We have made a Red Velvet Cake from scratch, and the recipe for the frosting, includes using a double boiler, with flour and buttermilk. It's an old recipe, and we've used it for years. What my question is, how do we mix in the double boiler, without creating lumps?

Mix the flour with the sugar then mix that with the liquid--you should be fine--oh and you have to stir constantly of course.

AWhen I Google this I get all kinds of recipes for seven minute frosting. Not sure if that's what you are looking for but here is a video on it http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=0oErvsmSxWU&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D0oErvsmSxWU

All it is is whole milk and flour. The sugar goes into the mixer, without cooking. 

Oh, I make mine different.

Sift the flour and wisk (or is it whisk) it in there --cook stirring constatnly--you'll be fine.

Stirring constantly meaning-- scrape the bottom of the pot all over--the flour down there on the bottom cooks first and just lays on the bottom of the pot so you have to keep that area fully engaged to avoid the lumps.

Also, you can seive it after it cooks and that will eliminate any stragglers.

Ahttp://chowhound.chow.com/topics/453100 here's a recipe maybe this is it

Here's the recipe. It's from like, the 1950's:

3 tblespoons flour

1 cup milk

1 cup butter do not substitute

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

combine flour and milk. Cook in top of double boiler over boiling water. Stirring occasionally, until the mixture becomes thick like custard. (4-5 minutes). Cover immediately, remove pan from heat and set aside to cool Cream butter and sugar, stir in vanilla, combine creamed mixture with custard, beat well. 

Ahttp://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=WEefX3sOWFk&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DWEefX3sOWFk

I mean another way to do it ever more foolproof is to put the flour in a pan with two tablespoons of the butter--gently melt the butter and incorporate all the flour in it so it bubbles gently all together then add milk slowly while wisking briskly--bring back to a gentle boil--I softly boil anything like this for two minutes to cook the flour.

Hey cool recipe 'cause I'm like from the 50's --hahahahaha

I think next time we will try seiving what is there. That will work!!

Yay!!!

Ahttp://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=biCZ_qpsZwk&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DbiCZ_qpsZwk

This recipe is actually very similar to boiled custard, except for the fact that it has no eggs in it. -K8memphis's idea of heating the flour with some of the butter is the fool-proof way to make lump-free gravy, so it will probably work splendidly here, too. I've tried to make this in a regular pot (I don't have a double boiler and my recipe called for just a normal pot, anyway) and it burned every time. I think it's time for me to invest in a double boiler, because everybody in my family thinks buttercream and fondant are way too sweet.

AWhen I make gravy I put ice cold milk and flour into a container with a lid than shake it hard for a couple minutes it gets the lumps out

Mix the flour with the cold milk that will eliminate the initial lumps,  then make sure to stir the entire time. After it has thickened you must put a piece of plastic over the top to eliminate a skin from forming while it is cooling. I make this frosting a lot. It was my grandfathers favorite. Make sure you incorporate the sugar slowly and beat till the grains are all gone. Its delicious. 

AThat recipe is the one my grandmother always used and the lumps I have found come from the skin from it cooling. Generally, I make a double batch and avoid he skin while mixing, but I have also found success by stirring it several times while it cools.

AThat recipe is the one my grandmother always used and the lumps I have found come from the skin from it cooling. Generally, I make a double batch and avoid he skin while mixing, but I have also found success by stirring it several times while it cools.