Ermine buttercream is our favorite buttercream of all here at Cake Geek. It’s easier to make than meringue buttercream but also has a wonderfully light texture so it’s a winner on both fronts.
It’s also known as heritage buttercream and was traditionally the frosting of choice for red velvet cake.
Made by heating flour, sugar and milk before adding it to whipped butter, it has also become known as flour buttercream and cooked milk buttercream!
Makes 3 1/2 cups approx.
(See our chart here on Quantities of Frosting to Fill & Cover Different Size Cakes)
Ermine Buttercream: Recipe
- 5 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or other flavouring of your choice
Ermine Buttercream: Method
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Add the flour, milk and sugar to a saucepan and whisk over a medium heat until it starts to simmer. Keep whisking until it comes to a thick pudding-like consistency.
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Remove from heat, then stir in the vanilla and allow it to cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
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Once the flour mixture is completely cooled (you can refrigerate it to make sure), beat the butter (ideally in a stand mixer) until pale and fluffy.
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With the mixer running, add the flour mixture a little at a time. Continue to beat until all the flour mixture is completely incorporated and the buttercream looks like whipped cream.
- Troubleshooting tip: if the buttercream curdles, this means your flour mixture wasn’t completely cooled before adding the butter. But don’t despair! Just keeping mixing the buttercream until it comes together again. But be prepared – this could take a while!
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