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
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mary in tennessee on 3.16.2010
This is the frosting my mom uses on her Red Velvet Cake.
Mary in TN
Karen on 3.16.2010
That is whqt I use on red velvet cake. But it is tricky. sometimes it breaks down amd sometimes I don’t wait for the flour milk to cool. Then it is very grainy and not good at all.
Yours looks perfect!
Janene from Ellinwood Kansas on 3.16.2010
I have made this recipe for 29 years. My hints are: always put a lid on the pan so the flour and milk mixture doesn’t get a film on it. I like to frost my cake at least a day ahead so the sugar disolves and the top of the cake softens. I got this recipe from my mother in law who got it from her mother. What a great frosting recipe.
Lori on 3.16.2010
This is a traditional red velvet cake frosting (cream cheese frosting is a lame stand-in, IMO). This stuff is fabulous!
Lynette on 3.16.2010
It’s too late to make these in time for my son’s banquet tonight.
Looks divine!!
Tina on 3.16.2010
ok, that looks SO good I think we’ll be making cupcakes and the frosting with some green food color in it in honor of St. Patrick’s day today!
Janet on 3.16.2010
This is the frosting my Mom always put on her Red Velvet Cake (before it became the cake of the moment). I thought it was strange that everyone used cream cheese frosting. It was never as good as Mom’s. It’s the first time I’ve seen the recipe used anywhere but our family.
Kaitlin on 3.16.2010
I’ve heard of this, but flour in frosting has always seemed scary to me, too… I’ll have to give it a try! Thanks for the post!
Juliann Mathews on 3.16.2010
Basically, this is old fashioned New England-style whoopie pie filling. My favorite icing on a homemade chocolate cake is seven-minute icing. I am also a huge fan of rainbow-colored non-pareilles.
Mary on 3.16.2010
This is the same recipe that my grandmother used on her red velvet cake and I have to agree, it is incredible and great when licking the beaters
Ann on 3.16.2010
Aw, the sprinkles make me miss my grown up punks! I’m going to assume the butter needs to be at room temp. Will file away for the next celebration.
Cyndi on 3.16.2010
This has been our families “Secret icing” for years! If you think it’s good on chocolate cake, wait til you throw it on red velvet cake. The good thing about this icing is that it never gets hard! It stays the same for as long as the cake lasts, which with 4 teenagers isn’t usually more than 5 minutes at my house, but when I tell them that the last piece of MY birthday cake is MINE, it can last a few days and the icing is always soft and creamy!
Last night, I spent the evening at Barnes and Noble and I read your cookbook from front to back! What a delight! I read every word and every recipe! They were ready to charge me rent for the chair! It is now officially on my wish list, otherwise known as my Christmas list and I consider it as a wedding present in the future! It’s absolutely incredible! And this morning, I tried frying an egg in the grilled toast idea! Fabulous!!!!!!
I read all your blogs! I’m a photographer want to be. My hubby bought me a nice digital Canon for Christmas. I homeschool my kids too! I love your everyday blog and I’m hopelessly in love with Charlie. Thanks Ree, for sharing your life and making us all feel like you know us personally, even though we all know that is only for an elite few!
You are true country!
Chrity on 3.16.2010
My sister’s recipe is very similar, except that you make a second layer of cooked fudge to drizzle over top. We’ve used it for years as a family favorite over “Wacky Cake” — a fairly common recipe that uses vinegar, baking powder and no eggs.
Mrs. Q. on 3.16.2010
I was out of confectioners sugar one day and had a cake to frost, so I found a similar cooked frosting recipe on the Land’o Lakes website. I was AMAZED at how light and delicious this old-fashioned frosting is– like a cross between buttercream and whipped cream.
I usually use buttercream when I’m doing cake decorating, so has anyone tried piping this kind of frosting? Wondering how it holds up?!
Stephanie on 3.16.2010
This looks like the frosting my mom always makes for red velvet cake.
meeshiesmom on 3.16.2010
We call this french cream frosting don’t ask me why, I don’t know. This is the frosting my mother always made for birthday cakes. She got it from her aunt. I’ve made it so many times I’ve lost count. I’ve also substituted the sugar for a flavored koolaid not the sugar free kind. When I was small strawberry cake was my favorite and my mom would make strawberry frosting. TOO DIE FOR!
Carol on 3.16.2010
I learned this one years ago. It’s my favorite too.
I was also astonished the first time I was introduced to it.
Virginia on 3.16.2010
Hooray! I needed a new frosting recipe! I shall use it today (and dye it green) for some fun St. Patrick’s day treats!!!
The Chocolate Lady on 3.16.2010
It looks yummy…I wonder how it compares to Dove Chocolate’s butter cream frosting.
I have an amazing chocolate give away this week….Id love to see what The Pioneer Woman could do with my prize!
Anna Sawin on 3.16.2010
So my question…the sugar granules dissolve? Am so curious!
Heather on 3.16.2010
This is the same icing recipe that my grandmother used to make to go in the center of gobs… does anyone out there even know what gobs are?? for those who dont – they are like a homemade oreo cakester with this icing in the center… delicious!
when i want to cut the sweetness of my standard buttercream i will mix this into it… then it’s perfect for white cakes too!
Alicia on 3.16.2010
This is my favorite frosting too! I LOVE it! It is heavenly on Banana Nut Cake also…I use it on sooo many different recipes!!!!
marianne on 3.16.2010
I found this recipe a few years ago–I used powdered sugar instead of regular. It really is the best frosting recipe. Not too sweet. Nice and fluffy. It holds really well also.
Kelly in Carrollton on 3.16.2010
Our mom has made this frosting for years — calls it Mystery Icing!! She always serves it on her famous Red Velvet Cake, and it is the PERFECT compliment to the delicate cake flavor!! Doesn’t overwhelm like cream cheese frosting does. LOVE IT!!!
madison on 3.16.2010
I’ve been making this recipe for 30 years! It’s called “Mock Whipped Cream.” I only use it on my from scratch chocolate cake.
Nancy on 3.16.2010
Wonderful filling/icing. I’ve been making it since I found the recipe in the 60’s. There’s a chocolate version I’ve made occasionally but vanilla creme rules! I believe it’s easier to incorporate the milk slowly into the flour like a roux, but whatever works!
Kathy on 3.16.2010
This is my husband’s favorite and my “go to” frosting – has been for years. The only difference is that I use cornstarch in place of flour. DELICIOUS on chocolate “crazy cake”.
Kara on 3.16.2010
Wow. I can’t believe you made that frosting. I grew up eating that on red velvet cakes. In fact that’s pretty much the only frosting I make. I live in the south and people love their red velvet cakes with the cream cheese frosting. To me… This is the only frosting for a red velvet cake…
PS Sometimes I make it without the cake and keep it in a ziploc bag and have a spoonful when I want!
Lundy911 on 3.16.2010
Oh My Goodness!
michelle on 3.16.2010
I’ve made this icing recipe as the filling for Whoopie pies.
I remember thinking the same thing…flour and milk! But the result was divine!
countrygirlcooks on 3.16.2010
I used this for the filling in my homemade Twinkies. Here’s the link. Mine uses cornstarch instead of flour but yields the same results.
http://www.countrygirlcooks.com/2010/03/14/cream-fillled-sponge-cake-cupcakes-a-k-a-twinkies/
Nancy on 3.16.2010
Would you believe this has been our favorite frosting since I found a recipe in the 60’s? I’ve also made the chocolate version, but plain is our usual. Hope everyone tries it! It’s superlipsmackingood!
Avanika (Yumsilicious Bakes) on 3.16.2010
I love this kind of frosting as well!!
Joy Dexter on 3.16.2010
We’ve had this recipe in the family for years. I usually use it on red velvet cake, but one day decided to use it on banana cake instead of cream cheese icing, and it was YUMMY! My friend ate 6-7 pieces of cake.
CherylT on 3.16.2010
My mother always used this recipe for cake and so do I..but we called it Mach Whipped Cream. It is really great.
maryconnealy on 3.16.2010
I saved this one and now need a cake to go under it.
Lori on 3.16.2010
This is the traditional frosting for red velvet cake… I’ve been making it for ages… WAY better than cream cheese IMO.
Barbara on 3.16.2010
This frosting is the only thing I’ll use on Red Velvet Cake – absolutely the BEST!
Dulcimer on 3.16.2010
Wow, what an interesting combination of white sauce and buttercream . . . I don’t usually like frosting very much, but I will have to try this one.
MAGGIE on 3.16.2010
THIS IS A GREAT FROSTING RECIPE. I WAS GIVEN THE RECIPE FROM MY NEIGHBOR, ROSE, WHO HAD MOVED TO CALIFORNIA FROM PENNSYLVANIA, IN 1960. SHE SAID, THAT THEY HAD ALWAYS USED IT, FOR AS LONG AS SHE COULD REMEMBER. I’VE MADE IT EVER SINCE. PEOPLE ALWAYS WANT THE RECIPE.
Vicki on 3.16.2010
FYI – the longer you beat it the better. My recipe calls for beating up to 7 minutes. I have done it for this long and even longer. The longer you beat it the creamier and fluffier it will become.
Just to help the 1st timers
Melissa on 3.16.2010
my mother used to make this all the time…and i haven’t read all the reviews…but i’m sure i’m alone when i say, i don’t like this icing (and no, i don’t like whipped cream either…LOL). i always called it wall paper paste icing…but it is a recipe with a long-standing heritage…so carry on!
Kiffie on 3.16.2010
That’s the frosting I use on Red Velvet Cake and cupcakes…it is sublime!
Cat on 3.16.2010
I make a gluten/dairy free version of this frosting that is DELICIOUS!
Bizzle on 3.16.2010
Yup. This is the frosting that my family has used for years on Red Velvet Cake. I always look for the flour in Red Velvet Cake frosting recipes becase they just aren’t “real” to me without it.
MS Hospitality on 3.16.2010
I noticed this recipe when it was first posted and have wanted to try it ever since… thanks for the recommendation and I will go try it this week. Grandson’s first birthday is Saturday and must have fantastic icing!
Samantha on 3.16.2010
This is the recipe that I’ve always used for frosting cakes and cupcakes. You just can’t beat it and lends itself to all occasions but is heavenly with chocolate!
thepastrykook on 3.16.2010
thank you so much for this! once i’ve shed several more pounds i will definitely make this to celebrate!
Chelsea Flitton on 3.16.2010
Grandma frosting! That’s what we always called it because that’s who taught us to make it. It’s always been my favorite because it isn’t as sweet. It’s sooo good on devil’s food cake.
Sarah K on 3.16.2010
This is a really old fashioned buttercream recipe. I found it in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine a couple years ago and have been meaning to try it ever since. Just didn’t know how it would be. I’ll definitely be trying it now!!! Frosting is one of my favorite foods, lol!