This is The Best Cake Icing Ever! it takes a lot to earn that title, and this is the ultimate easy icing for every cake, cupcake, or baked good. This is my go-to recipe any time I bake something, and you can easily make a batch of this frosting ahead of time with just a few simple ingredients.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Icing
- It’s really easy to make! And easy recipes are always a wonderful thing.
- It keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week. That means you can make it in advance or save any extra that you didn’t use on the cake.
- It’s delicious and creamy. The flavor is light and complements any flavor of cake.
This icing will take an ordinary cake to over-the-top yummy. It’s especially great when combined with chocolate or red velvet cake. This icing isn’t sugary sweet so it won’t make you sick. It really is delicious all by itself and it will turn any cake into the best cake ever!
How To Make The Best Cake Icing Ever
- Whisk milk and flour together; cook in a stovetop pan on medium-low heat until thickened. Cover the pan and refrigerate until cold.
- Use a stand mixer to mix the ingredients together. (Be sure to mix in the order listed on the recipe card.)
- Use the icing on all of your favorite baked goods! Cakes, cupcakes, cakey breads, everything!
Icing Ingredients
- Milk: I like to use 2% milk but 1% will also work.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour for this recipe. You can also use 1:1 gluten-free flour if that’s what you prefer.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter for this icing and don’t be tempted to substitute margarine.
- Shortening: Shortening helps to get the icing wonderfully fluffy.
- Sugar: Sugar adds sweetness as well as structure.
- Vanilla extract: A little vanilla extract really helps to boost the flavor.
- Powdered sugar: This fine sugar combines very easily and makes the frosting incredibly light.
Can you make it ahead of time?
This icing recipe can easily be made up to a week ahead of time. Just cover the bowl with some plastic wrap and it will keep well in the fridge.
It doesn’t form a crust (like some frostings do) and it will be ready to use straight from the fridge.
What’s the difference between icing and frosting?
Mostly it’s a matter of regionalism and preference. Some people use criteria based on ingredients, but nowadays, the terms are used interchangeably.
Do I have to use shortening and butter as listed?
These ingredients all have their purpose, so please don’t substitute. Shortening and butter behave differently. The shortening helps add fluffy volume, while the butter adds a rich flavor. You need both!
Can I add other flavors?
I consider this an all-purpose, go-to icing recipe that works with just about any baked good. But to make it perfect for your particular use, you can easily change up the color and flavor of this frosting.
Try swapping the vanilla extract for peppermint, lemon, or orange, or add in some cocoa powder to make it chocolatey.
Add food coloring to make it perfect for any holiday or event.
Tips!
- Be sure to strain the milk and flour mixture through a sieve to remove any lumps.
- Use a stand mixer to combine the ingredients. You need something powerful and a whisk just won’t cut it.
- Beat the icing for four minutes every time you add an ingredient. It will help incorporate lots of air in the icing so it remains light and fluffy.
- Double the recipe if frosting an entire layer cake, including the sides.
- This icing will keep in the fridge for one week.
This is by far my favorite cake icing recipe, and I hope you love it as much as we do! This is the traditional icing my mom always used for her Red Velvet Cupcakes, and I can’t imagine them any other way.
Use This Icing On:
- Velvet Chocolate Cake Recipe (Chocolate Bundt Cake)
- The Best Red Velvet Cupcakes Recipe
- Apple Pie Cupcakes (Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie Cupcakes)
- Hummingbird Cake Recipe
And if you prefer chocolate, try this Chocolate Buttercream Frosting!
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy!
The Best Cake Icing Ever
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup butter 1 stick, at room temperature. Do not use margarine
- 1/2 cup shortening such as Crisco. Do not use butter.
- 1 cup sugar use castor sugar, or extra-fine granulated sugar, if available
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Whisk milk and flour together and cook in a stovetop pan on med-low heat until thickened, stirring constantly. If small lumps have formed, pour through a mesh strainer into a small(ish) bowl, using a rubber spatula to press the thickened milk through the strainer.
- Cover the dish and refrigerate until cold. To eliminate condensation forming inside the lid, place a paper towel just under the lid but not touching the milk mixture. To speed up the cooling, place the mixture in the freezer for 1/2-1 hour.
- MIX THE INGREDIENTS IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER, TAKING CARE TO BEAT WELL:
- Combine 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup shortening. Beat 4 minutes on high speed.
- Add 1 cup of sugar. Beat 4 minutes on high speed.
- Add cooled milk, flour mixture, and vanilla extract. Beat 4 minutes on high speed
- Add 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Beat 4 minutes on high speed
- Icing is ready to use!
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Be sure to strain the milk and flour mixture through a sieve if there are any lumps in it.
- Use a stand mixer to really combine the ingredients and get plenty of air into the icing.
- Beat the icing for four minutes between adding the ingredients. It will help incorporate air in the icing so it remains light and fluffy.
- Double the recipe if frosting an entire layer cake, including the sides.
- This icing will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
- Nutrition information assumes 12 servings, but that may vary by the recipe.
Nutrition Information
This was unexpectedly delicious!!! It seemed like a strange recipe, but it was fluffy and tasted so good with the chocolate cake I made. Thanks so much for posting this recipe!
Thanks for sharing, Bethany!
Sorry but I feel like I’m eating sweetened crisco. I like that it’s not cloyingly sweet but the crisco texture and taste are unappealing.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy this one!
The only thing going on for this is the texture. The taste is like plastic, vanilla can’t mask it.
I’m so sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe!
Thank you so much for showing this recipe. I thought I had lost it forever. I first received the recipe from my aunt and our whole family loved it. Even though I copied it as a young
twenty-something, I lost the recipe I wrote out and relied on the copy of the recipe my sister had and when she moved away, I thought I would never see it again. My sis said she didn’t know where it was since she didn’t bake or cook any longer. I am so happy and joyous to see this icing recipe again! My aunt is now 99 years old and my sister is 80. I will always love this recipe. So appreciative. Judy m.
Oh how special! It warms my heart that I could bring this back to you!
I tried this and it tasted like pure shortening. I looked up ways to fix it but none worked and the frosting still tasted like shortening. DO NOT MAKE. 1/10
I’m so sorry this one didn’t turn out well for you!
Will buttermilk work?
It may alter the taste slightly, so I would definitely taste it as you go!
Been making this for years, my favorite frosting recipe! A little trivia: this is officially known as Ermine Frosting, and unofficially called Boiled Milk Frosting. It is also the ORIGINAL recipe for Red Velvet Cake, made famous by the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. It is a wonderful recipe!
Thanks, Sally!! I love finding out new cooking facts!
My mom made this almost exact frosting for years. I found when you are cooling the frosting in the fridge, lay the plastic wrap directly on top and smooth it to cover the whole batch. That way you don’t get a film. Also, she used corn starch instead of flour.
Great tips!
16 minutes of mixing plus 4 to prep? Not worth it. I have never left a review on a recipe before, but I felt compelled to do so on this one. Don’t waste your time on this.
Hey can you not use shortening and do 1 cup butter instead?
Yes, you can use that as a substitute!