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
This one didn’t work for us – followed to the T and was a separated goopy mess. Out to buy more butter…
Hi, i have tried it a 100 times and everytime it turns out great. However right now i just made the first step using the chocolate version and it didnt thicken up as it does without the cocoa powder. Where did i go wrong? Please help as its urgent.
Unfortunately it’s really hard for me to know what might have gone wrong without any more details. Can you try refrigerating to see if it will thicken?
I just made it, and You should rename it “Heavenly Frosting” because by a long shot, this is the best frosting I’ve ever tasted, store bought or homemade. I had to hurry (a little), so I used the refrigerator for the cooling, and it turned out amazing and was ready just in time!
I’m totally a frosting lover/snob. This really is the BEST I’ve ever had! It’s like velvet! For some reason it didn’t pipe too well for me… Maybe it was still too chilled? Will totally give it another shot. Delicious!
Hi Mel, if I reduce the sugar further, would it affect the stability of the finished frosting? The ‘roux’ would no be as thick as if I had used the full 1.5 cups of sugar, I presume, so I am worried the finished frosting won’t hold up as well as.
I’m not sure – I’ve never reduced the sugar. Good luck if you experiment!
Hey Mel, love your site! This recipe is very similar to the only icing my mother used to make. It was always so delicious, but I never got the hang of preparing it. I like your version, it might be better suited for me (I had problems with the cooking part of Moms version.)
I can’t wait to try it, my husband is grossed out by buttercream icing (too sweet and heavy) so I’m looking forward to his reaction to yours. It sounds like a perfect sub for him. I’m a frosting freak, so I’m excited to have a replacement that will please everyone. Thanks!
Help, Please!!!
I, like you, dislike traditional buttercream icing. Too sweet for me. But it colors & decorates very well….and its easily made Gluten Free. I really want to make this frosting, but I need to make it Gluten Free for my celiac nephew. Any hints? I noticed that someone recommended rice flour rather than a wheat flour. Has anyone tried that and at what ratio/measurement? Also does this icing decorate well? Does it run? Will it pipe well as decorations not just for cupcakes.
This frosting does do well for decorating/piping as long as it isn’t warm. I haven’t made it gluten-free but others in the comments have. Good luck!
There is a frosting that one of our grocery stores called Rouses makes. It is so lite and airy.It floats into your mouth. I love love love it. I hope this is the recipe for it. I always ask almond extract to be added. If it is not I will keep looking for the recipe.
I would love to hear if this is close to the frosting you are talking about. Since I found this recipe, it is the only frosting I use. I find it to be amazing! I am making it right now for my son’s birthday cake!
If I wanted to make this into a strawberry frosting how would I go about doing that? I was going to make this as is for Mother’s Day but my mom wanted either a strawberry or raspberry frosting. Would just adding strawberries be enough or do I need to change the recipe a bit?
If you can, I’d pulverize freeze-dried strawberries and add them at the end…it’s my favorite way to flavor frosting without changing the texture (with extra liquid).
Ok I’ll try that! Thanks!
How many strawberries would you recommend I add? (Sorry I forget to add this to the first reply)
I’d probably start with about 1/2 cup pulverized freeze-dried strawberries and see how that goes and then add more to taste, if needed.
try strawberry koolaid
I have been looking for a recipe like this so I have just made half of it cant wait for the morning to taste it
I LOVE this frosting! It turns out perfect every time! I wanted to have a cream cheese flavored frosting…would you substitute some of the butter for cream cheese (if so how much), or would you just add some in after you whip the butter in?
Thanks in advance!
Yes, you can sub one 8 ounce block of cream cheese for one of the sticks of butter. 🙂
How many cups?
Nina Donovan
St. John’s, Newfoundland
Canada
1 cup of cream cheese
Hi I’m in a bit of a hurry I hope my question isn’t repetitive but I want to use this frosting for my cupcakes that I want to bring to school tomorrow, and the cupcakes won’t be in the fridge at school. I’m worried that the frosting will melt if I carry the cupcakes around for seven hours (thats how long I have to keep them with me before they will be served). What do you suggest? I’m from Germany and I decided to make this because my classmates don’t like really sweet things.
As long as the cupcakes can be kept at cool room temperature, they should be fine. Any warmer than that and the frosting might melt/sag a little.
Great Caesar’s Ghost! This is just like the silky rich chocolate frosting my great grandmother used to make with boiling water. (Until I was an adult, I thought she used tea because kettle = tea in my little mind).
It’s rich, holds up well, the butter and chocolate taste come thru beautifully and it’s not super sweet. I used the special jet black cocoa bought online and the cake looked like it belonged in a catalog. And it tasted even better!
Hi, I am from India and I just had a little doubt that are we supposed to use Salted or Unsalted butter? I’ve made it and it is Amazing but it is a bit salty and too thick. I think it might be the salted butter I used.
I always use salted butter.
So if I use salted butter do I still add the extra salt?
I use salted butter and make it according to the recipe. 🙂
This was so good, I always hate homemade frosting because of the powdered sugar. This was perfect! Made it for my great grandma and she was licking it off the cake the whole time
Hi,
I love this frosting and it’s all I ever use but I was wondering how I could make it lemon or other citrus flavoured. I once put orange zest and juice in the pudding base and it ended up tasting like cream cheese frosting; not bad but not bright and tart and fresh like I was hoping for. Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance and keep up the good work!
I believe others have commented in the thread that they’ve added orange extract and zest (or lemon extract and zest) at the end for a citrus frosting.
I have used freeze dried fruits in frosting, process the fruit till powder, then add to frosting.
Hi,
Do you think this recipe would be a good substitute for 7 minute frosting on a coconut cake with lemon curd filling?
Thanks,
Liza
It’s not quite as sweet as 7-minute frosting, but I think it would be delicious.
Hi Mel! I didn’t have time to read all the comments, so maybe you have answered this, but, I’ll ask! Have you tried piping this yet? And if I make it Saturday (for a birthday party on Sunday) can I pipe and refrigerate on Saturday and it will still be great Sunday? (and it needs to travel in my car for a few miles too).
I have made this before but only iced a cake with it. And good GRIEF it was amazing! Would love to wow 20 ladies at a birthday party with this icing if you think it will pipe! Thanks!
Hi Tara – yes, I’ve piped with this; works great. I’ve found this frosting refrigerates well as long as it’s already on the cake (frosted or piped) and then the cake is taken out of the refrigerator in order to come to full room temp so the frosting softens. The times I’ve made just the frosting ahead of time – it doesn’t re-whip very well. I think it would be just fine to make a day ahead of time!
The Icing was a big hit! It piped absolutely beautifully – – I wish I could post a photo! It was so much softer than Buttercream, I was nervous the piping would collapse but that was unfounded (and I pulled it up very high line bakery style cupcakes)! It traveled well, also! Thank you! I used this on your yellow Cupcake recipe. Delicious!
I’m so happy this worked out, Tara!
the kids at my kids prek loveeeed the frosting ..thank you so much
Love this recipe. If I publish a trail and cooking book may I have your permission to print this with credit to you?
Sure! You might want to give credit to the original recipe source listed under the recipe, too (I adapted it from somewhere else).
Great recipe Mel, and clearly a popular post even after several years. I wanted to leave you all a few comments about why this recipe doesn’t refrigerate well. Starch-heavy foods go through a process called retrogradation over time after they are cooked. It’s the process that causes things like gravy and pudding to get watery after refrigeration. It is also the reason why refrigerated bread gets sweaty in the bag and becomes stale. The starch granules shrink and expel trapped water. Refrigeration accelerates and intensifies this process, and it is irreversible, causing the frosting to separate. This frosting is best if not refrigerated after making, and consumed within a day or two. There are other starches and additives that can slow or stop the retrogradation process, but most aren’t accessible to the home cook. One starch that is widely available is “sweet rice flour.” This flour needs to be cooked slowly and for a longer time than wheat flour, but I bet it would make a good frosting that could stand up to refrigeration or even freezing. Unfortunately, I don’t know what the quantity substitution would be of rice for wheat+corn. Best to you.
I loved this, Chuck! Thanks for adding your advice about refrigeration to this recipe. So very helpful – and I love knowing more about the science behind food. Thank you!
Hi Mel, just found your recipe yesterday. It was exactly what I was looking for, so tried a practice run last night before making it this weekend for DD’s bday party. Amazing! I am in a sugar coma still from all the finger licks I took:) In case people are wondering, I was able to whisk this no problem with an old hand mixer, BUT I did read somewhere else to cream the butter first, then add the roue scoop by scoop –opposite of how you did it. Worked like a charm! Thanks so much for the recipe
LOOOOOVVVVEE!!!!! Added almond extract for a REEEAAALLLLY yummy frosting! Thank you!!
I’ve been making a similar frosting for nearly 40 years and it is my family’s favorite. It isn’t overpoweringly sweet, and it looks beautiful. I plan to try yours next time to see how they differ.Looking forward to trying your version. k
I just made the chocolate version of this and it is very yummy! Not very chocolatey, but still good. My comment is regarding the cooking time. I wish it was more specific. Mine had to cook for 35 minutes before it got thick and was hard to whisk. When it cooled, it was like thick, sticky caramel, but the frosting still turned out well. I wish the recipe had a “time to cook once it’s boiling”. I will definitely try the vanilla version. Thanks for the recipe!
Do you think this could be used as a “tunnel” in a bundt cake?
Sure, I don’t see why not! 🙂
We call it 7 minute frosting . It is really good .
hi mel, u mentioned that its best to use a stand up mixer, I only have a hand held 1, will this work just the same?
I recommend not using a handheld mixer because I don’t think it’s powerful enough to get the frosting as light and fluffy as it needs to be (it has to be mixed for a really long time).
ok, Ty so much for responding so quickly
Hi Mel,
Was just wondering if you would be able to help me here : I made this frosting yesterday to go with your Unbelievable Chocolate cake. Both the frosting and cake were delicious (as always !) but the only thing that didn’t turn out quite as I expected with the frosting is that It didn’t have at all the same white colour as yours…mine was more like…well yellow…do you have any idea why ?
Thanks !
I’m guessing it has something to do with the butter you used. I’ve noticed that butter color differs based on brand (some are much more yellow than others). What brand of butter did you use?
Yes that must be it. I used Elle&Vire, but don’t know if you have that brand in USA…I live in Europe.
Anyway, not a big problem as the frosting tasted very good ! =)
Hi Mel,
I am not a fan of frosting. Yet as I was making this, I couldn’t stop myself or anyone else in the household from testing it. Lol thank you for sharing.
I tried the chocolate frosting yesterday and could never get it to come together. I seriously must have let it beat in my stand mixer for 20+ minutes and every time I stopped, it would separate and start to look grainy. I did cool the mixture in the fridge prior to beating and adding butter – it felt maybe slightly cooler than room temp (but only ever so slightly, because I had just checked it minutes before and it was still warm). Is the temperature of the mixure really that finicky? Looks like an amazing frosting so I’m just wondering what could have gone wrong! Thanks Mel!
Hi Amanda – I do think the temperature of the cooked base can be the factor – it needs to be completely cooled and I’m guessing that might have been the issue. I’m sorry this didn’t work out – I know how frustrating that can be!
Mel this is a weird question:
Do you whisk this in a non-stick sauce pan? That is the only type I have…so I have to use a silicon whisk (which bends more easily and can’t take thick mixtures) I am wondering before starting this if my silicon whisk will be able to handle it….OR do I need to buy a sauce pan that is not non-stick—so I can use my metal whisk?
Sorry, I know you get a million questions—But I am planning this for my b-day and I don’t want it to fail!
I use a stainless steel pot (without a nonstick coating) but if your silicone whisk is sturdy it should hold up to the job. It will be like whisking pudding or something similar to that consistency.
Thanks Mel:)
And have you ever frozen the cake with this frosting on? Does this frosting hold up to being in the fridge if not the freezer?
I’ve refrigerated it a lot but never frozen so I’m not sure how well it would do.
This turned out great! Hopefully everyone likes it 🙂 I added 2 tsp of rum extract at the end (along with the vanilla) just to sweeten it up slightly and its amazing! I am making it along with you chocolate cake which so far so good!
Thank you!
C
Hi. I love your site! I would like to make this frosting along with the chocolate cake. Would it be OK to make the cake and frost it the day before and leave out until the next day?
Yes, as long as it stays at cool room temperature, that should work great. It usually keeps a cake nice and moist to frost it all the way if it’s going to be a day before you serve it.
This frosting was lovely! Seriously my new go-to. Not too sweet but delicious, light, and airy! I even won over my coworker who hates traditional buttercream.
Hello! Can’t wait to try this! At what point do you add food coloring of using? Thanks so much
I usually add it at the end as it mixes.
Thanks!
I made the chocolate version of your icing, and my husband said this was the best icing I’ve ever made! So thank you for sharing your recipes! And it paired beautifully with your Perfected Yellow Cake! Just one question, though ~ does the iced cake need to be refrigerated?
If it’s stored at cool room temperature it should be fine for 8-12 hours. Longer than that, I’d refrigerate but it will take 4-5 hours at room temp for the frosting to soften again.
Hi – first, I just have to say that your site is my absolute favorite and I recommend it to everyone! I have never made a bad recipe from your site and I am not an expert chef/baker.
I was wondering if you had ever gotten around to piping with this recipe. I have to make a cake this weekend and the frosting needs to be piped and I wanted to try this recipe because of the great reviews but if you hadn’t had success, I will try one of your other frosting recipes instead.
Yes, it pipes great!
Hi Mel! I’m hoping you might see this before tomorrow (Thursday) sometime. I’m making a birthday cake for my friend, and she requested this icing with your chocolate cake for her party. I’ve made similar frostings with cutting in the butter while whipping, but honestly can’t recall which beater I used in my Kitchen-Aid. Do you recommend the whisk or the beater for this one? Thanks!
Hi Lynn – I use the whisk attachment for my Bosch when I make this so that’s probably what I would recommend. Good luck!
Thank you! Whipping right now.
Hi Mel,
Love you, love your site! I was just reading your post about brown butter yesterday, but I haven’t tried it yet. I’m wondering if it would work in this recipe?
I’m not sure how the browned butter would do added at the end of the frosting – it would have to be cooled (resolidified) but honestly, you’d have to experiment since I don’t know if it would set up in the frosting like butter in stick form as called for in the recipe. The idea sounds heavenly though!
Recently, I tried this frosting, using heavy cream, and upping the sugar by one-half cup to 2 cups instead of the 1 and 1/2 cups the recipe calls for.
During the cooking phase, however, the liquid never thickens substantially, as described. … Instead, the liquid just bubbles into a frothy mixture that is like syrup. … It still sets up well, and it tastes pretty dog gone good, but it just never thickens, really. … Is this because of the extra sugar?
It could also be because of the heavy cream – the extra fat may make the texture (thickness) different.
Hi Mel, I am a huge fan of your blog and have used many of your recipes as staples in my collection. You are the best! I am just wondering if, in your honest opinion, this frosting would be good on an angel food cake? I make one for my husband every year and I was thinking about either making this frosting or going with the other recipe you have with the whipped chocolate frosting and toasting almonds to top on the cake. Thanks so much for your time!
Hmmm…I think the flavor and texture of this frosting might be a little too rich for an angel food cake but that’s just me. My favorite frosting for angel food cake is just heavy whipped cream, whipped to stiff peaks with a bit of powdered sugar and cocoa. So light and yummy.
I am new to baking. LOL. Do I use salted or unsalted butter?? Thank you. Merry Christmas!!
I use salted butter for this recipe.
Hi Mel.
I made this frosting for my sister and she loves it!! She won’t make it herself – just insists that I make it for her. For Liz who said the frosting came out salty, I always use unsalted butter in eveything, and especially for any recipe that calls for salt. That way I control how much salt is actually in the recipe. I totally spaced and forgot the salt the first time I made this recipe and it turned out great. I have a friend who is lactose intolerant so am going to try substituting the milk with plain and flavored non-dairy creamers to see how that works.
Hi Mel! How long do you think this leftover frosting will last in the fridge?
Merry Christmas! Hope you are well!
A week or so. 🙂
Hello! Delicious, decadent frosting recipe! Made it for my son’s first birthday yesterday and made extra. Hoping to use it on the extra cake I made for his other party this weekend. How would you recommend I store it in the fridge? It’s currently in a lidded Pyrex bowl. What would be your recommendations for using this frosting after it’s been refrigerated for a week? Bring back to room temperature? Re-whip or not?
Thank you!
That container should work just fine. Yes, I’d bring it back to room temperature and beat until light and fluffy again.
I whipped this with a hand mixer not realizing the whipping needed to be so vigorous. I thought it seemed smooth enough and then my husband put it in a piping bag and it separated like nobody’s business. Did I not whip it long enough?
Sounds like that might be the issue – this recipe definitely benefits from using an electric stand mixer to do the work.
Hello I love vanilla frosting but cannot find a homemade one I love except for one that doesn’t taste good next day if left out and I hate to refrigerate my cupcakes. I refuse to use store bought because there is so mich garbage in there. I made something similar to this but didn’t get it perfect. I have two questions I want to make for my sons school party next week can I make a day ahead and frost and leave them out and if so are they still safe to eat and just as yummy? If not can I do the flour part and leave that out overnight and finish up the rest in the morning Because there is no way I would have time to do it all in morning lol. Thanks
You could definitely make the flour base of the frosting, refrigerate it and finish it up the next day.
Amazing! The chocolate frosting version is so good I wanted to cry! For any readers wondering…. I place in ziplock in fridge overnight, let come to room temp and piped cupcakes no problem next day.
I’m using chocolate for inside layer of my daughters cake and outside vanilla.
Gonna be amazing!
Did you ever try using this to pipe with? I’ve made it before it is my favorite, but I haven’t tried piping with it. I’d like to use it for my daughters cake. Thanks!!
This has been addressed up above in the comments so scroll through for some great feedback from other readers! 🙂
Hi,
I have been looking for an icing to make my son’s birthday cake. I don’t care for the sweetness of buttercream. Is it possible to get the correct consistency with just using a hand mixer with the whisk attachment? I don’t have a stand mixture. Also, would the icing be okay with some fondant accents on top of it? Lastly, I was hoping to ice the cake Friday night for a Saturday afternoon party. Would it keep well for that if I refrigerated the iced cake and pulled it out a few hours before the party?
Thank you!
Hi Shannon – I haven’t tried this with a hand mixer because it requires such a long (and vigorous) mixing time. I haven’t used it with fondant but I believe others have up above in the comment thread. And yes, you could ice the cake a day ahead of time – just take it out in time for the frosting to soften to room temperature. Good luck!
Hi,
Please let me know is this good enough to use under fondant?? TIA
This is addressed further up in the comment thread – I haven’t tried it but I believe others have. 🙂
I dont like icing that is too sweet and this was perfect. This recipe is similar to Italian buttercream without the risk of burning yourself on boiling hot sugar. Thank you for posting this!