Welcome to the frosting you’ve been dreaming of! If you find traditional buttercream overly sweet or gritty, this Pudding Buttercream Frosting is your new secret weapon. It’s incredibly silky, unbelievably smooth, and has a rich, balanced flavor that won’t overpower your desserts. This recipe, also known as Ermine Frosting, uses a cooked pudding base instead of powdered sugar, resulting in a sophisticated, whipped-cream-like texture that’s surprisingly stable for decorating. Prepare to fall in love with frosting all over again.
Why You’ll Adore This Pudding Buttercream Frosting
There are so many reasons this recipe stands out from the rest. It’s the perfect finishing touch that elevates any cake or cupcake from good to absolutely unforgettable.
Unbelievably Silky Texture: The cooked flour and milk base creates a custard-like pudding that, when whipped with butter, results in the smoothest frosting you’ve ever had.
Perfectly Balanced Sweetness: By using granulated sugar in the cooked base, we avoid the cloying sweetness of powdered sugar-heavy frostings. The flavor is rich and creamy, not just sugary.
Incredibly Stable: Despite its delicate texture, this frosting holds its shape beautifully, making it perfect for piping, filling, and frosting layer cakes. It’s much more stable in warmer temperatures than you might think.
Simple, Everyday Ingredients: You don’t need any fancy ingredients—just pantry staples like flour, sugar, milk, and butter.
What Exactly Is Pudding Buttercream?
Pudding Buttercream, traditionally called Ermine Frosting or Cooked-Milk Frosting, is a heritage recipe that was the original frosting for the classic Red Velvet Cake. Unlike American buttercream (which is just butter and powdered sugar), this version starts with a “roux” or pudding made from flour, sugar, and milk. This mixture is cooked until thick, cooled completely, and then whipped into softened butter. This unique method creates its signature light, airy, and ultra-smooth consistency.
Key Ingredients You’ll Need
The magic of this recipe lies in its simplicity. Here are the core components that come together to create this incredible frosting.
Whipping the butter and cooled pudding together creates the lightest, most luxurious frosting.
Unsalted Butter: Make sure it’s properly softened to room temperature. This is crucial for a smooth, non-greasy texture.
All-Purpose Flour: This is the thickening agent for our pudding base.
Granulated Sugar: It dissolves completely into the pudding base, eliminating any possibility of a gritty texture.
Whole Milk: Provides the liquid for the pudding and adds richness.
Vanilla Extract: A high-quality vanilla extract is key for the best flavor.
Salt: A pinch of salt balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Pudding Buttercream Frosting
Follow these steps carefully, and you’ll be rewarded with the most luscious frosting. The most important part is patience—don’t rush the cooling process!
Step 1: Create the Pudding Base
In a medium saucepan, whisk the all-purpose flour and granulated sugar together until no lumps of flour remain. Slowly stream in the milk while whisking continuously to create a smooth slurry. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency. This can take 5-8 minutes. Be sure to scrape the bottom and corners of the pot to prevent scorching.
Step 2: Cool the Pudding Completely
Once thickened, remove the pudding from the heat. Transfer it to a shallow bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface. This prevents a skin from forming. Let it cool on the counter for about 30 minutes before transferring it to the refrigerator to cool completely. It MUST be at room temperature or slightly cooler before you proceed. This can take 1-2 hours.
Step 3: Whip the Butter
While the pudding cools, place your softened unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a hand mixer). Beat the butter on medium-high speed for a full 5 minutes. The butter should become very pale, light, and fluffy. Don’t skip this step; it’s key to the frosting’s airy texture. Looking for another simple and creamy recipe? Try this easy boat dip recipe.
The rich, pudding-like base is the secret to this frosting's incredible texture.
Step 4: Combine and Finish the Frosting
Once the pudding is completely cool, add it to the whipped butter one spoonful at a time, with the mixer on medium speed. Wait until each spoonful is fully incorporated before adding the next. Once all the pudding is added, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the vanilla extract and salt, and whip on medium-high for another 2-3 minutes until the frosting is exceptionally light and fluffy. For a fun dessert the whole family will love, check out these Pumpkin Patch Strawberries.
Pro Tips for the Perfect Silky Texture
A few expert tips can make all the difference in achieving a flawless Pudding Buttercream Frosting every single time.
Cool Completely: I cannot stress this enough. If the pudding is even slightly warm, it will melt the butter and result in a soupy, greasy mess. Be patient!
Sift Your Flour: For an extra-smooth pudding base, consider sifting your flour with the sugar before adding the milk.
Use Room Temperature Butter: Butter that is too cold won’t whip properly, and butter that is too soft will be greasy. Aim for about 65-68°F (18-20°C).
Don’t Undermix: Whipping the butter sufficiently and then whipping the final frosting incorporates air, which is essential for that light, dreamy texture.
Delicious Flavor Variations
This recipe is a fantastic base for other flavors. Get creative and make it your own!
Chocolate Pudding Buttercream: Add 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder to the flour and sugar mixture before cooking.
Lemon Frosting: Add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice at the end of mixing.
Coffee Frosting: Dissolve 2 teaspoons of instant espresso powder in the milk before you start cooking the pudding. This would be delicious on our Tiramisu Crinkle Cookies.
Almond Frosting: Substitute 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract for some of the vanilla.
How to Use Your Pudding Buttercream
This versatile frosting is perfect for all kinds of desserts. Its smooth texture makes it easy to spread on cakes, and it’s sturdy enough to pipe beautiful designs on cupcakes. It’s a fantastic filling for macarons or whoopie pies and even works as a delicious topping for a simple batch of brownies. For a truly decadent treat, pair it with this moist Strawberry Pound Cake.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
This frosting can be made ahead of time, making your baking projects much easier. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week or in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready to use it, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight (if frozen) and then bring it to room temperature on the counter. You will need to re-whip it for a few minutes with your mixer to bring back its original light and fluffy texture.
This usually happens if the pudding base was still warm when added to the butter, causing the butter to melt. Ensure the pudding is 100% at room temperature before combining. If it’s already mixed, try refrigerating the entire bowl for 20-30 minutes and then re-whipping it.
This specific recipe is a from-scratch ‘cooked milk’ or ‘Ermine’ frosting and relies on flour as a thickener. While you can make frostings with instant pudding mix, it’s a different method and will yield a different texture and flavor.
It tastes like a very light, creamy, and less sweet version of traditional buttercream. It has a rich vanilla flavor and a texture that’s often compared to a mix between whipped cream and traditional buttercream frosting. It’s very smooth and not at all gritty.
Yes, absolutely! Despite its light and airy texture, it is surprisingly stable and holds its shape beautifully. It’s excellent for piping borders, swirls on cupcakes, and for filling and frosting layer cakes. It also holds up better in warmer conditions than many other buttercreams.
Unlike American buttercream (powdered sugar + butter), it’s cooked and far less sweet. Compared to Swiss Meringue (cooked egg whites + butter), it’s egg-free and has a simpler, quicker cooking process, resulting in a unique, pudding-like creaminess.
Pudding Buttercream Frosting Recipe
FL Recipes
Pudding Buttercream Frosting (The Silkiest, Not-Too-Sweet Recipe)
Discover the secret to the silkiest, most delicious Pudding Buttercream Frosting! This not-too-sweet recipe uses a cooked pudding base for an unbelievably smooth texture that's perfect for cakes, cupcakes, and decorating. A truly unforgettable frosting experience.
In a medium saucepan off the heat, whisk the flour and sugar together. Slowly stream in the milk while whisking constantly until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency, about 5-8 minutes.
Transfer the pudding to a shallow bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool on the counter, then move to the fridge to cool completely to room temperature. This is a critical step.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes until very pale and fluffy.
With the mixer on medium, add the completely cooled pudding to the whipped butter one large spoonful at a time. Once all the pudding is incorporated, add the vanilla and salt. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for another 2-3 minutes until light, airy, and perfectly smooth.
Nutrition
Calories: 250kcalProtein: 1gFat: 20g
Notes
Ensure the pudding base is 100% cooled to room temperature before adding it to the butter to prevent the frosting from splitting. If the frosting seems too soft, refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes and then re-whip it. If it seems curdled, it might be too cold; let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before re-whipping.
We can’t wait to see what you create with this Pudding Buttercream Frosting recipe! There’s nothing better than seeing your beautiful cakes and cupcakes. Please feel free to leave a comment below with any questions or share your success stories. For more visual inspiration and delicious recipes, be sure to follow us on Pinterest. Happy baking!
The unbelievably smooth texture of this Pudding Buttercream Frosting makes it perfect for decorating.
Hi, I’m Emily Carter, and welcome to FL Recipes! I share simple, healthy recipes that make cooking easy, fun, and delicious for everyone. more about me »
