The Best Frosting {a.k.a. Magical Frosting}
This magical frosting is simply the BEST frosting ever. It requires a bit more planning than every day buttercream, but the results are worth it.
I am rarely left speechless {if you are my husband you are seriously nodding your head right about now}. I like to talk {husband still nodding}. To dissect the details of important matters, such as great toenail polish and food {husband falling asleep}.
However, after taking a taste of this frosting, I was left completely speechless. No words. None. Just absolute, incredible tastebud bliss {husband shocked into silence himself}.
The Best Frosting of My Life
It is the best frosting I have ever tasted in my life.
You might have seen the phenomenon of this type of frosting swirling around. I tried the Tasty Kitchen version (highlighted by the Pioneer Woman) twice, and both times it was a disaster. I had given up on the so-called miracle of flour-based frostings until I saw and made this latest version.
It left me weak and trembling.
And do you know what tops it all? There is a chocolate version. Oh, heaven help me.
I slathered this frosting on the most decadent cake I’ve made to date (posting tomorrow!) and I can’t begin to describe the magical web of fluffy, creamy sweetness that is beholden in this frosting.
I am a self-professed frosting hater, which makes my testimonial of this frosting all the stronger. I abhor the greasy, filmy, overly-sugary taste of traditional buttercream. Even the adventurous seven-minute/marshmallow frostings of the world leave me wanting.
But this frosting…well, it belongs in The Best Recipe section no doubt about that.
My search for the best frosting is over.
I’ll be honest, it is a little more work and requires a bit more planning than throwing butter and powdered sugar together in a mixer but I’m promising you here and now that the results are worth every minute.
The real issue now becomes making sure any of this frosting actually makes it to the cake before being inhaled by my little lips.
One Year Ago: Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce
Two Years Ago: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
The Best Frosting {a.k.a. Magical Frosting}
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (318 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (36 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups milk, I use 1% or 2%
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (340 g) butter, cut into 24 pieces and softened at room temperature (I use salted butter)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. Slowly whisk in the milk until the mixture is smooth. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a medium saucepan and pour the milk mixture through the strainer into the saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils and is thick enough that it starts to become difficult to easily whisk. This could take anywhere between 5-10 minutes, depending on your stove, heat, etc. It should bubble quite a bit at the end (be careful of the splatters) and thicken considerably.
- Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and cool to room temperature – this is extremely important! If it is even slightly warm, the frosting won’t beat up properly. I refrigerated my initial mixture overnight. If you do this, make sure to pull it out in time to let it warm back up to room temperature. If you try to proceed with the rest of the recipe and the mixture is too cold, the butter won’t absorb into the frosting like it should.
- Once the frosting is completely cooled to room temperature (it should have no hint of warmth at all!), beat the mixture with the vanilla on low speed until it is well combined, about 30 seconds (a stand mixer will work best for this). Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat the frosting until all the butter has been incorporated fully, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and let the mixer work it’s magic. Beat the frosting for five minutes, until it is light and fluffy. Let the frosting sit at room temperature until it is a bit more stiff, about 1 hour. I suspect if you chill it for an hour or so, it would be stiff enough to actually pipe with instead of frosting with a rubber spatula.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Cook’s Country Oct/Nov 2010
I didn’t particularly care for the flavor, bland and sugary sweet. Also, it came out super yellow, not white at all.
why add corn starch?
Same question- can you substitute cornstarch with a tapioca starch or arrowroot?
I haven’t tried subbing the cornstarch, so I’m not sure – sorry! Worth a try though!
Isn’t this just ermine frosting?
Does it come out crunchy? I only ask because I want it to. My mom used to make a boiled frosting that would turn out crunchy, and I want it to turn out crunchy. I ask people that make boiled frosting if it gets a little bit crunchy, but no one knows what I seem to be asking. Your recipe looks like it might have a little bit of crunch or crust to it, because that’s what I’m after. Thank you for your opinion.
Ingrid
Hello 👋 there! I am wondering if this frosting sets up a bit on the crunchy side. My mother used to make my Birthday Cake, and she would make it the day before. When I finally got to have a slice of my Cake it would be very slightly crunchy, or it just had a crust to it. I know that she made a boiled frosting but when I ask a YouTube dessert channel, I can never get the answer to .y question, which is always about whether or not the frosting has a little crust on it. I just wish I could find out if the boiled icing ever gets a slight crunch to it or not. Now looking at your recipe it looks really tasty! Does it finally set up when finished kind of with a crunchy, or with a slight crunch to it? I’ll probably make your recipe anyways, but it looks like it has a little crust or crunch to it. Does it? Thank you for your help and opinion on your recipe.
Sincere regards, Ingrid
Hi Ingrid, this frosting does crust over a bit, but it doesn’t take on a crunchy texture – it just firms up a bit on the outside.
Thank you for your response. Yes, that’s really all I am after. I just want it to set up with a little crust on the outside of it. Can I still pipe it into rosettes on my cake, with one of my large Wilson piping tips? If not, I really won’t care because it sounds devine just being slathered and spread all over the cake just as it is. Also, if I want to make it a chocolate frosting how much chocolate should I add and what percentage chocolate should I use? Oh, and thank you so much for getting back to me in such a timely manner. It is greatly appreciated. I might as well ask, since you seem to be good at these things, how can I ensure that a boiled frosting come out with that little slight crunch or crust to it when making a boiled frosting? Thank you again for your help.
Sincere regards, Ingrid
No problem, Ingrid! If the frosting sets for a bit to thicken, it can be piped – although it may not hold it’s shape quite as well as a traditional buttercream frosting. There is a chocolate variation in the notes of the recipe. I’ll copy the details here: Chocolate Version: add 1/4 cup cocoa powder to the sugar, flour, cornstarch, salt mixture in the first step. Once the frosting has been mixed for five minutes and is light and fluffy, mix in 3 ounces of semisweet chocolate that has been melted and completely cooled to room temperature. This makes a lighter-colored chocolate frosting, but the chocolate flavor is deep and terrific. I increased the melted chocolate to 4 ounces when I made it and may even do 5 ounces next time.
To get the buttercream, don’t add all of it to the cooked part of the recipe. Add the remainder of the sugar slowly before the butter.
It came out grainy and crunchy… I cooked the first part just as instructed and even referenced the video. I supposed the sugar didn’t dissolve enough somehow or recrystallized? Disappointed.
I just made this frosting for a marble cake, it was amazing! Followed all of the instructions and it came out perfect.
Wondering if I could brown my butter, chill to solidified, and make as per instructed? Has anyone tried this?
Yes, you can brown your butter. I’ve done it for my Italian cream cake. Love it!!!
I love Mel’s website, recipes, and tips. I always enjoy learning new and tasty recipes, and I think that Mel is the way to go!
Please explain the purpose of the strainer?? Will there be any stuff still the strainer?
Thanks
Hi Jim, it’s helpful to use a strainer to catch any over cooked bits.
Hi, thanks for the response but the recipe has you strain prior to cooking…why would there be over cooked bits?
Oh, sorry for the confusion. I misunderstood your question. Yes, that is to catch any small clumps of flour that naturally happen when mixed with the milk. You can bypass this step, but you may get tiny lumps in the frosting as it cooks in that first step.
Can you “cook” the chocolate with the first warm batch portion of the recipe?
I haven’t tried that to know how it might affect the finished consistency – sorry!
Yes, you can add it at beginning, but the idea to add later is to bring it out with more intensified flavor and you definitely would not add the melted chocolate until the end; doing either out of order will change the texture and not turn out.
I’ve made this frosting with your Best Chocolate Cake a few times now and agree it’s amazing. One question: Do you generally refrigerate this cake/frosting combo after the first servings?
Hi Bob, yes, I refrigerate the cake/frosting if it will be out for longer than 3 hours or so (and I refrigerate the leftovers). The frosting does harden a bit, so it helps to let the frosted cake sit out of the fridge for 15 minutes or so before serving it again.
Thanks Mel, Is that because of quality or safety or both? I ask because I left the one I made yesterday out of the fridge until now.
I think generally speaking it is because it’s best to refrigerate it due to the butter content. However, if left at cool room temperature for a day, it shouldn’t spoil.
This cake and frosting are so much better if you use Crisco shortening for the cake and the frosting. I am not a fan of butter cream on a red velvet cake and would never put cream cheese frosting on my cake. Brfore starting the cake, make a roux with 1/4 cup of flour and 1 cup of milk cooked over low heat stirring constantlyuntil a thick gravy-like consistency. The roux should be set aside and cooled to room temperature. Do not put in fridge to cool. After roux is cooled (if the bottom of the pan is cool to touch, it is ready). Then cream 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of Crisco with a mixer until fluffy. Then add roux mixture and beat until smooth and creamy. Be sure to scrape sides and bottom of bowl so that all the sugar will beat down. If you taste it and there is a gritty texture, continue to beat until smooth. After applying the frosting to the cake, I cover the cake with coconut flakes. If you do not like coconut, trim the top of the cake, crumble it and let it dry on a piece of parchment paper. Then you can pat it on the cake on all sides and the top. The frosting will also hold up without refrigeration because Crisco does not break down like butter unless you leave it next to a stove or in a hot kitchen. Once I apply the coconut, I let the frosting ON the cake set up for about 30 minutes before cutting. I usually set the cake on a covered cake plate under in my garage where it is cool. This is a cake that not should be made in hot weather.