Vegan Ermine Frosting Recipe (2024)

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5 from 18 votes

40 minutes minutes

by Marly

32

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An old-fashioned frosting is given a modern twist with this vegan ermine frosting, made with only six ingredients. Also referred to as boiled milk frosting, you’ll love the soft and creamy texture that’s perfect as a filling between cake layers or frosting on cupcakes, etc. This frosting isn’t as sweet as some, which is why serving vegan red velvet cake with ermine frosting is so popular.

Vegan Ermine Frosting Recipe (1)

I love this creamy frosting more than I probably should. But there’s something about it spread over a cake (or in between layers) that screams comfort food in the very best way possible! This is an old-fashioned ermine buttercream recipe, but it has a new twist thanks to being veganized.

Table of Contents show

What Makes This Recipe Shine?

  • Flour is used as a thickener in this cooked flour frosting, creating the perfect creamy consistency
  • Granulated sugar is cooked with milk and flour, leaving out the powdered sugar, which can make frosting recipes so sweet
  • Vegan butter is whipped until light and fluffy creating the perfect foundation for this whipped frosting recipe

Key Ingredients

You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:

  • Flour — I recommend using all-purpose flour.
  • Granulated sugar
  • Plant-based milk — I recommend using soy milk because it has a protein content similar to cow dairy. You can substitute almond milk.
  • Vegan Butter — I recommend a high-quality vegan butter, like Earth Balance buttery sticks, Miyoko’s, or make your own dairy-free butter. You can make ermine frosting with shortening by substituting an equal amount of vegetable shortening.
  • Salt — Use either table or sea salt.
  • Vanilla extract

How to Make Ermine Frosting

  1. Cook the flour and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Stir in the vegan milk.
  3. Cook and stir until the mixture becomes thick.
  4. Cover it with plastic wrap touching the surface, and refrigerate until completely cool.
  5. Whip butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
  6. Spoon in the cooled flour mixture, a spoonful at a time, while mixing to incorporate.
  7. Add the vanilla and salt.
  8. Whip on medium-high until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Here are more detailed step-by-step instructions.

Step One: Cook Flour Mixture

  1. Whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to toast the flour.
    Vegan Ermine Frosting Recipe (2)
  2. Pour in the vegan milk and use a whisk or spatula to stir it in.
  3. Continue stirring as the mixture comes slowly to a low boil and thickens. Don’t turn up the heat, or you’ll risk burning it.
  4. It’s thick enough that a spoon or spatula leaves a trail.
    Vegan Ermine Frosting Recipe (3)
  5. Transfer it to a heat-proof bowl, cover it with plastic wrap touching the surface (to prevent a skin from forming), and refrigerate until completely cool.
    Vegan Ermine Frosting Recipe (4)

Step Two: Whip the Frosting

  1. Once the flour mixture is cool, add the butter to a mixing bowl and mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, around 2 minutes.
  2. Turn the mixer speed down to medium and spoon in the cooled flour mixture, a spoonful at a time, mixing to incorporate it until adding more.
    Vegan Ermine Frosting Recipe (5)
  3. Continue adding the flour mixture, one spoonful at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl regularly.
    Vegan Ermine Frosting Recipe (6)
  4. Once all the flour mixture is added and mixed, add the vanilla, turn up the speed to medium-high, and whip for up to a minute, until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Serving Suggestions

You can use this frosting immediately on a cooled cake, such as this Suzy Q Cake. Otherwise, see the tips below for storing it.

Here are some favorite cakes to serve with vegan ermine frosting:

Storage Tips

Store ermine frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to use it, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then use a mixer to whip it again to make sure it’s light and fluffy. You can freeze this frosting in freezer-safe bags or containers for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use it, thaw it overnight in the fridge, then follow the tip above to whip it again.

Vegan Ermine Frosting Recipe (10)

Frequently-Asked Questions

Why is my frosting grainy?

You should bring the flour mixture and/or butter to room temperature before combining the ingredients, otherwise, you’ll be left with grainy frosting. However, if your frosting is grainy, you can fix it by whipping it a little longer than usual.

Why is it called ermine?

An ermine is actually a mammal that has a soft, white winter coat. This frosting is named after this wild creature because of the similarity in color and softness. It is an old-fashioned frosting that was more widely used before the availability of other frosting ingredients, such as powdered sugar and cream cheese.

Is ermine frosting good for piping?

Yes, you can pipe boiled flour frosting by adding it to a piping bag using your favorite tips. Use organic gel food coloring to add creative colors to your frosting to decorate cakes for parties and more.

Vegan Frosting Favorites

This vegan ermine frosting is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to vegan frosting recipes. Here are even more you’ll enjoy:

Avocado Frosting

7 mins total

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

20 mins total

Vegan Royal Icing

15 mins total

Vegan Raspberry Frosting

15 mins total

Vegan Lemon Frosting

15 mins total

Vegan Chocolate Frosting

10 mins total

Vegan Ermine Frosting Recipe (17)

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Vegan Ermine Frosting Recipe (18)

Vegan Ermine Frosting Recipe (19)

Vegan Ermine Frosting

This creamy vegan ermine frosting is perfect over cupcakes, vegan red velvet cake, or even with this homemade Suzy Q Cake! It's not as sweet as some frosting, so you can use it as a generous filling between cake layers.

5 from 18 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 14

Calories: 202kcal

Author: Marly McMillen

Ingredients

  • cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup plant-based milk
  • 1 cup vegan butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to toast the flour.

  • Pour in the vegan milk and use a whisk or spatula to stir it in.

  • Continue stirring as the mixture comes slowly to a low boil and thickens. Don't turn up the heat, or you'll risk burning it. Once it's thick enough that a spoon leaves a trail, transfer it to a heat-proof bowl, cover it with waxed paper touching the surface (to prevent a skin from forming), and refrigerate until completely cool.

  • Once the flour mixture is cool, add the butter to a mixing bowl and mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, around 2 minutes.

  • Turn the mixer speed down to medium and spoon in the cooled flour mixture, a spoonful at a time, mixing to incorporate it until adding more. You'll need to scrape down the sides of the bowl regularly.

  • Once all the flour mixture is added and mixed, add the vanilla, turn up the speed to medium-high, and whip for up to a minute, until the frosting is light and fluffy.

  • You can use this frosting immediately on a cooled cake. Otherwise, cover the frosting and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you're ready, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then use a mixer to whip it aga¼in to make sure it's light and fluffy. You can freeze this frosting in freezer-safe bags or containers for up to 3 months. When you're ready to use it, thaw it overnight in the fridge, then follow the tip above to whip it again.

Recommended Equipment

Electric Mixer

Cake Pans

Spatula

(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)

Notes

You can substitute vegetable shortening for the vegan butter.

You can use soy milk, almond milk, or even coconut milk for this recipe.

For chocolate ermine frosting, add ¼ cup cocoa powder after the flour mixture has been incorporated and mix until light and fluffy.

Be sure to let the flour mixture cool completely before adding it to the whipped butter.

Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 2g | Sodium: 49mg | Potassium: 25mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 36IU | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a rating below then tag @namelymarly on Instagram and hashtag it #namelymarly. I love seeing your creations!

Vegan Ermine Frosting Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my ermine frosting not thickening? ›

If your ermine frosting is too runny, check the temperature. If it's a warm day, the butter may have been too warm before mixing, causing the frosting to become less stable. Softened butter should land around 65 to 70°F for best results.

Why is my ermine frosting so grainy? ›

If you've completed the recipe and your mix still looks a little lumpy or grainy, mix a bit more until it becomes smooth. You can over-whip it, though so watch for that. Overwhipping can cause the butter to soften too much; to avoid that chill it in the fridge.

What is the secret ingredient that will improve your frosting? ›

But, there are ways to make it more interesting; one such way is to hit it with a shot of vinegar. Don't worry, the icing won't taste sour or like vinegar at all, but the acid will help balance out the sweetness, making it taste more pleasant. Even better, it will make the icing stronger and more durable.

Does ermine frosting get hard? ›

Like any buttercream, it will firm up to the consistency of butter in the fridge. Ermine Frosting should be eaten at room temperature. Let it back at room temperature for 1 or 2 hours to soften again before consuming, time depending on how hot the day is.

Why is my frosting not fluffy enough? ›

If it's too thin and doesn't form a little peak at all, try adding a bit more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time). You can also chill it in the fridge for 10-minute intervals. After each adjustment, be sure to retest the frosting with your spatula before making any additional changes.

Why is my vegan icing grainy? ›

That's right - you NEED the vegan butter to be room temperature before you start working with it. If you've ever made vegan buttercream and it's split or gone grainy, this is most likely the reason why. Get it nice and soft, then whack your vegan butter in the stand mixer and beat like crazy until smooth.

Is ermine frosting better than buttercream? ›

Ermine frosting can be traced back to the 1800s and was the frosting used on mahogany cake – otherwise known as the OG red velvet. One of the main pros of this buttercream is that it uses way less sugar and butter than its popular buttercream cousin, the typical American buttercream.

How do you get air bubbles out of ermine frosting? ›

To bring it back to the consistency for frosting, you'll want to allow the frosting to sit out until it's slightly softened, then add it to the mixer. Use the whisk to bring it back together, and then the paddle to remove the air pockets, as in step 5, from above.

What is the most difficult frosting to make? ›

Italian Meringue Buttercream

This is considered one of the very difficult methods for making buttercream because the sugar syrup must be cooked to a specific temperature and then, while piping hot, poured into the whipped egg whites.

What is the most stable frosting? ›

The most stable of the buttercreams, Italian buttercream is made from a meringue made bystreaming hot sugar syrup into egg whites as they're being whisked.

What is the most important ingredient in frosting? ›

Sugar is the most important ingredient in all types of frostings, providing sweetness, flavor, bulk and structure.

What frosting do professionals use for cakes? ›

Swiss meringue buttercream is probably the most standard buttercream for pastry professionals. It is incredibly smooth, making it an extremely popular choice for icing cakes. Compared to American buttercream, it has a much stronger butter flavor, but is considerably less sweet.

Can you add color to ermine frosting? ›

If the frosting is too soft, place in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes, before rewhipping again. Repeat placing it in the fridge in increments if necessary. Ermine frosting takes color well. I prefer to use gel color, but you can use powdered color as well.

Is ermine frosting good for piping reddit? ›

It pipes beautifully but tastes like a dense butter. I tried and enjoyed ermine frosting, it's surprisingly light and much less of a butter taste-but it was too soft to be piped into flowers.

Why is my frosting not thickening? ›

It could possibly mean that you have not whipped it enough, or you added too much liquid. Try adding butter, frosting sugar, or whipped cream.

How do you thicken whipped frosting? ›

Most frostings are made with powdered sugar (otherwise known as confectioners' sugar or icing sugar), which contains cornstarch to prevent it from caking. Adding more powdered sugar can be an effective way and the easiest way of absorbing too much liquid to achieve thicker frosting.

How do you get lumps out of Ermine frosting? ›

Use all-purpose or plain flour, and whisk it well with the sugar to remove any lumps. Flour works as a thickener here and we'll be making a pudding out of the flour, sugar, salt, and milk. This will then be whipped into the butter, giving our Ermine frosting its signature consistency and smooth, velvety mouthfeel.

What do you add to frosting to make it thicker? ›

Add powdered sugar

If the frosting has not reached your desired thickness after chilling, add a few tablespoons of sifted powdered sugar to help your buttercream stiffen.

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