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That’s the Best Frosting I’ve Ever Had

Posted by in Baking, Step-by-Step Recipes

I’ve been intrigued with this frosting recipe for months, not just because of its alluring title, but also because if its ingredients. Five tablespoons of flour? In frosting? Let’s just say my interest was piqued.

I finally got around to making it yesterday evening; Marlboro Man’s grandmother has some old friends staying at The Lodge and I wanted to take them a treat. So I whipped up this frosting, slapped it on some chocolate cupcakes…and wound up considering not sharing them with the guests because it was so delicious.

You owe it to yourself to make this frosting sometime in your life.

You’ll just have to trust me on this.

Here’s how you make it:

 
 
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First things first: I made chocolate sheet cake cupcakes. They’re the best cupcakes around.

Here’s the recipe:

The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake (or Cupcakes!) Ever

Let your cupcakes (or cake) cool completely.

 

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Begin by pouring 5 tablespoons of flour into 1 cup of milk. I used whole milk because I can if I want.

 
 
 

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After adding the flour, whisk it together until combined, then place the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk it as it heats up and thickens, and stop when the mixture is very thick.

Cool the mixture completely.

 

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The mixture will be very, very thick.

 
 
 

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Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the cooled flour/milk mixture.

 
 
 

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Stir it around to combine.

 
 
 

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Pour one cup of sugar into a bowl with one cup of butter.

 
 
 

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Whip it around until it’s light and fluffy, scraping the bowl once or twice to make sure it’s all mixed well.

 
 
 

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Add the cooled flour/milk/vanilla mixture. Make sure it’s not the least bit warm!

 
I’m bossy. Sorry.

 
 
 

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Next, just whip it on medium-high until the mixture resembled whipped cream.

 
 
 

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This was slightly tricky for me, as I was afraid of overbeating the mixture and causing everything to start breaking down and falling apart. I’d say this is about 45 seconds of pretty hard beating.

 
 
 

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And then it was time for the rubber to meet the road.

 
 
 

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This was spread with a big spatula…

 
 
 

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This was spread with a dinner knife. The frosting definitely has a whipped cream consistency; it’s not thick like a decorator icing.

 
 
 

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Before I allowed myself to taste it, I made some sprinkled ones for my punks.

 
 
 

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This makes for a crunchy cupcake!

 
 
 

And now…for the moment of truth.

 
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THE VERDICT: Okay. Let me just explain something to you. After I took this bite, I looked around for the hidden camera. I was certain someone was playing a trick on me. This frosting is so UNBELIEVABLY divine, I almost couldn’t believe what was happening to me. The consistency is light, the flavor indescribably delicious, and a perfect complement to the rich chocolate cake. And don’t just take my word for it—after my daughter took her first bite, she looked at me and said “WHAT is this FROSTING?”

Even she knew she was in the presence of greatness.

Here’s the frosting recipe:

That’s the Best Frosting I’ve Ever Had

Note: I would probably recommend making the frosting on the same day you intend to serve it.

Thank you to MissyDew for sharing such a great recipe!

 

Comments are closed 538 Comments

Suzie Q in Vermont on Saturday, April 17

Tried this frosting today......on chocolate cake.....my husband was not a fan. I have to say after readng all the comments, I couldn't wait to try it....I too was disappointed. I even went back to check the recipe on line to see if I had copied it correctly...I did. Not a keeper! :(

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Tiffany on Saturday, April 17

I've just had so much trouble with this frosting. I'm not really a novice baker (I'm not professional either)... and I think I know how to follow directions... but I just CANNOT get this frosting to work. It just keeps separating. I've even tried different methods like placing the butter in the freezer or using it at room temp. The flour mixture I have is not warm at all. I let it cool down for a few hours (is this the reason it doesn't work?). It tastes real good... but I just can't get it to be the right consistency. Please help... :( :(

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Lisa on Sunday, April 18

I just made this frosting to go with PW's chocolate cake. I am a frosting lover, but this was not good. You could still taste a hint of the flour. The sugar was grainy and didn't break down no matter how long you whipped the mixture. The frosting had an offputting, almost foamy texture. I really wanted to love this, but I'll stick with my buttecream recipe.

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kristi on Tuesday, April 20

OK... mine did not turn out... though I don't think I scaled the milk, it looks scalded. Everything was fun until I added the butter mixture to the flour mixture. tastes yummy, but I just don't like the consistency. What did I do wrong?!!!

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gatorbaby9861 on Wednesday, April 21

Holy cow! I made some Lemon cream cupcakes this morning (from here: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lemon-Cream-Cupcakes/Detail.aspx). Made your frosting recipe and added a couple of drops of lemon oil at the same time as the vanilla. WOW! It's really GREAT. Satiny & smooth and light. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

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caliban on Thursday, April 22

Sorry, but I made this twice now and followed the recipe to the letter and both times it's curdled/split on me. I make roux sauces often and have never happened before. I made sure the butter/sugar is light and fluffy/pale and the flour/water is thick and cool and I got scrambled gunk. If you can pull it off - gold star for you - but I won't be making it again - huge waste of ingredients.

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Karen on Friday, April 23

I am so impressed that you can hold a half-frosted cupcake and a knife with a glob of frosting on it all in one hand while taking a picture with the other. Seriously impressed.

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Gaby on Saturday, April 24

I just made this icing with brown sugar, as well as adding some thickened cream at the end and it was AMAZING :D Thank you so much for this recipe, I am never making regular butter cream again.

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Diane on Sunday, April 25

I have made this before and the frosting was a little gritty from the sugar. It just didn't dissolve quite enough without over mixing it. Any suggestions.

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Chris on Sunday, April 25

Like Joy said a while ago, I love this best on Red Velvet. It is, by far, one of the best recipes I've tried.

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Ashleigh on Sunday, April 25

I made this frosting for some rainbow cupcakes for my friends a couple days ago and they were all freaking out at how good the frosting was. I went back to my friends yesterday to find one of them eating the leftover frosting with a spoon. Hahaha. It almost tastes like vanilla icecream!

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cccakes on Thursday, April 29

This sounds great. do you think is can be used to decorate cupcakes?

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joluv2bake on Thursday, April 29

To cccakes: You should have no problem using it to decorate cupcakes and yes, it is wonderful. I have made this frosting since the 50's but in reading all of the comments in this section along with the ones in Pioneer Woman when she first wrote it up (Best Frosting Ever), many people have had problems with it so I suggest you read the different comments/suggestions first. I am not sure what date I offered up my suggestions in details, in both this section and PW, to hopefully help out those that we having problems. Jo

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MamaB on Saturday, May 1

Made this today. But I added a tablespoon of instant coffee to the milk and flour mixture and used dark brown sugar instead of white sugar. WOW I cannot believe how light and fluffy this frosting is. I love it!

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Candygirl on Sunday, May 2

I've made this with the scrapings of a vanilla bean and it was wonderful! A friend thought it was a cream based frosting.

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Chelsea M. on Sunday, May 2

I tried making this frosting just today...and it tastes delicious, but the consistency is *very* runny. Why could this be? I followed directions, I promise!

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michelle on Monday, May 3

so sad. it tastes good but runny. poop. i did somethin' wrong... frosting from a can...again.

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Alan on Tuesday, May 4

' 1 teaspoon of vanilla' - vanilla what? Essence? Extract? Flavouring?

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NenisQ on Monday, May 10

Increible el betun, mis cupcakes quedaron maravillosos, y lo mejor fue que el betun no se derritio con el clima tan caluroso(40°C) jjajajajaja que tenemos en mi ciudad

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Kitty J. on Thursday, May 13

I'm not sure where I screwed up.. :-( But I dont think they turned out too good. The taste was a little off... almost 'pasty' like. oh well, love your lasagne!

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Ray on Thursday, May 13

Just wow!! Thank you. I just made a batch of these for my wife and kids and they LOVED them. Of course I thought they were awesome too. Thanks!!

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Millenion on Friday, May 14

looks like an easy recipe and looks tasty.

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me on Friday, May 14

have been making this frosting for years...call it Aunt Lillian's Frosting

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Ashleigh on Friday, May 14

It may have been runny if you didn't let the milk and flour heat up enough. The longer it heats up, the thicker the mixture will be. I'm making the frosting again...for the 5th time... tonight to try out on my bf. He's gonna love it, I'm sure.

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Stephanie Shock on Sunday, May 16

I made this today for a birthday cake and, sadly, wasn't in love. Maybe my expectations were too high. It basicly tasted like sweetened whipped cream, but with extra fat. The butter kind of coats your mouth. I think I'll stick with buttercream. On a happier note, I also made PW's creamy mashed potatoes and they were AWE-SOME!

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Courtney Vollmer on Thursday, May 20

I've made this frosting twice now and you're right...it's the best frosting ever! Everyone in my family keeps going back to stick their fingers in it. The cake is looking like it has a bad haircut! Thanks for the recipe(s)

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Firewifeplus4 on Saturday, May 22

εїз I made this frosting the other day, however it came out a bit runny. {Could be that I live in AZ and the butter will not stay firm @ our room temp..lol.} Anyway, I cured it with adding confectioners sugar till it thicken up and remained firm. Had some left over so I put it in the fridge. Hubby took it out last night and used it on some fresh strawberries we had. OMG I'm in HEAVEN! Thx for sharing this recipe! ♥ εїз ♥

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jaxanahalf on Monday, May 24

I was so sad mine did not come out the same as yours Ree! It was all runny. I tried adding some cornstarch but that didn't really help anything. hmm. It still tasted SUPER delicious mind you. I still "glazed" the cupcakes with it and hid it's weird looking-ness with sprinkles. Everyone who ate the cupcakes loved them so no big deal. I am going to try some suggestions I see here on how to make it fluff up next time!

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J.John on Tuesday, May 25

I love you for posting this.

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mariam on Monday, June 14

i will definitely try this, as soon as possible! I've been searching for different recipes so long and i guess this one will be fantastic.:))) its easy, looks nice..

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WendyP on Friday, June 18

PLEASE for the love of God tell me how to make a chocolate version of this. Just add cocoa powder? how much? need help please ASAP!

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Christine on Monday, June 21

Adriane made these and they were absolutely fabulous. The frosting is the best ever.

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palindromic1 on Thursday, June 24

this frosting is a more buttery than i expected, but it's still absolutely awesome. i made the chocolate sheet cake cupcakes more chocolatey (about 5 tbsp of cocoa powder), and i think the frosting was a bit more butter than any other flavor, so i'm not sure if it was strong enough to hold its own against the cake. however, it was pretty tasty (all snobby food criticisms aside), and i ended up downing four cupcakes in about ten minutes. i really need to go jogging... it's 10:30 pm... :/

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Jen S. on Tuesday, June 29

if you're having trouble with this recipe, go here: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/09/perfect-cupcake-frosting-and-filling.html it's basically the same recipe, but she includes some troubleshooting tips. she also recommends mixing it for 7-8 minutes. i tried the tasty kitchen recipe and failed miserably, but i tried it again using tips from this website, and it came out perfectly... i am in love.

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Kimmie on Friday, July 2

I just made this frosting to top off my Banana Cupcakes -- I am calling them "Monkey Chow". This frosting is very good with a light texture. Yummy!

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Jean on Saturday, July 10

Just made this for banana cupcakes. Just an fyi the first batch did separate because I over-mixed it. Then with the second batch I read Ree's post about mix about 45 seconds. This one was great. Thanks for the recipe and the tips!!!

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lulugurlz on Saturday, July 10

yum yum delicious

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Elizabeth on Tuesday, July 13

My mom has been making this type of frosting (we call it buttercream) for years! I had no idea canned frosting existed until I started 1st grade as I'd only ever been exposed to bakery buttercream frosting and this frosting. I know. I was a spoiled child!

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