Old-Time Vanilla Cream Icing

I adore this simple, creamy icing, which I first encountered on a Red Velvet Cake, studded with finely chopped pecans and shredded coconut. Try this icing with applesauce cakes and spice cakes, too, as an alternative to cream cheese frosting. All it requires is a little cooking on top of the stove to mix the flour and milk into a velvety base for the frosting. Then it’s as easy as beating butter and sugar together, along with a flavoring, and you ha