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
Katie Tang says
I have a question how long can the frosting be kept
Kate says
Sure! It keeps for about 3-4 days in the fridge. =)
Bailey says
I haven’t gotten a chance to read through aaalll of the comments, so forgive me if this has been answered. I have not tried this recipe yet but will be soon, I’m wondering if it is still like a buttercream or finicky like a whipped cream frosting?
Kate says
No worries! =) The texture of this frosting is lighter and fluffier, but it isn’t as sweet as a traditional buttercream frosting. Also, this frosting doesn’t melt or weep the way that un-stabilized whipped cream can. If that doesn’t answer your question, please let me know!
Kaylee says
Can i use margarine??
Kate says
For this recipe, I would highly recommend using real butter.
Emily Walter-Difranco says
HI, I just tired this recipe out and I found that my product wasn’t really a buttercream like thing, it’s rather watery, like thinned cake batter, but does have an airy taste to it. I’m wondering if there’s anything I could do to fix this? (I plan to leave it in the fridge or freezer to cool and stiffen it, and then re-mix it to get some more air, with my limited knowledge, this is all I know what to do and what might “fix” it) otherwise, it’s great flavor wise and I do think I just messed up a bit, so any advice would be amazing, thanks.
Kate says
Yes, the first thing I would try would be to chill it and then re-whip it. I’m guessing that your milk/flour mixture didn’t thicken up enough because you shouldn’t be able to taste the flour in the frosting at all. I’m not sure if you can tell from the picture, but the milk/flour mixture should be like a thick paste and shouldn’t be wet or watery at that point. Please let me know if you have questions, and I’m happy to try to help you out! =)
Julie says
I’m a kitchen novice at 57 years old. My husband turned 80 and I wanted to bake a white cake with a frosting that wasn’t overthetop with sweet & artificial flavors. I LOVE THIS FROSTING!!! It took a little time but was simple. Your warnings were in the right places and it turned out FANTASTIC!!!
Thank you so much, julie
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked it and that you found the directions to be helpful! Happy birthday to your husband, and thank you for coming back to comment! =)
Connie says
This frosting is amazing! It’s so fluffy and light, finally a frosting that isn’t sickeningly sweet. Thank you for posting this recipe. I will never go back to my old powdered sugar recipe!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you like it! Thank you for commenting! =)
Connie Chopin says
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! It is soooo incredibly delicious! Finally a frosting that isn’t sickeningly sweet. So much fun to make, this is a keeper. I’ll never go back to my old powdered sugar recipe!
Chrissie says
Can you add the sugar to the flour and milk when you cook it? Can you also put this mixture in the fridge over night to cool?
Chrissie says
Can the sugar be cooked with the flour and milk mixture and the be put in the fridge to cool overnite.
Kate says
I’m not sure! I’ve never tried to chill the flour mixture overnight or to add the sugar with the flour/milk mixture. If you try it, I would be interested to hear how it comes out!
Jean says
I admit I had my doubts, but this is an amazing frosting. Easy to make and the results are so light and fluffy.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you found it easy to make and that you enjoyed it! =) Thanks for commenting!
Danna Wrenn says
I have been doing cakes for 28 years and would cringe everytime someone wanted whipped buttercream! Not anymore thank you so much…delicious!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad you like it! That’s a big compliment. =) Thank you for coming back to comment!
Patsy Janik says
I never heard using flour for a frosting so this will be my first attempt. it sounds great.
Kate says
Good luck! I hope you enjoy it! =)
Charissa says
Question, on the hand mixer is it better to use the regular attachments or a wish attachment?
Kate says
I’m not sure, but you might have better luck with the whisk attachment. Good luck! =)
Jeanie says
This taste amazing, I used it on cupcakes, at first I couldn’t get the sugar to beat in with the butter but once I added the “pudding” it came together just fine. I can’t wait to try it on a cake and see how it pipes and holds up! Thank you so much for this recipe.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad you like it! Hope the piping goes well! =)
Emily says
This is an amazing recipe! My hand mixer stopped working when I was trying to cream butter and sugar, so I wound up doing ALL of the mixing by hand. It took forever (almost an hour) and I wanted to give up a few times, but it was so worth it! The consistency was almost perfect! I had an issue with the flour paste developing a weird film when cooled, and I couldn’t get it to break up no matter what I did. I covered it with sprinkles, and it helped mask the weird bits (fortunately weren’t many). I’m giving it four stars because of the flour paste, but otherwise it was amazing and when I can replace my mixer, I’ll be making it again!
Note* I added coffee in place of vanilla since I wanted more of a chocolate mocha cupcake.
Kate says
I’m really impressed that you were able to make this work by hand! I’m glad you liked it, and I’d be interested to hear whether or not you get those weird bits in the frosting when you can use a mixer. I think that may have been from hand-mixing it. Thanks for coming back to comment! =)
Steve says
Im surprised how active this page still is. I haven’t tried making it yet, but based on the recipe and the comments, its the recipe ive been looking for. Its not bland like whipped cream made by heavy cream, or too sweet from so much icing sugar. Im gonna try making it.
Kate says
Hope you enjoy the frosting! =)
Steve says
I made it. Its a pretty good frosting. I cut down both the butter and the sugar 1/2 cup each, due to excessive sugar and oil, but it still came out well.
Ingrid says
Really intrigued by this and want to try it tomorrow….i need a lemon buttercream though. Can i substitue lemon juice for the vanilla? Will the acid affect the frosting?
Kate says
I’m afraid lemon juice would affect it, and you might end up with curdled frosting. Your best bet would be to use lemon extract in place of part or all of the vanilla. Good luck!
Bonnie says
I also wanted a lemon icing so instead of using lemon juice I used 2TBS of finely grated zest from the lemon peel. It’s gave it a wonderful mild lemon flavor without ruining the consistency while also giving it a playful look.
Kate says
Lemon zest is a great idea! Thank you for the tip! =)
Kimberly says
This came out beautiful!!! I’ll never buy frosting again
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad it came out for you and that you liked it! Thanks for commenting! =)
Amanda Hill says
I cannot get my flour/milk mixture to look dry. I’ve been stirring for at least 20 mins. It almost looks like the second picture that you have posted.
Kate says
Does it look like the picture with the mixture in the pot with the whisk? That’s my milk/flour mixture. If you’re worried that it’s too wet, you can let it sit longer, and it should thicken even more.
Sara says
This turned out awesome! I wish I had a stand mixer because it took forever with a hand mixer but it came together and is so good. I made icing sugar buttercream first and wasn’t happy with it so I made this version and the icing sugar buttercream all went in the garbage. So thank you for this it saved my sons 1st birthday cake!
Kate says
Yes! A stand mixer definitely makes it easier. I’m so glad that you were able to save the cake! Happy birthday to your son, and thank you for coming back to comment! =)