The ermine buttercream method is an old-school boiled flour frosting that I came across years ago and instantly fell in love with.
It is a great way to infuse flavor into buttercream, and is less sweet than traditional buttercreams.
In the recipe card below, you’ll find these variations:
- coffee buttercream
- basil buttercream
- cardamom buttercream
- rosemary buttercream
- green tea buttercream
- lavender buttercream
I like using it for filling Macarons, frosting chocolate cake, and also use it in my Basil Buttercream.
Ermine Buttercream
How to make ermine frosting by cooking a flour/sugar mixture for a few minutes. It's easy to make, less sweet than traditional frosting, and perfect for decorating cakes and cupcakes.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup [150 g] granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup [36 g] all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup [120 g] whole milk
- 1/2 cup [120 g] half-and-half
- 1 cup [227 g or 2 sticks] unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Food coloring optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt until fully combined (the sugar will help keep the flour from lumping when it boils, so spend a good minute to really whisk it together). Pour the mixture into a medium, heavy-bottom saucepan. Slowly pour the whole milk and half and half into the pan, whisking to combine as you pour. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until the mixture comes to a gentle boil (periodically run a spatula round the edges of the saucepan to remove any flour lurking there). Reduce the heat slightly, and continue to whisk constantly and stir the edges occasionally until the mixture has thickened considerably, 2 to 3 minutes. It should be glossy and leave streaks in the bottom of the pan when you drag a spatula through it. Remove from the heat and continue stirring for 30 seconds.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic sits directly on top of the cream (this will help keep it from forming a skin). Let cool to room temperature.
- When the flour mixture has cooled, place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, and beat on medium sped until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Start adding the cooled flour mixture a few spoonfuls at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition, until it is all incorporated. Scrape down the sides and mix on medium speed until the buttercream is light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and food coloring, if using, and mix on low speed until combined. Buttercream can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
Variations: Coffee Buttercream - Combine the milk, half-and-half, and 1/2 cup [45 g] of whole coffee beans in a medium saucepan. Heat gently over medium heat until just simmering, then remove from the heat. Let cool, then strain the coffee beans and discard. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Add the infused milk to the buttercream as directed above. Stir in 1 teaspoon of ground espresso with the vanilla (optional)
Basil Buttercream - Combine the milk, half-and-half, and 1 cup [20 g] basil leaves in a medium saucepan. Heat gently over medium heat until just simmering, then remove from the heat. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Remove the basil leaves from the milk and then squeeze the leaves over the milk. Discard the leaves. Add the infused milk to the buttercream as directed above.
Cardamom Buttercream - Combine the milk, half-and-half, and seeds from 10 cardamom pods in a medium saucepan. Heat gently over medium heat until just simmering, then remove from the heat. Let cool, the cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Remove the cardamom seeds from the milk and discard. Add the infused milk to the buttercream as directed above. Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom along with the salt when making the buttercream.
Rosemary Buttercream - Combine the milk, half-and-half, and 2 rosemary sprigs in a medium saucepan. Heat gently over medium heat until just simmering, then remove from the heat. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Remove the rosemary from the milk and discard. Add the infused milk to the buttercream as directed above.
Green Tea Buttercream - Combine the milk, half-and-half, and 1/2 cup [16 g] of green tea leaves (or two tea bags of tea) in a medium saucepan. Heat gently over medium heat until just simmering, then remove from the heat. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Remove the tea leaves from the milk and discard. Add the infused milk to the buttercream as directed above.
Lavender Buttercream - Combine the milk, half-and-half, and 1 teaspoon culinary lavender in a medium saucepan. Heat gently over medium heat until just simmering, then remove from the heat. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Remove the lavender from the milk and discard. Add the infused milk to the buttercream as directed above.
2 Comments
CG
Saturday, September 30, 2023 at 6:30 pmI tried this a couple of times and the result is the frosting being so runny and looking like curdled milk. Did this ever happen to you and do you have any suggestions?
Karen
Friday, January 21, 2022 at 5:31 amI recently discovered this frosting myself and its delicious! Thanks for all your info. I think ill try the coffee version next!