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:
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.
Begin by pouring 5 tablespoons of flour into 1 cup of milk. I used whole milk because I can if I want.
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.
The mixture will be very, very thick.
Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the cooled flour/milk mixture.
Stir it around to combine.
Pour one cup of sugar into a bowl with one cup of butter.
Whip it around until it’s light and fluffy, scraping the bowl once or twice to make sure it’s all mixed well.
Add the cooled flour/milk/vanilla mixture. Make sure it’s not the least bit warm!
I’m bossy. Sorry.
Next, just whip it on medium-high until the mixture resembled whipped cream.
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.
And then it was time for the rubber to meet the road.
This was spread with a big spatula…
This was spread with a dinner knife. The frosting definitely has a whipped cream consistency; it’s not thick like a decorator icing.
Before I allowed myself to taste it, I made some sprinkled ones for my punks.
This makes for a crunchy cupcake!
And now…for the moment of truth.
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!
538 Comments
Comments are closed for this recipe.
Norma Overbaugh on 4.14.2010
Oh my gosh! I used this on cream cheese cupcakes (my mom’s recipe) and they were so great! My husband turned 40 this weekend and I surprised him with a party and these with this fabulous frosting! I didn’t think it would be that great but I was SO WRONG! Excellent…give it a try!
Christine on 4.13.2010
This recipe truly is a marvel. I don’t see any reason to ever use buttercream on anything ever again. I’ve not tried to pipe it, though…it might not work too well. But surely there’s something that can be done with it decoratively. If not, that’s ok. The taste is beautiful enough.
Michelle Dembik on 4.13.2010
We love this frosting too. My mother-in-law gave me this recipe 20 years ago and it has continued to be our favorite. A little hint – try it as a filling in your cake then use another frosting on top (like Wilton’s butter cream) so delicious!
Amy W. on 4.13.2010
I just made this frosting again. This time I made Pioneer Womans Chocolate Sheet Cake in 2, 1/4 sheet pans, flipped one out, spread the frosting out nice and thick (in the middle), then flipped other cake on top and then poured the chocolate frosting she usually makes for the chocolate sheet cake on top….so good!! It was like a giant Hostess Cupcake.
Phyllis on 4.13.2010
I’ve made this for years and years. It is so yummy. Not greasy like buttercream. Especially great for a 13 x 9 cake for a potluck.
Brooke on 4.13.2010
I tried making this frosting but something didn’t work out right. I watched the mixer closely & didn’t over beat it, but it looked like chocolate chip cookie batter — before you add the flower mixture. The butter was room temp as well. It tasted fine, but looked awful so I had to make some traditional buttercream frosting. I’ll try it again sometime.
Aimee on 4.13.2010
Thats the recipe I’ve always used for red velvet cake. Delicious!
Leah on 4.13.2010
LOVE this frosting! I normally do not care for frosting because they are too sweet for me but this is divine. This is the only frosting I will ever make again!
kim on 4.13.2010
forgot to mention that I used 10X sugar instead of granulated and it was perfect. This is what my original recipe (probably 40 years old) called for.
kim on 4.13.2010
I made this frosting for a coconut cake with lemon filling and it REALLY is amazingly delicious…like Ree says, it’s almost like whipped cream. Will definitely make it again
Joyce Van Dyk on 4.13.2010
Great isn’t it!! I used to make this for my kids birthday cakes 25 years ago!
Donna Martin on 4.13.2010
Dawn..just read your comment about the frosting separating and being grainy. You are right that can happen, I found that the trick is to be sure to mix the sugar and butter to a light consistency. This will take longer than you may think. Just make sure it is light and fluffy before adding the cooled flour paste. If you look hard at Ree’s picture of the whipped butter, you can see it is very light.
Donna Martin on 4.13.2010
I have used this frosting for over 40 years! My best friend Marie gave it to my. It was called “Poor Man’s icing”…because it tastes like whipped cream. I raised 6 children so you know there have been lots of cakes, and this has always been the favorite!
Dawn Wrezinski on 4.13.2010
I followed the recipe exactly as written, however mine started to separate an looked grainy. Perhaps I overmixed it? I frosted the cupcakes, and after an hour sitting at room temperature, the frosting got very soft and almost melty. It tasted wonderful, but didnt look very attractive. Not sure what I did wrong?
Julie Anne on 4.13.2010
I have a chocolate frosting recipe that I LOVE, but I haven’t found a good “white” frosting yet… this makes me want to make cup cakes and try it RIGHT NOW, even though I have no reason and would eat them all myself!!
Destiny on 4.13.2010
I didn’t look through all 400+ comments, so this info might have already been said- but you can add peanut butter, and other stuff to this recipe! This is one of my favorite icing recipes that a friend gave me a few years ago. I love it plain, but I LOVE it even more with peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)!! My mouth is watering just thinking about it
Nino Floro on 4.11.2010
tried this today and it was fabulous! Thanks for posting. I stepped away from the flour/milk mixture for just a second and it thickened really fast. You need to keep an eye on it and whisk it continuously.
The really downer is that my kitchenaid DIED just after I made the cupcakes. Which means I had to cream the butter and whip the frosting BY HAND! I’ll feel that in the morning, for sure!
Thanks!
CC on 4.10.2010
My mom gave me this recipe over 20 years ago. She called it Ice Cream frosting and we used to put it on her fabulous Wacky cake!
I am still using the same GE hand mixer I have had for over 4o years and I definitely had to whip it a lot longer than you did. It was fabulous then and now, whenever I make it. Stays soft, doesn’t separate and is the best white frosting ever, in my humble opinion. Thanks for the reminder.
sarabeth on 4.9.2010
Just the way the recipe was described made me want to march right into the kitchen to make this…well done!!
JPB on 4.9.2010
A hidden camera? Are you serious? You don’t think you’re overdoing it a tad? Hey, I love chocolate cupcakes as much as the next guy…erm…apparently not as much as you… But for the love of God I doubt it would send me to rapture as it clearly did to you.
Carol from Ohio on 4.9.2010
I tried this frosting on cupcakes yesterday and was not that enthusiastic about the texture or flavor. It was interesting, though, but I really prefer a buttercream frosting, which actually is made with a lot less butter.
Kait on 4.9.2010
Thanks for the recipe; I’ve been looking for a simple frosting I could make with just the ingredients lying around my house. I’m a college student and running on a very, very small budget. Thanks.
Stephanie on 4.7.2010
Hi I made the icing not long ago today, could not wait to try it after finding your site last night. I want to tell you it is totally AWESOME. I just about ate the whole bunch, so so so very good, I will be making it all the time. Will this icing crust much to hold any decorations?
Linda Hart on 4.6.2010
This is the same icing I use on my red velvet cake. Soooo good.
dobes on 4.6.2010
I used this on my son’s lemon-coconut birthday cake this Saturday. It was unbelievably good! My milk and flour mixture looked more solid than yours – sort of a greyish, gluey mass, and I was not having kind thoughts of you when I dumped it into the butter and sugar mixture — and then I can’t explain what happened, but it was WONDERFUL! The texture was light, it wasn’t too sweet, and it was still great – maybe even better – when we ate the last slice of cake 2 days later.
I will never make another frosting. Thanks!
Richard on 4.6.2010
Looks to die for, can’t wait to try!
Melissa on 4.5.2010
I don’t know if this was the best frosting I’ve ever tasted, but it was really good that’s for sure! I doubled the recipe and used it to frost a 4 layer cake last night and it was light, fluffy and very whip creamy tasting! Good stuff!
Erin on 4.5.2010
I’ve made this before – slightly different – from the Magnolia Bakery’s red velvet cake recipe (it’s called Creamy Vanilla Frosting). This version is a little simpler so i made it last night. Mine didn’t look quite as pretty as yours though, Ree. It wasn’t as white and creamy! Maybe I beat it too long and it started to break down? Still tasted great though.
Amy Robertson on 4.4.2010
How long do you need to cream the flour and sugar for? I’ve made this a couple times now, and it comes out all greasy. The grains of sugar are also quite pronounced…wondering if my creaming time is the problem. (The flour/milk mixture is definitely cool.)
Cathy Cunningham on 4.4.2010
Wish I’d read ALL the comments before I tried this today. It TASTES delicious, but is really weird because it broke down for some reason? Used 1% milk – printed recipe didn’t specify. It looked fine as I was whipping it and all of a sudden separated. Boo hoo! Taking to dinner and don’t have the stuff to make more so …it will at least taste good.
I realized after making it that this is the very first recipe I ever got; I was 6 years old and my first grade teacher Mrs. Haynes gave it to me (and my Mom!). Haven’t made it in so long I forgot all about it..that was in the 1950’s!
So I haven’t frosted the sheet cake yet. Any body have a magic secret to get the stuff all incorporated again?
ruby on 4.3.2010
Do you cook the cupcakes in the aluminum foil patty pans? Or pour the mixture in cupcake pans?
Ruby x x x
Nancy on 4.2.2010
This has been a staple in our home since my childhood it’s the only frosting I make. It’s easy to change up the flavor by sub. the vanilla with other complementary flavors, orange, almaond, let your immagination take you.
Jennifer97 on 4.2.2010
I make a similar recipe except I use 1 cup of powdered sugar and I mix that in with the milk and flour. I cook it just like your directions. Add vanilla after I take it off the heat. I whip my softened butter so it is light and fluffy and then add my flour mixture to the bowl and whip it again. All the sugar granules completely dissolve when you cook it with the milk and flour and all your left with is a heavenly weightless bowl full of etheral yumminess!!! Please try it sometime, absolutly amazing , especially on a dark chocolate cake or a mocha-chocolate cake, or with a bowl full of bluberries or raspberries.
Jimmy on 4.2.2010
“I’d say this is about 45 seconds of pretty hard beating.”
I lol’d
jellybeans on 4.1.2010
We call this Ga’s frosting because I got it from a friend of mine’s mom who they call Ga! We LOVE this stuff – I make extra and keep it in the fridge for dipping oreos, fingers whatever!
Barbara on 4.1.2010
So, how much does the basic recipe make? Will it frost two dozen cupcakes, or do I need to double the recipe?
angie on 4.1.2010
Best thing I have ever had, your gonna make me so fat!
SBM13 on 4.1.2010
I want the one with sprinkles…..hard to say no to chocolate cupcakes w/ white frosting. I’m just sayin’
Shar Mohr on 3.31.2010
Made these tonight. Let’s just say if you ever see one your friends buying store bought frosting and cake mix, smack them in the face. Then give them the recipe for this frosting and the sheetcake (cupcakes). They’ll totally forget you ever smacked them. In fact, they’ll probably even thank you.
Brandysvensson on 3.31.2010
I just baked this for my son’s class this evening. I made the cupcakes and the frosting this evening. They cupcakes were rich with chocolate and moist – yum! The frosting was even better – I did make it ahead of time, so I will be curious how it tastes when I try to use it in the morning.
bethb on 3.31.2010
I made this frosting and have to admit I did not care for it. Maybe I did something wrong. I’ll go back to my favorite Seven Minute White Frosting. I love the flavor and texture of it on chocolate cake.
When I have a spare minute, I’ll post my mother’s recipe for Devil’s Food Cake. It’s a dark chocolate to-die-for cake that pairs perfectly with the Seven Minute Frosting. She would sometimes bake the 2 layer cake, frost it with the fluffy icing, then drizzle a chocolate ganache on top. It was beautiful.
On banana cake, I would make a cream cheese frosting.
Love most all of the other recipes though.
Shelley on 3.30.2010
Should I use unsalted butter?
Shannon J on 3.30.2010
We made this for my son’s birthday cake. It is no joke that you have to really be careful to not eat it all before you frost the cake! 100% excellent. I did cook the milk/flour mixture too long so there were tiny lumps in it. And for part of it I added sifted cocoa to make it brown (race car cake!) and the chocolate version was very good too.
shellsonvancouverisland on 3.30.2010
I made these cupcakes and this frosting today to take to work …… I had made the cake before so I knew it was going to be good but the frosting .. OMG, it is amazing. I was more than skeptical with the flour/milk mixture but it turned out great . I didn’t have milk so used table cream instead and it thickened really quickly, I was worried that it would taste of raw flour but I needed not to worry …. its a bit richer than if I had made it with milk but delicious all the same.
Jo on 3.30.2010
For Claire:
Vanilla Extract
Claire on 3.30.2010
Yes – Anna Rae – Mine looks ‘curdly’ – I obviously overwhisked it as it’s begun to break down and is now too runny to put on the cup cakes. (Plus it just tastes of flour – when the receipe says ‘Vanilla’ – is that Vanilla Essence or Extract of Vanilla? In the UK (where I am), they are completely different strenghths).
Claire on 3.30.2010
I just tried to make this. I must have done something wrong as it is too liquidy and just tastes of flour.. it’s really gross and now I have nothing to put on the cupcakes. Booo!
I’m sure this recipe is good but it didn’t work for me and it just tastes of flour.
Lisa T on 3.29.2010
This is like the recipe for my Red Velvet cake. But tonight I used it on a Hershey’s Deep Dark Chocolate Cake (google the recipe…it’s a very dense, very moist cake!) and it was wicked good!
Barbara on 3.29.2010
This frosting tastes like french vanilla ice cream…. my boys loved it!
Stephanie W. on 3.28.2010
I must have done something wrong. I did not like this frosting.