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.7 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 ½ cups milk
- 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.1 ½ tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 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.1 ½ cups salted butter, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, Pinch of salt
- 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
lori mooney says
Is this an icing that you can leave out for the day like on a graduation cake or does it have to be refrigerated
Kate says
I’ve heard back from people who have left it out for several hours with no issues. I do suggest refrigerating leftovers though. Good luck!
Stephanie says
I tried…so hard..to make this. It TASTES delicious, but I can not, for the life of me, get it to set up properly. Butter was not melted and soft, milk and flour were thick and not lumpy; butter and sugar creamed together BEAUTIFULLY! But when I added the cooled milk/flour it all went to pot. It wasnt runny, but was way too soft to even think about frosting something with it. And it looked like curdled cement. *Sigh* One day…one day I will defeat this!
Kate says
I’m sorry to hear that! I want to help you troubleshoot. From what you’re describing, I think it may just be a mixing issue. Are you using a hand mixer or a stand mixer? I’d had mine do the same thing where it looks curdled after adding the flour mixture, but it whips up after a few minutes (3-5 on high with a stand mixer).
The other thing you can try is to make the milk/flour mixture a little farther ahead of time, and then let it sit for an hour before you add it. It continues to thicken and set as it sits, and it should whip up within a minute or two once you add it in. Let me know if you have any questions, and I’m happy to help!
Amber says
Hello, can I use whipping cream instead of milk?
Kate says
I haven’t tried it, but I did hear from someone who used part cream in place of the milk. She said it worked out for her, but, again, I haven’t tried it. Good luck! =)
Maria says
Consistency was great, still a little sweet to my taste though, but way better than regular buttercream. I often use cream cheese in mine, which makes it less sweet already. Thanks for posting!
Kate says
I’m glad you liked it! Yes, it’s definitely still sweet, but it just isn’t that make-your-teeth-ache sort of sweet. =) Thanks for commenting!
Rona says
Loved it! I’ve been looking for a frosting that would withstand the hot and humid weather here on Kauai…thank you for the recipe! I did have to substitute half of the butter with Crisco butter flavor to help stabilize it in this weather. Made it today and it was outstanding! It’s not overly sweet and it’s a whipped topping that can pipe beautifully! I had it sitting out on cupcakes for about 4-6 hours in 75° – 80° weather. It didn’t sweat either….Definitely a keeper!
Kate says
I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you so much! I’m sure the note about using crisco will be helpful. I regularly get questions about how the frosting will hold up under different conditions, and I really appreciate you taking the time to come back to comment! =)
Angela says
I am planning a summer wedding cake and thinking of trying this. Will it hold up outdoors on a warm day? I would love an option with no powdered sugar and this sounds perfect. Also trying to get the frosting as white as possible without resorting to Crisco…
Kate says
I’ve heard from other people who have used this frosting for the same type of situation, and they said that it held up well. You may want to make it ahead and chill it, if possible, because the frosting does set up some once chilled, and that may help. You could try using clear vanilla. The frosting is pretty light to begin with, but that would help it be even whiter. Good luck! =)
chloe says
what do you do if the mixture is a liquid and if nothing do I just throw to away
Kate says
Which mixture is a liquid? Is it the flour/milk mixture or the butter/sugar mixture? I’m happy to try to help you troubleshoot if you can give me more info.
Kristyn W says
I’m having a similar issue, How thick should the milk mixture be? I’m wondering if mine is too thin and I don’t want to mix with the sugar in case it ruins it.
Kate says
The milk mixture should be like a thick paste and shouldn’t be wet. I have a picture of it on this post if that would help. Also, I’ve found that it will continue to thicken as it sits. If you have the time, you could let it sit for longer before you add it to the btuter/sugar mixture. Hope that helps! If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.
Barbara P. says
Could this recipe be doubled or should I make 2 separate batches? Need to frost 40+ cupcakes
Kate says
I have doubled this recipe, and it worked just fine. I did have to use my 6 quart Kitchenaid to have enough room to mix it up, though. =)
Terra says
This frosting is so light and fluffy almost like whipped cream. I was wondering if adding more sugar for a sweeter flavor would work? The consistency came out perfectly however and I really don’t want to ruin this wonderful texture. I was also wondering if this recipe would be good to use for a boozy buttercream frosting??
Kate says
Thanks! I haven’t tried to add more sugar to it, so I’m not sure whether adding more sugar would give you a gritty texture or not. Also, I think you could swap out the vanilla for rum flavor (or bourbon, etc.) or even try using alcohol in place of the vanilla. I’m not sure how well adding additional alcohol would work because you may end up with a loose frosting.
Debbie Watkins says
Can this recipe have cream cheese added to it, if it can how much would I use? I still want to be able to decorate with a tip to make roses/rosettes on top of cupcakes.
Kate says
I made a version of this frosting with cream cheese, but it’s definitely softer. I don’t know that it would hold up to piping, so I’m not sure what changes you would need to make in order to get a pipe-able cream cheese version.
Debbie Watkins says
Thanks Kate. I just did a test run in making the frosting and it turned out scrumptious! That is the best frosting I’ve ever tasted. :)
Kate says
I’m so glad it came out! I always wonder how it’s worked out, so thank you for coming back to comment! =)
Denise says
There is a way to firm up frosting by making a gelatin mixture. You can google stabilized whipped cream, and it will tell you how much to use and how to do it. I do this with my cassata cakes because I use a whipped cream frosting only.
Kate says
Thanks for the idea! =)
Lucy says
Can I add food coloring or gel to this for colorful frosting? If so, when should I add the color in the recipe directions?
Thank you!
Kate says
Absolutely! You can use either regular food coloring or gel food coloring, and you’ll want to add it toward the end of the mixing time in step 6. Hope that helps! =)
Betty says
Hi Kate!
Will this buttercream crust ? Something about crusting buttercream that gives me the chills lol
Kate says
No, this buttercream doesn’t crust. It will set up once it has been in the fridge, but it doesn’t form crust. =)
Jena says
This tastes wonderful, but the color is off. It looks like cement. Any way to make it more white?
Kate says
Thanks! If you want a lighter frosting, you can use clear vanilla to avoid any tint from the vanilla extract.
Nancy says
Thank you Kate! This recipe really is the best. I crave buttercream frosting but rarely taste what I always thought was the real thing. And now I know why. Powdered sugar ruins it.
Kate says
I’m so glad you like it! Thank you for taking the time to comment! =)
Amelie says
Hi Kate! I’m looking for a whipped frosting since a long time and I was very happy to find your recipe! However, I don’t know if it is because I am using organic sugar cane, but I am mixing the butter and sugar with my stand mixer since almost 25 minutes and I still can feel the gritty frosting… Do you know if we can melt the sugar with the milk and then add the flour? Will this still do a thick paste? Thanks for your help!
Kate says
Hi! Thank you! Yes, organic sugars seem to have larger sugar crystals, which can cause the frosting to be gritty. The first thing I would try is putting the sugar in a food processor or blender and pulsing it a few times. I do that with my sugar to create a superfine sugar when I’m making angel food cake because it helps the sugar to incorporate easier. I’m not sure whether the sugar would melt with the flour and still work out. Hope that helps!
Christina says
I tried this frosting yesterday. This ia the best frosting I have ever tasted it made the cake!!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for coming back to comment! =)
Marci says
This frosting is amazing! It’s so fluffy!
Used a stand mixer and everything was easy. I thought it was going to be harder but glad I tried it. Will be my go to :)
Thank you!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m glad you liked it and that it turned out to be easier than you thought it would be. Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment! =)
Elyssa says
Is the vanilla added before or after it cools? I’m a new baker so I don’t have the confidence to just do what I think.
Kate says
I just stir it in after removing the milk mixture from the heat. No need to wait until it cools. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask! =)
Shannon says
This is the frosting I have been waiting for my whole life! Light, creamy, dreamy, and not too sweet. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Kate says
That’s a huge compliment! Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked it, and I appreciate you taking the time to come back and comment!
Jessica says
So it’s salted butter instead of unsalted butter?
Kate says
I use salted butter. If you prefer to use unsalted butter, just add a little salt to taste.
Camille says
Hi Kate,
Your recipe looks really good and i look forward to trying it for my daughter’s upcoming 10th birthday party in June. I’ m making a 3 layer confetti cake and want to be sure ahead of time that this recipe is enough to frost between the layers as well as all over the 3 layer cake. Can you please advise if the recipe should be doubled or will it be enough as is for a 3 layer cake?
Kate says
Hi! The frosting makes enough for 24 cupcakes or a 2 layer 9-inch round cake. I think for a 3 layer cake that you would want to either make 1.5 or 2 times the frosting to be sure that you have enough. Hope that helps, and happy birthday to your daughter!