After sharing my first red velvet cake recipe (which now has over 100 five star reviews!), I’ve since had many readers asking for a traditional red velvet cake recipe that uses an ermine frosting. This recipe uses the same base cake layers as my original red velvet cake, however the cream cheese frosting is replaced with a silky smooth, light, and not too sweet ermine frosting!
What is Ermine Frosting?
Ermine frosting, also known as boiled milk frosting or flour frosting, is a classic type of frosting that has a smooth and creamy texture. It’s made by combining flour, sugar and milk to make a thick paste (almost like a pudding), which is then cooled and whipped with butter to make the frosting. It’s sometimes also called a roux frosting, as the intial flour/milk mixture is similar to making a roux. Who would have thought you could make frosting out of flour right?!
Ermine frosting is lighter than regular buttercream. Its texture lies somewhere in between a whipped cream and buttercream – so not too light but not too heavy either. It’s also less sweet than a regular buttercream. And don’t worry.. you can’t taste the flour at all!
Cream cheese frosting vs ermine frosting for red velvet cake
It may surprise you, but ermine frosting was the classic frosting used for red velvet cake. Red velvet cake with ermine frosting gained popularity in the Southern United States in the mid-20th century. This frosting complemented the mild chocolate flavor of red velvet cake while providing a smooth and creamy texture.
In recent years, cream cheese frosting has become a popular alternative for red velvet cake – so popular that most people haven’t even heard of ermine frosting! Cream cheese frosting adds a tangy and slightly savory element that contrasts well with the sweetness of the cake. However, ermine frosting remains a classic choice for those who prefer a smoother, less tangy frosting for their red velvet cake. The choice between ermine frosting and cream cheese frosting often comes down to personal preference.
What do I prefer? I am a HARDCORE cream cheese frosting fan, so personally I like the tanginess cream cheese frosting provides. However, ermine frosting is a strong competitor, and is one of my favorite frostings. I actually prefer it over American and Swiss style buttercreams! It not only goes well with red velvet cake, but is a popular option for chocolate cake too!
How to make Red Velvet Cake with Ermine Frosting
Red Velvet Cake Layers
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease and/or line two 8 inch cake tins (I use my homemade cake release). If using a convection oven (an oven with a fan) then decrease baking temperature to 160C or 320F.
In a bowl, sift together your flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Using a whisk or fork, mix until well combined. Set aside.
In another bowl, add in your butter, vegetable oil and sugar. Using an electric mixer (hand or stand mixer are both fine), cream together for 2-3 minutes until light and creamy.
Add in eggs one by one, mixing well in between each addition (about 10-15 seconds between eggs).
Add in your vanilla, vinegar and red liquid food colour, and mix until well combined. Now set your mixer aside as the remainder of the batter will be finished by hand.
Finish off by adding in half of your premixed dry ingredients to your wet mixture, and gently fold it in with a spatula until just combined. Then add in all of your buttermilk, and fold it in until just combined. Lastly, add in the remaining dry ingredients and gently fold it into the mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.
Distribute the batter evenly into the two 8 inch cake tins, and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Be careful not to open the oven door too early otherwise this can cause the cake layers to sink. Also avoid overbaking the cake layers otherwise they will dry out.
Once baked, allow them to cool in the cake tins for about 15-20 minutes, and then turn them out onto a wire rack to completely cool before frosting.
Ermine Frosting
Place a saucepan over a medium heat and add in sugar and flour. Using a whisk or spatula, continuously mix for 2 minutes to gently toast the flour. Be careful not to burn the flour – the color shouldn’t visibly change.
Next add in half of the required milk and mix until the mixture is smooth. Once smooth, add in the remaining half of the milk and again mix until the mixture is smooth.
Keep gently stirring until the mixture begins to bubble. Once bubbling, continue to stir for another minute until the mixture is thick in consistency. It should have a thick paste/pudding like texture.
Allow to cool to room temperature. I like to pour the mixture onto a plate, cover the top with cling wrap so that the cling wrap is touching the flour mixture (to prevent a skin from forming) and freeze for 30 minutes.
Next in a large bowl add in butter, and using a hand or stand mixer on a medium-high speed, whip for 5 minutes until it’s light and fluffy.
Next add in flour/milk mixture a tablespoon at a time while continously mixing. Ensure the mixture is at room temperature (not hot or cold) otherwise it may curdle.
Once done, add in vanilla and salt. Mix until well combined. The frosting is now ready to use!
How to decorate red velvet cake
Here is how I decorated my red velvet cake for those who want some ideas/tips 🙂
Usually I would begin by trimming (or torting) the tops of my cake layers with a serrated knife to make them flat, but these red velvet layers bake up really nice and flat so no trimming is required. I placed my first cake layer onto my cake stand and added a generous amount of frosting on the top. I then smoothed it out with my offset spatula.
I then placed my next cake layer on top, and then spread out a generous amount of frosting on the top and sides of the cake. I then used my cake scraper to smooth out the sides, and used my offset spatula to bring that top lip of frosting into the middle of the cake so that I have some nice smooth edges.
I then used a 1M piping tip to pipe some cupcake swirls on the top of my cake! If you’re new to piping check out my beginner’s piping tutorial or 1M piping tip tutorial.
Commonly Asked Questions
How do you store red velvet cake with ermine frosting?
Due to the milk in ermine frosting, the cake cannot be left out at room temperature for an extended period of time. A few hours at room temperature will be fine, but overnight the cake will need to be refrigerated. Store in an airtight container before refrigerating to prevent the cake from drying out.
Can I use gel food coloring instead of liquid color for this recipe?
Yes, you can use gel food coloring in replacement of liquid coloring, however you will need to dilute the gel colour with just under 3 1/2 tablespoons of water or milk to make up for the liquid lost when using gel colors. This recipe requires 3 1/2 tablespoons of liquid colour, however if using gel colours you won’t need that much as gel colours are concentrated. Additional liquid helps to thin out the batter and results in a fluffier, more velvety texture in your final cake.
Can I use this recipe to make red velvet cupcakes?
For a cupcake version of this cake, check out my red velvet cupcake recipe. It’s basically a smaller quantity of this recipe – just enough to make 12 cupcakes! If you would like to use ermine frosting on the cupcakes instead of cream cheese frosting, then simply half the amount of ermine frosting used in this recipe.
Can I use a buttermilk substitute?
A buttermilk substitute will work fine for this recipe. Check out how to make your own buttermilk substitute here.
Red Velvet Cake With Ermine Frosting
Print Pin VideoIMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.
Ingredients
Red Velvet Cake
- 2¼ cups (275 g) flour - regular, all purpose flour
- 3 tbsp (18 g) cornstarch
- 3 tbsp (14 g) natural cocoa powder - unsweetened, best not to use Dutch processed (see note 8)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt - omit if using salted butter
- 6 tbsp (86 g) unsalted butter - room temperature
- ¾ cup (141 g) unflavoured vegetable oil - I use canola
- 1¾ cups (344 g) white granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs - room temperature
- 1 tbsp (12 g) vanilla essence/extract
- 1½ tsp white vinegar
- 3½ tbsp red liquid food colouring
- ¾ cup (158 g) buttermilk - room temperature
Ermine Frosting
- 1½ cups (300 g) white granulated sugar
- ½ cup (68 g) flour - regular, all purpose flour
- 1½ cups (360 g) milk - full fat
- 1½ cups (340 g) unsalted butter - room temperature
- 1½ tsps vanilla extract/essence
- ⅛ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) (see note 7 for convection oven) and grease and/or line two 8 inch cake tins (I use my homemade cake release).
- In a bowl, sift together your flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Using a whisk or fork, mix until well combined. Set aside.
- In another bowl, add in your butter, vegetable oil and sugar. Using an electric mixer (hand or stand mixer are both fine - see note 6), cream together for 2-3 minutes until light and creamy.
- Add in eggs one by one, mixing well in between each addition (about 10-15 seconds between eggs).
- Add in your vanilla, vinegar and red liquid food colour, and mix until well combined. Now set your mixer aside as the remainder of the batter will be finished by hand.
- Finish off by adding in half of your premixed dry ingredients to your wet mixture, and gently fold it in with a spatula until just combined. Then add in all of your buttermilk, and fold it in until just combined. Lastly, add in the remaining dry ingredients and gently fold it into the mixture until just combined. Do not overmix (see note 1).
- Distribute the batter evenly into the two 8 inch cake tins, and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Be careful not to open the oven door too early otherwise this can cause the cake layers to sink (see note 2). Also avoid overbaking the cake layers otherwise they will dry out.
- Once baked, allow them to cool in the cake tins for about 15-20 minutes, and then turn them out onto a wire rack to completely cool before frosting. For tips on how to frost your cake, check out the blog post above where I walk you through how I decorated mine with pictures, or watch my YouTube video below 🙂
Ermine Frosting
- Place a saucepan over a medium heat and add in sugar and flour. Using a whisk or spatula, continuously mix for 2 minutes to gently toast the flour. Be careful not to burn the flour - the color shouldn't visibly change.
- Next add in 3/4s of a cup of milk (180g) and mix until the mixture is smooth. Once smooth, add in the remaining 3/4s of a cup (180g) of milk and again mix until the mixture is smooth. In total you're using 1 and 1/2 cups of milk (360g).
- Keep gently stirring until the mixture begins to bubble. Once bubbling, continue to stir for another minute until the mixture is thick in consistency. It should have a thick paste/pudding like texture.
- Allow to cool to room temperature. I like to pour the mixture onto a plate, cover the top with cling wrap so that the cling wrap is touching the flour mixture (to prevent a skin from forming) and freeze for 30 minutes.
- Next in a large bowl add in butter, and using a hand or stand mixer on a medium-high speed, whip for 5 minutes until it's light and fluffy.
- Next add in flour/milk mixture a tablespoon at a time while continously mixing. Ensure the mixture is at room temperature (not hot or cold) otherwise it may curdle (see note 9).
- Once done, add in vanilla and salt. Mix until well combined. The frosting is now ready to use!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.
40 Comments
Hello! I have a question about Buttermilk because I don’t know how make it =(
I’m confused, please help me
Hi Liliana! Check out this post for homemade buttermilk 🙂
https://cakesbymk.com/recipe/how-to-make-buttermilk/
Hi how can I convert this for 6 inch 4 layer recipe please do I half the 8 inch 4 layer recipe
Hi Natalie! 🙂
For four 6 inch cake layers, 1x the recipe will be sufficient (I would bake four separate cake layers and reduce the cook time).
Hope that helps and hope you enjoy the recipe 😀
Frosting was absolutely delicious! Wish the cake was a tiny bit more red-velvety (maybe i need to add a bit more vinegar next time) but over all very good cake!
Thanks Katelyn! So glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
For best results, I would recommend using the gram measurements (if you didn’t already) which may help to achieve more of that red velvet flavor 🙂
Adding a bit more cocoa powder or a bit more vinegar may help for next time too 🙂
How would I convert this for 3×10” cake tins please ?
Hi Dawn! 🙂 If using two 3×10 inch cake tins, you would want to double the recipe and distribute it between the two pans. Just keep a close eye on them when they’re almost done baking incase they bake up a little faster than the stated cooking time.
Hope that helps and hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hi I’m a little confused what the 1/2 , 1 and the 2 means ( the options you can choose)
Hi Alora! 🙂 Sorry for the confusion here. The ‘1’ is for 1x the recipe which makes two 8 inch cake layers (the original recipe), 1/2 is for half the recipe which will be enough for one 8 inch cake layer and 2 is for double the recipe which will make four 8 inch cake layers. Hope that helps! 🙂
I’ve tried Red Velvet cakes for years… always a little disappointed… THIS RECIPE was perfect! Icing turned out amazing… Thank you so much for finally posting a recipe that works! I did use all the measurements in grams and I did sift all the dry ingredients… but WOW… This is a keeper!!
Ohh this makes me so happy Mary! So glad you loved the red velvet cake and frosting 😀
Really appreciate the wonderful feedback 🙂
Hello! Are you able to only make half the recipe and use the batter for cupcakes? How long would I need to bake cupcakes?
Hi Monique! 🙂 Yes you could totally half the recipe and make cupcakes (you’ll get about 12 cupcakes with half the recipe). You want to reduce the cook time to about 18 mins 🙂
Hi MK I’m confused about the whipping part for the Ermine buttercream. Do you remove it from the freezer 1/2 an hour, bring it back to room temperature and then add a spoonful to the mixer?
Hi Rozita! 🙂 So usually after 30 mins of being in the freezer, the flour mixture is at room temperature (not cold) as it was previously quite hot. The freezer is intended to help bring the temperature down, but it isn’t in there long enough for the mixture to be cold. Because of this, I usually don’t need to wait after it’s taken out of the freezer for it to come to room temperature.
If you find that the flour mixture does feel a little cold, then you can let it sit for a little while to come to room temperature before adding it to the butter mixture. Hope that helps! 🙂
Hi MK,
how would I colour the frosting?
Hi Neo! 🙂 You can simply mix in some gel colour at the end 🙂
Hope that helps and hope you enjoy the recipe!
I love your recipes MK, for this red velvet I just baked it and it was quite on the very sweet side. If I reduce sugar will it still stay moist?
Hi Toby! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipes 😀
Yes you can reduce the sugar slightly, though no more than a 1/4 cup as this may affect the texture. I would also recommend using gram measurements if you haven’t already just to ensure you have the right amount of sugar 😀
Hope that helps!