Soft, caramelly Lotus Biscoff cake at your fingertips

Coming from Belgium, Lotus Biscoff is a famed cookie known for its caramel taste, with a reservoir of spices packed into it. It was first made in the early 1900s. As its popularity spread, a spread was rolled out with the same steadfast taste of Lotus Biscoff that is popularly used in many desserts for an impeccable taste. So, featuring the cookies, and the spread we bring you an elaborate but not too complex Lotus Biscoff cake.

Lotus Biscoff Cake

Ingredients

For the Biscoff cake

• 300 gm all-purpose flour
• 30 gm cornstarch
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt (only if using unsalted butter)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 115 gm unsalted butter, room temperature
• 120 ml unflavored vegetable oil
• 250 gm packed soft brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 130 gm Biscoff spread (smooth)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 280 ml buttermilk, room temperature
• 15 Biscoff cookies (plain cookies)

For the Biscoff buttercream

• 15 Biscoff cookies (plain cookies), blended to fine crumbs.
• 340 gm unsalted butter, room temperature
• 350 gm powdered sugar
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1½ tbsp milk or heavy cream
• 70 gm Biscoff spread (smooth)

For the cake filling:

• ⅔ cup Biscoff spread (smooth) - 1/3 for filling in between the cake layers and 1/3 for the top of the cake. Heat slightly to make the Biscoff spread more spreadable.
• Extra Biscoff cookies - for decorating (I use about 8 cookies, but you can use more or less).

Instructions

1. To make the Biscoff cake, first, preheat the oven to 180°C and grease two 8-inch round cake pans, cut out two circles of parchment paper to fit their bottoms, and press down. Set aside.
2. Sift flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon into a bowl. Using a whisk or fork, mix until all of it is combined. Set the bowl aside.
3. Add butter, vegetable oil, and light brown sugar in a large bowl and plug in the electric mixer, either hand or stand mixer. Beat for two minutes until light and creamy.
4. Add the eggs one by one, mixing well after adding each egg.
5. Add in Biscoff spread and vanilla and mix until well combined. Set your mixer aside as the remainder of the batter will be finished by hand.
6. Add half of your premixed dry ingredients to the egg bowl and gently fold it in with a spatula until just combined. Pour the buttermilk and fold without overmixing.
7. Add the remaining contents of the flour bowl, folding with a spatula, to mix and like before take care not to overmix.
8. Break the Biscoff cookies into small chunks, using your hands, and add them to the batter. Fold them like before in until just combined without deflating the batter.
9. Distribute the batter evenly between the two prepared 8-inch cake tins. Level out the tops.
10. Tap the cake tins lightly against the kitchen counter to remove any large air bubbles.
11. Bake for 35-40 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs on it.
12. Once baked, take out the cakes from the oven, and let the cake layers to cool in the cake tins for 20 minutes.
13. Once cool enough to touch, run a thin knife around the edges to release the cakes from the cake tins and turn them out onto a wire rack to completely cool.
14. Next, to make the Biscoff frosting, ready your trusty blender and add 15 Biscoff cookies, grinding until they resemble fine crumbs. Set aside.
15. To a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer), add the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, and milk. Plug the hand mixer or the stand mixer and mix on the lowest speed until the ingredients are combined.
16. Turn up the speed to medium-high and mix for a full 10 minutes. Scrape the bowl down halfway through.
17. Add in the Biscoff spread and crumbed Biscoff cookies and mix on medium speed until well combined.
18. Your cake and frosting are ready and ready to assemble! Slightly heat the Biscoff spread for a more spreadable consistency. Set aside to cool.
19. Using a serrated knife, level out the tops of the cake layers. Optionally trim off the caramelized edges.
20. Place the first cake layer onto your cake stand. Place a generous amount of Biscoff buttercream on top and smooth it out with an offset spatula or knife.
21. Using a 1M piping tip, pipe a dam of frosting around the edges of the cake layer.
22. Fill the middle with half of the Biscoff spread (1/3 cup). Ensure the spread isn't warm to avoid melting the buttercream.
23. Place your next cake layer on top. Cover the top and sides with more buttercream, leaving a little aside for piping on the top. Use a cake scraper to smooth out the sides.
24. Use the 1M piping tip to pipe a border around the top of the cake. Fill the middle with the remaining Biscoff spread (ensure it isn't warm).
25. Decorate with Biscoff cookies. Your Biscoff cake is ready to enjoy!