How to Make Frosting without Powdered Sugar (The Best Creamy Vanilla Icing Recipe)

For many people, a cake just isn’t complete without the creamy frosting on top. Whether it’s buttercream or chocolate flavored, icing helps to add that sweet finishing touch to brownies, cupcakes and other tasty baked goods. In this post I’ll share with you How to Make Frosting Without Powdered Sugar.

Most frosting recipes call for powdered sugar, also known as icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar. This is a kind of granulated white sugar that’s been processed into a fine powder. But if you don’t have this special kind of sugar in your pantry, you can still use other ingredients to make yummy frosting for your homemade sweet treats.

What If I Don’t Have Powdered Sugar for Frosting?

Most recipes will tell you that you need powdered sugar to make frosting. Though this is the most popular method, there are other ways to create light, fluffy homemade icing with ingredients you already have at home. Ermine frosting (also known as roux frosting or boiled milk frosting) is a different kind of icing made using simple ingredients and there’s no need for powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar.

What Can You Use Instead of Powdered Sugar?

To make ermine frosting, you will only need a few ingredients you probably already had from baking the cake. This method is a classic, old-fashioned way of making a light, fluffy icing that has a similar consistency to whipped cream or the frosting you would find inside a Twinkie. This is the traditional frosting that’s often put on red velvet cakes.

Here are what you’ll need:

• Milk: Most milks will work for this recipe so choose the one you prefer. You can even use plant-based milk for a vegan, non-dairy frosting.
• Flour: Regular, all-purpose flour is fine for this recipe but you can also use cake flour or pastry flour.
• Sugar: Use your choice of brown sugar or granulated white sugar for this recipe. Note that brown sugar will add a tinge of color to your frosting.
• Butter: You will need softened, room temperature butter to make your icing. If you prefer, you can use a plant-based margarine.
• Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract will add the best flavor to your frosting. In a pinch, you can use artificial vanilla flavoring.

How Do You Make Icing from Scratch Without Powdered Sugar?

It couldn’t be easier to make frosting from scratch without powdered sugar:

1. Add milk, flour and a pinch of salt to a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until the mixture starts to thicken.

2. Remove the heat and allow the mixture to cool completely.

3. Beat the softened butter and the sugar in a mixing bowl until smooth and creamy.

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4. Then mix in the vanilla. With the mixer on low, add cooled milk mixture and beat until light and fluffy.

Pro Tips

• For a stiffer frosting, simply add more sugar. I always recommend pulverizing the sugar in the blender or food processor to make it superfine before use.
• You can make the frosting ahead of the time. To store frosting, put it in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let it sit for 30-60 minutes at room temperature before use. If you’re in a hurry, you can whisk droplets of milk into it in a bowl to soften.

Variations

• Chocolate Frosting without Powdered Sugar: This is the perfect topping for brownies. Just add in unsweetened cocoa powder and combine until smooth. If you’ll be using sweetened cocoa powder, you should use less sugar.
• Cream Cheese Frosting without Powdered Sugar: Cream cheese frosting is simply delicious on carrot cake or red velvet cake. To make it, you’ll need to add softened cream cheese to your prepared vanilla frosting.
• Buttercream Frosting Without Powdered Sugar: Buttercream frosting is creamy and sweet without being too sweet. If you don’t have powdered sugar, you can still make a light and fluffy buttercream frosting at home using regular granulated sugar.

How to Use Frosting

• Cakes: This recipe will yield enough frosting for a small, one-layer cake. Use a spatula to neatly layer the frosting on the top and sides of your cake
• Cupcakes: After you’ve made a fresh batch of cupcakes, it’s time for frosting! Your homemade frosting can be put into piping bags and swirled onto your cupcakes.
• Muffins: Muffins are a bit denser in texture than cupcakes, but they taste just as good with frosting. Go ahead and add a neat layer of icing on top of your muffins.
• Brownies: For chocolate lovers, there’s nothing like a moist chocolate brownie covered in a sweet layer of chocolate frosting.

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