This easy Biscoff Chocolate Cake features a super moist and fudgy chocolate cake, that gets slathered in a dreamy Biscoff cookie butter cream cheese frosting!
Chocolate and Biscoff are a dream combo that you will be craving again and again! The chocolate cake, which comes together in 10 minutes, is adapted from my Strawberry Chocolate Cake. It's so fluffy and tender and intensely rich in chocolate flavor. The cookie butter cream cheese frosting is even dreamier!
If you love Biscoff, be sure to check out my popular Pumpkin Biscoff Cheesecake Jars, Biscoff Stuffed Snickerdoodles, Biscoff "Kit Kat" Bars or Cookie Butter Cups!
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Why You Will Love
- Easy to make. The cake takes less than 10 minutes to whip up and has minimal steps. You don't even need an electric mixer!
- Single layer cake. One-layer cakes are so easy decorate, making it perfect for any beginner baker. For more single layer cakes, check out my Raspberry Almond Cake and Malted Chocolate Sheet Cake!
- So moist and tender. A combination of buttermilk, neutral oil and hot water, yields a moist and fluffy crumb.
- Freezes and thaws incredibly well, even with the Biscoff cream cheese frosting! You can read notes on how to freeze this cake in the “storage” section below.
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes about all the ingredients used in this Chocolate Biscoff Cake. Quantities and full instructions are in the recipe card below!
Chocolate Cake
- Flour – We are keeping this recipe simple with all-purpose flour.
- White Sugar – Adds a bit of sweetness and adds moisture.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – I’m using Dutch-process for deeper chocolate flavor.
- Leveners – We are using a combination of baking powder and baking soda for the perfect rise and texture.
- Fine Espresso Powder – Brings out the chocolate flavor.
- Salt – Rounds out the flavors.
- Neutral Oil – The oil keep the muffins light and moist.
- Buttermilk – Adds structure, moisture and lightens the texture.
- Whole Egg – Adds structure.
- Vanilla Paste or Vanilla Extract – For flavor.
- Hot Water - Hot water will be used to “bloom” the cocoa powder and makes the cake fluffy. You can also use hot coffee instead for more intense chocolate flavor.
Biscoff Cream Cheese Frosting
- Full-Fat Cream Cheese - Make sure to use a cream cheese brick, not whipped cream cheese or cream cheese spread.
- Biscoff Cookie Butter Spread - For best results, use "smooth" cookie butter.
- Unsalted Butter
- Salt - Balances the sweetness.
- Vanilla - For flavor.
- Powdered Sugar - Also known as icing sugar or confectioner's sugar.
- Biscoff Cookies - You can use crushed Biscoff cookies or sandwich cookies as garnish.
*See recipe card for quantities.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Here are step-by-step photos and instructions on how to make this amazing Biscoff Chocolate Cake! Please find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Step 1. Combine Dry Ingredients - In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, white sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Step 2. Combine Wet Ingredients - In a large mixing bowl, add 1 whole egg, oil, buttermilk and vanilla paste. Whisk until well combined.
Step 3. In 2 additions, sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
Step 4. Pour boiling hot water or hot coffee into the batter. Gently whisk until combined. The batter will be thin.
TIP: Don't forget to sift the dry ingredients! Unsweetened cocoa powder is naturally very lumpy. Sifting everything will give you a nice even crumb and creates a light texture. It will also prevent you from over mixing the batter.
Step 5. Pour the cake batter into a square or round 8-inch (20 cm) prepared pan.
Step 6. Bake at 350ºF (176ºC) for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely.
Step 7. Make Cookie Butter Frosting - In a large mixing bowl, whip together cream cheese, cookie butter, unsalted butter, vanilla and salt until smooth. You can use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand held mixer.
Step 8. Starting on low speed, then increasing to medium/high speed, gradually sift in the powdered sugar and whisk until you reach your desired consistency. If you'd like a thicker frosting, add more icing sugar.
Step 9. Once the cake is completely cooled, slather frosting on top of the cake. Then, heat 2 tablespoons of cookie butter in the microwave for 10 seconds or until melted.
Step 10. Randomly spoon tiny pools of melted cookie butter on top and using a knife or skwer, swirl into the frosting.
Step 11. Finally, top the cake with crushed lotus Biscoff cookies or sandwich cookies. Serve and enjoy!
Substitutions
- White Sugar - If you don't have a full cup of white sugar, you can easily substitute the difference with dark or light brown sugar.
- Neutral Oil - Options include, avocado oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil, refined coconut oil, sunflower oil or vegetable oil. You could also use a light olive oil.
- Buttermilk - If you do not have any on hand, you can mix ½ cup of whole milk with 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Allow to curdle for 10 minutes. You can also just use plain whole milk if you’re in a pinch.
- Boiling Water - You can substitute for hot coffee.
- Biscoff Cookie Butter - You can use any speculoos cookie butter. Trader Joe's make a delicious version.
Equipment
- 8x8 Inch (20x20cm) Baking Pan
- Electric Mixer - You'll need a hand-held mixer or stand mixer to make the frosting.
Storage
- Room Temperature – If frosted, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. Unfrosted cakes can be stored for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator – Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving.
- Freezer – Cool individual slices completely (frosted or unfrosted), then wrap each piece in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then bring to room temperature before enjoying or thaw directly from the freezer onto the counter. It will only take 1 to 2 hours, depending on how thick your cake slices are.
Expert Tips
Use a kitchen scale to weigh all your ingredients. Baking in grams is the best and most accurate way to bake! All my recipes include gram conversions based on King Arthur’s Weight Chart.
If you are not using a kitchen scale, measure your flour correctly. Fluff and aerate your flour first, then spoon into your measuring cup and finally level off with the back of a butter knife. Do not pack it in as it will add too much flour.
Do not overmix. When combining your flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mix until there are very few flour streaks left. Overmixing will cause the gluten in the dough to overdevelop.
Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. This includes the egg and buttermilk for the cake and cream cheese and sour cream for the frosting.
Line your pan with parchment paper. For easy removal, lightly butter your pan, then line it with a parchment paper sling with a 1-inch overhang. The butter will help the paper adhere as you press it to the bottom and sides of the pan.
Bake in a metal pan. For best results, use a metal pan. Glass or ceramic pans won’t bake as evenly and takes longer.
FAQ
Yes, you can! Just add a few minutes to the bake time.
You can make the chocolate cake gluten free by using a 1 to 1 cup GF flour blend. Regarding the cookie butter, doesn't look like Lotus makes a GF version. Although I have never tried this brand, ChocZero (not an affiliate link) makes a GF version. If you can't find any, you could also replace it for peanut butter.
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📖 Recipe
Biscoff Chocolate Cake
- Total Time: 1 Hour + 5 Mins
- Yield: 9 Servings
Description
This easy Biscoff Chocolate Cake features a super moist and fluffy chocolate cake, that gets slathered in a dreamy Biscoff cookie butter cream cheese frosting!
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 Cup (120g) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup (200g) Granulated White Sugar
- ⅓ Cup + 1 Tablespoon (33g) Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Espresso Powder
- ¾ Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ Cup (113g) Buttermilk, room temp
- ¼ Cup (50g) Neutral Oil (Avocado, Canola, Vegetable)
- 1 Large Whole Egg, room temp
- 2 Teaspoon Vanilla Paste or Extract
- ½ Cup (113g) Boiling Hot Water
Biscoff Cream Cheese Frosting
- 5 Ounces (142g) Cream Cheese (from the block), room temp
- ⅓ Cup (90g) Smooth Biscoff Cookie Butter
- 3 Tablespoons (42g) Unsalted Butter, room temp
- ½ Teaspoon Vanilla Paste or Extract
- ¼ Teaspoon Fine Salt
- 1 ½ to 2 Cups (169g to 227g) Powdered Sugar
Garnish
- Melted Cookie Butter
- Biscoff Cookies
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease and line an 8-inch (20cm) square or round cake pan with parchment paper; set aside.
- Make Chocolate Cake - In a medium mixing bowl, combine white sugar, flour, Dutch cocoa powder, fine espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add oil, buttermilk, egg and vanilla. With a hand whisk or electric mixer, whisk until everything until well combined.
- In 2 additions, sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and gently mix until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add boiling hot water (or coffee) and mix just until combined. Please note that the batter will be thin.
- Transfer the batter to your prepared pan and bake between 30 to 35 minutes. Mine too exactly 32 minutes. The cake is ready when an inserted toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Place pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes to cool. Then, carefully lift the cake out of the pan by the parchment paper overhang and place back on the wire rack to cool completely. If you use a round pan, invert it out onto a cooling rack and carefully flip it right side up.
- Make Biscoff Cream Cheese Frosting - In a large bowl, add cream cheese, cookie butter, unsalted butter, vanilla and salt. With a electric mixer, whisk until there are no more lumps.
- Starting on low speed, then increasing to medium/high speed, gradually sift in the powdered sugar and whisk until you reach your desired consistency. If you'd like a thicker frosting, add more icing sugar. If you'd like a thinner frosting, add less powdered sugar. See troubleshooting notes below.
- Once the cake is completely cooled, slather the frosting on top of the cake. Then, heat 2 tablespoons of cookie butter in the microwave for 10 seconds or until melted. Randomly spoon tiny pools of melted cookie butter on top and using a knife or skwer, swirl it into the frosting. Also, top the cake with crushed lotus Biscoff cookies or sandwich cookies, if you wish. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Neutral Oil - Options include, avocado oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil, refined coconut oil, sunflower oil or vegetable oil. You could also use a light olive oil.
Frosting - If your frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar. If the frosting is too thick, add a tablespoon of cream, sour cream, Greek yogurt or milk at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. If it's too sweet, add a bit more salt or cream cheese.
Storage - Store in the fridge for 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving. For more storage notes, please see the body of this post.
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 30 to 35 Minutes
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