How to make buttercream frosting without powdered sugar

Old-Fashioned Vanilla Frosting made without Powdered Sugar.

My *NEW* favorite vanilla frosting recipe! I used this recipe to frost an Easter bunny cake this spring, on cupcakes I made for my birthday last month & several times in between. The frosting is made with regular granulated sugar not powdered sugar. It comes in super handy if you don’t have powdered sugar on hand but still need to make vanilla frosting. It has to be cooked on the stovetop but it does not take long to make. It also works good for those that are allergic to corn because powdered sugar from the store has corn starch in it, this recipe contains no corn.

This recipe is pretty forgiving & easy to make. You cook the flour and milk together on the stove until it becomes a thick paste then you add it to the butter/sugar mixture to make a nice whipped vanilla buttercream frosting. If I am using the frosting to pipe on to cupcakes I sometimes add extra sugar to thicken it up more so you can add extra sugar if you need to when making it.

Note: This recipe will not taste 100% like powered sugar frosting recipes you may be used to, to me it is more whipped, creamy, & buttery. It is a little less sweet. I love it! Sometimes I find regular vanilla frosting to be too sweet. It is normal for this to be more grainy then powdered sugar recipes you may be used to because regular sugar is more coarse.

3/1/2021 Update: I’m adding some additional photos of the process to help give readers a better idea of how to make it.

The first photo below shows the sauce pot with the flour/milk paste. I stir it over medium heat until it thickens into a paste and I start to see bubbles popping up. Then I let it cool for about 10 minutes off the burner.

The second photo is what I do while I’m waiting for the flour/milk paste to cool, I cream the butter and sugar together. Then the third photo shows when I scoop in the flour/milk paste. The fourth photo is what it looks like when I whip it for several minutes, then I mix in vanilla. If I want a thicker frosting I add in around 1/2 cup of additional sugar and whip for several more minutes.

Old-Fashioned Vanilla Frosting made without Powdered Sugar

• ½ cup milk
• 2 tablespoons flour
• pinch of salt
• ¾ cup sugar (add up to ½ cup extra sugar if you want it on the thick side)
• ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Whisk milk, flour, and salt together in a saucepan over medium heat. Keep stirring until the mixture gets very thick and bubbly.
2. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
3. In a mixing bowl using an electric mixer beat sugar and butter together until smooth and creamy. Beat in the cooled flour mixture until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla.
4. *Note* If you want it to be thicker you can add more sugar. This recipe is very forgiving and if you want it a really thick consistency keep adding sugar to it.