How to Make Frosting Using All-Purpose Flour

By: Rachel Lovejoy

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Classic cake frostings -- buttercream made with powdered sugar, butter and milk, for instance, or egg whites sweetened with granulated sugar and whipped to an airy froth -- call for large amounts of sugar and tend to be very sweet. Frosting made from a base of flour and milk calls for about half the amount of sugar, making it less sweet yet still as fluffy -- and delicious on cakes, cupcakes or cookies.

Step 1

Make a paste with the flour and milk in a saucepan and blend well. Use a ratio of 5 tablespoons of flour to 1 cup of whole milk or half and half. Cook the flour and milk mixture over medium heat for five to 10 minutes, whisking constantly, until it boils.

Step 2

Continue boiling and whisking for about another minute, until it is the consistency of a heavy cake batter. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the flour and milk mixture to come to room temperature.

Step 3

Using a ratio of 1 cup sugar to 2 sticks of softened butter, place both ingredients in the large bowl of the food mixer and cream together until they are light and fluffy.

Step 4

Continue beating at medium speed while adding the cooled flour and milk mixture 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time. Beat about 20 to 30 seconds after each addition, and add the vanilla. Beat for about two more minutes until fluffy.