Roux Frosting

Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:
In a small saucepan, whisk together the flour, salt and milk. Cook until thickened (it should sort of look like a smooth paste), remove from heat. Cool slightly. Cream together the butter, vanilla paste and sugar. Slowly add the milk mixture. Beat until it is creamy and smooth. It will take longer than you’d think. Frost on cooled cupcakes or cake.

My thoughts:

If you’ve never tried a roux or hot milk icing you are missing out. It doesn’t taste floury just buttery and the texture is fluffy and very smooth. Not to mention how much easier it is than making a meringue buttercream. If you don’t like American buttercream but want an easy, buttery icing, this is the recipe for you. Try it on Can’t Beet Red Velvet Cupcakes.

13 Comments

  1. Oooh, this looks really interesting! I will definitely have to give it a try. Do you think I could just use the seeds from 1 vanilla bean if I don’t have vanilla paste??

  2. Sara,
    I’d just sub in vanilla extract.

  3. Phoenixvillian

    Now I'm going to have to search out American Buttercream & Meringue Buttercream for a 3-way comparison.

  4. Thank you so much for sharing, I'm never going back to buttercream!!!
    I'd never heard of Roux Frosting but tried it on your Can't Beet Red Velvet Cupcakes (which are absolutely perfect BTW) and couldn't believe just how good it is – and absolutely divine on these cupcakes.
    I've never seen vanilla paste so used vanilla sugar instead, turned out great!

  5. Yum! I just added some strawberrys I pulsed in a food processor and added the puree to the frosting. I thought I'd have a gloopy disaster on my hands as I was doing it, but it came out light and fluffy and as delicious as ever! Great recipe. thx!

  6. I.Must.Try.This.

  7. Best frosting EVER.

  8. This frosting is awesome but beware when you add the milk mixture it will be thin, maybe it is just me but it looked like it melted my butter(and the roux was cooled). I kept on mixing and it did turn out lovely.

    My go to frosting now.

  9. My hubby made these for my son's second birthday. The sugar stayed a little grainy in the icing. Is this normal?

  10. Susan Ruddy Photography

    The best frosting ever! My son does not like frosting as it is too sweet but he loves this one! I double the batch though because it doesn't make much frosting.

  11. I'm considering using this frosting on a birthday cake this weekend. Do you know if it behaves like traditional American buttercream frosting (as far as consistency and melting are concerned)? E.g., can I pipe with it, dye it, etc…

  12. Basically, yes. Traditionally one doesn't dye roux frosting so I am not sure how that works.