Ermine Frosting

Ermine Frosting is silky smooth, light, and fluffy. And whilst it's a type of buttercream, it isn't too sweet. Use this lesser-known cake frosting on your baked goods, and you'll never go back!

Jump to:

• 📖 What are the different types of buttercreams?
• 🌟 Why this is the best Ermine Frosting recipe
• 📝 Ingredient notes
• 👩‍🍳 How to make Ermine Frosting
• 🍰 How Much Ermine Frosting Do I Need to Make For A Cake?
• 📚 How to Flavor Ermine Frosting Buttercream
• ❄️ Storage and Freezing
• 🔍 Ermine Frosting Troubleshooting
• 🎓 Expert tips
• 🥣 Equipment Notes
• ❓Recipe FAQs
• 🧁 More Frostings
• Ermine Frosting

📖 What are the different types of buttercreams?

Buttercream is a type of cake frosting that uses sugar and butter as a base, and other flavorings and ingredients are whipped in. American buttercream is perhaps the most well-known, but there is also German buttercream, Swiss meringue buttercream, Italian meringue buttercream, French buttercream, and Russian buttercream.

Ermine buttercream frosting uses a boiled milk, sugar, and flour paste that is then whipped into softened butter, and it has the most surprising, amazing silky texture.

🌟 Why this is the best Ermine Frosting recipe

1. It's not too sweet—Buttercream frosting can often be very sweet. But ermine frosting is perfectly balanced with a more delicate flavor profile. Once you've tasted it, you won't go back.
2. It has the best texture—Ermine frosting is creamy, fluffy, and silky. You can't even detect flour in it; it is almost like whipped cream.
3. It is so versatile - You can easily pipe ermine frosting as a fancy cake frosting, but it also works really well as a cake filling as it is so soft and smooth. You can flavor it, color it, and pipe it; it's a dream.
4. It's eggless - If you're looking for a silky smooth frosting for egg-free desserts, this is the one for you. This tasty frosting has all the silky texture of Swiss meringue buttercream but without the need for a meringue - which makes it ideal for anyone on an egg-free diet.

📝 Ingredient notes

1. Granulated sugar - We dissolve this into milk after toasting it in a saucepan with flour.
2. Flour - All purpose flour is best for this ermine frosting recipe. It is readily available in grocery stores and works well in most baked goods.
3. Whole Milk - Avoid using skim milk; you need the full-fat milk for the best ermine frosting.
4. Unsalted butter - Always use unsalted European-style butter with at least 82% fat content. The butter needs to be softened, so leave it out of the fridge ahead of time and avoid last-minute microwaving. Here are some tips on how to soften butter quickly.
5. Vanilla extract - The quality of vanilla extract is very important for the best flavor. Avoid vanilla essence, which can taste synthetic.
6. Salt - Whilst it might seem like an odd ingredient to include in ermine cake frosting, it is actually essential! Salt brings out the flavors and also balances the sweetness.

🛒 You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post.

👩‍🍳 How to make Ermine Frosting

1. Add the sugar and flour to a saucepan and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes just to toast it. Slowly add the milk and simmer for a further 3-5 minutes until the mixture thickens like a pudding, stirring continuously.
2. Place the mixture into a heatproof bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap to form a second skin. Let it come to room temperature or chill briefly in the fridge.
3. Prepare a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Cream the room-temperature butter at medium-high speed for 3 minutes until it becomes pale and fluffy.
4. Add the cooled flour mixture into the butter in 4 stages. Continue whipping for another 4 minutes or until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and increases in volume.
5. Add the vanilla extract and salt and whip for another minute until the ermine frosting is smooth and silky.
6. At this point, the Ermine frosting should have the perfect pipeable fluffy texture. If it is too thin, refrigerate it for 30 minutes.

💡 Top Tip: Stir the milk, flour, and sugar mixture constantly as it cooks in the saucepan over medium heat to prevent the milk from burning.

🍰 How Much Ermine Frosting Do I Need to Make For A Cake?

This ermine frosting recipe will generously frost 12 cupcakes. To use it for frosting cakes, you will need approximately 2x this quantity for a 6-inch cake, 2.5x for a 7-inch cake, and 3x for an 8-inch cake.

But this will partially depend on how much frosting you prefer on your cakes! Make sure you do not overwhelm your mixer, so check first with a simple batch.

📚 How to Flavor Ermine Frosting Buttercream

You can easily add flavor to ermine frosting by grating some lemon, orange, or lime zest into the mixing bowl when you add the vanilla and salt. I sometimes like to add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin spice during the holidays!

Or why not try some more unusual flavors by adding a teaspoon of mint extract or coconut extract? You can also whip in a couple of tablespoons of sifted cocoa powder to make this chocolate ermine frosting.

You can also add a drop of gel food coloring at the end stage to color ermine frosting. I do not recommend using liquid food coloring, as this will affect the texture.

❄️ Storage and Freezing

Ermine frosting has the best taste and texture the same day you make it. But if you have leftovers, store ermine frosting in an airtight container in the fridge and use it within 4-5 days, or freeze and use it within 6 months. Cover the surface with plastic wrap to form a second skin.

Cakes or cupcakes filled/frosted with ermine frosting must be stored in the fridge to avoid dairy spoiling, but are best enjoyed at room temperature so take them out ahead of time. They can be left out for 4-6 hours unless it is very warm.

🔍 Ermine Frosting Troubleshooting

1. The paste is lumpy - First, push your mixture through a sieve into a heatproof bowl, then let it come to room temperature and whip it into the butter.
2. The frosting curdles or goes grainy - this is likely due to the butter or the flour paste being too cold. Gently warm the ermine frosting over a double boiler (or use a hairdryer!) just to melt the edges and then continue whipping.
3. It's too soft and liquid - Place the flour frosting in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up before continuing to whip.
4. It's too hard - Leave the ermine frosting on the counter to soften before piping or using it to frost cakes.

🎓 Expert tips

1. The temperature and texture of the butter are very important when making buttercream recipes. I find it takes around an hour out of the fridge to come to room temperature; press it with your finger, and if it leaves an indent, it is ready.
2. Let the cooked flour and milk paste cool completely to room temperature before you add it to the softened butter. If it is still hot, it will melt the butter, resulting in a buttercream soup. You can put it in the fridge briefly to speed this up.
3. The texture of ermine frosting is best enjoyed at room temperature. I like to use the frosting immediately once I have made it or store it on the counter in a piping bag for a few hours before using it in layer cakes or other baked goods.

🥣 Equipment Notes

Weigh ingredients using a Digital scale and whip the ermine frosting in a Stand mixer. Alternatively, use your electric hand mixer, but this will take longer.

❓Recipe FAQs

🧁 More Frostings

Here are some other recipes like this ermine icing, for cakes, cupcakes, and other baked goods.