the sugar for maple syrup or honey?
Kate says
I don’t think that would work as maple syrup or honey would add more moisture and make for a looser frosting.
Nancy says
Hi, wondering if I can make the same in Salted caramel flavour???
Kate says
Hi! You could change out the vanilla extract and use another flavoring if you prefer.
Shiloh says
I was skeptical at first, because most of the frostings I’ve used powdered sugar, and this uses flour. This was a phenomenal recipe, especially, as I have many allergies, and this accommodated for all of them!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked it!
Cassandra says
is there a substitute for vanilla extract?
Kate says
You could use another flavor of extract in place of the vanilla.
Alyssa Souza says
Can’t wait to try! How would you recommend storing this? Can it be refrigerated and/or frozen before use?
Kate says
Hi! I recommend storing it in the fridge. The frosting works best if used when it is first made. I’ve found that cupcakes/cakes frosted with this frosting keep well in the fridge, and they freeze/thaw well.
Kris says
I loved it my family kept stealing it from the bowl but I was wondering if I could make the recipe chocolate and take out some of the flour and add coca powder? do you think that would work?
Kate says
Hi! I have a chocolate version if you’re interested in it. =)
Ekf says
Lovely lovely frosting! Perfect replacement as I really dislike powdered sugar. Thank you!
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Bonnie says
Could monk fruit be substitute for sugar
Kate says
Hi! I haven’t tried using monk fruit, but if you try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Ash says
Oh yes! Ermine frosting is the best and is the traditional frosting for red velvet cake! Love to see this recipe out there for folks to find.
Kate says
Thank you!
Aspen says
My flour/milk mixture would not thicken up any solutions
Kate says
Hi! How long have you been cooking it? It may just need a bit more time.