Biscoff Cake (Cookie Butter Cake)

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: My spectacular Biscoff Cake (Cookie Butter Cake) is a snap to make, and its one-of-a-kind mouthwatering flavor will have friends and family lining up for seconds! Sweet vanilla cake is layered with a fluffy Biscoff Buttercream, which tantalizes with its subtle flavors of cinnamon and vanilla.

• Unique, addictive flavor: Toasty and buttery caramel, cinnamon, and brown sugar—yum!
• Minimal effort, max impact: As simple as a basic layer cake, but the special flavor elevates this dessert.
• Nostalgic, but new: Brown sugar cinnamon is as crowd-pleasing as it gets, but it’s still a delicious surprise to be served Cookie Butter Cake.
• Budget-friendly! My cake is about $1.50 per slice—a fraction of the cost of a bakery-made cookie butter cakes, which average about $6 per serving.
• Striking presentation: I love the contrast here—cookie butter is a fun, all-ages ingredient, but the cake looks elegant.

I grew up knowing Lotus Biscoff cookies —also called speculoos or speculaas—as the buttery, slightly spiced treat adults enjoyed with their coffee. They always seemed a bit posh and grown-up, and it took me a while to realize just how addictive they really are. When I moved to the U.S. in my twenties and discovered Biscoff cookie butter—mind blown! Ever since, I’ve found it to be a fantastic ingredient for desserts, adding unique and exciting flavors to familiar favorites. If you’re planning to make this cake, here are my best tips: Bake the cake the day before so it’s firmer and easier to slice and decorate. And make your Biscoff Buttercream ahead of time—it freezes beautifully! I recently froze a batch, and it was perfect even two months later. Here’s to making life more delicious and easier!

Whether you call it Biscoff cookie butter, Biscoff spread, or speculoos spread, you’ll want more of it in your life! You’ll adore my recipes for Homemade Biscoff Cookies, No-Bake Cookie Butter Cheesecake, and Biscoff Blondies. And for more versatile and scrumptious cookie butters, be sure to check out my recipes for 3 Homemade Cookie Butters and The Best Uses for Homemade Cookie Butter.

Table of Contents

• What is Biscoff Cake (Cookie Butter Cake)?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Substitutions
• How to Make Biscoff Cake (Cookie Butter Cake)
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Layer Cake Recipes

What is Biscoff Cake (Cookie Butter Cake)?

• Biscoff Cake (also known as Cookie Butter Cake) is a frosted, four-layer cake.
  • Two 8-inch vanilla cake rounds are split to create four layers.
  • The layers are filled and frosted with billowy Biscoff Buttercream.
  • This cake is garnished with crushed Biscoff cookies for a crunchy contrast and an extra layer of flavor.
• You decide how DIY you want to be here—use store-bought cookie butter and Biscoff Cookies for the crumbs, or make your own Biscoff Cookies and crumble them for the topping.
• Biscoff cookie butter, also known as cookie spread, originated as a homemade treat in Belgium. An amateur baker presented her cookie butter idea on a Belgian TV show, and Lotus Bakeries, the makers of Biscoff cookies, partnered with her to market the product, which became an instant hit.

Tools You Need

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Glass measuring jug
• Kitchen scale (optional)
• Two 8-inch (20-cm) round cake pans
• Parchment paper
• Whisk
• Stand mixer (optional) or electric hand mixer
• Wire cooling racks
• Large serrated knife
• Offset spatula

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

Egg whites

• The extra egg whites in this cake give it lightness and a fine crumb.

Egg

• The egg helps to bind the ingredients together into a smooth, cohesive mixture.
• The egg adds moisture and flavor to the cake. The egg yolk contributes richness and golden color, and the egg white contributes to the cake’s structure.
• To create a smooth batter, it’s essential to use a room-temperature egg. Here’s how to bring your eggs to room temperature quickly.

Buttermilk

• The acid in buttermilk tenderizes the gluten, contributing to a soft texture of the layer cake speculoos.
• Additionally, buttermilk adds a pleasant tang.
• Substitute: Don’t worry if you don’t have buttermilk—my Buttermilk Substitute works just as well as the real thing!

Vanilla extract

• Vanilla gives this speculoos cake a creamy, warm, slightly floral flavor.
• Learn how to make your own vanilla extract so you’re always stocked up.
• Substitute: Use an equal amount of Vanilla Bean Paste.

Cake flour

• Because cake flour has a lower protein content—6 to 8%—than all-purpose flour, it gives this Lotus Biscoff cake a delightfully tender crumb.
• Additionally, cake flour helps with the cake’s rise.
• Substitute: No worries if you don’t have cake flour on hand—make my simple DIY Cake Flour Substitute. All you need is all-purpose flour and cornstarch!

Granulated sugar

• Granulated sugar sweetens the cake.
• Importantly, sugar is hygroscopic, which simply means it attracts and holds moisture, and helps keep your cake moist.
• Substitute: Instead of the granulated sugar, you can use the same amount of light brown sugar. Note that it will yield a cake with a slightly different texture and color than a cake made with granulated sugar.
  • Check out my Sugar Substitute Chart for other alternatives.

Baking powder

• Baking powder leavens the cake.
• Most baking powder is double-acting—it’s activated immediately when mixed with wet ingredients, and again when exposed to heat. When activated, it creates carbon dioxide, which contributes to the cake’s rise..
• Read more about it in my guide, How to Make Baking Powder and Baking Soda Explained.

Salt

• Salt brings out the individual ingredients and deepens the overall flavor of the cake.

Butter

• Butter adds fat and moisture to the Biscoff cake recipe, which gives it a rich flavor and texture.
• This recipe uses the reverse creaming method, where cold butter is cut into the dry ingredients.
  • The butter coats the flour, inhibiting gluten development and resulting in a velvety, tender cake.
  • Additionally, because the batter isn’t aerated as it is during the traditional creaming process, the layers are less fragile and easier to split into thinner layers.

1 recipe Biscoff Buttercream

• My Biscoff Buttercream is a dreamy whipped mashup of caramel, vanilla, and subtly spicy notes.

20 crushed Biscoff cookies

• Crushed Biscoff biscuits are a sophisticated but straightforward way to decorate the cake, and they add more craveable Biscoff flavor.

How to Make Biscoff Cake (Cookie Butter Cake)

Bake the Cake

1. Prepare to bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter and line two 8” (20 cm) round cake pans with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper, then sprinkle the pans with flour, tapping out the excess. Set aside.
2. Mix wet ingredients: In a large jug whisk together the egg whites, whole egg, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
3. Combine dry ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), combine the dry ingredients together at low speed for 1 minute.

4. Add butter: Add the cold butter and continue to mix on low until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
5. Combine wet and dry ingredients: Add the wet ingredients into the dry in 2 separate batches and mix until just combined.

6. Bake the cake layers: Divide the cake batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean, about 25-35 minutes.

7. Cool cake: Let the cakes cool on racks for 20 minutes before removing from the pans to let them cool completely. (At this point if you have time, wrap the cakes well and refrigerate until cold and firm, about 2 hours, for easiest handling.)

To Frost the Cake

8. Cut cake layers: Use a large, serrated knife to trim away the domed tops of the chilled cake layers. Divide both layers into two to make four cake layers.
9. Begin to frost: Place one layer on a serving plate and scoop on a ⅔ cup (5 oz/142 g) of frosting. Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting all the way to the edges of the layer.

10. Stack layers: Continue stacking cake and frosting until you have filled and stacked all 4 layers.

11. Create a crumb coat: Cover the entire cake with a very thin layer of frosting and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to seal in the crumbs.

12. Finish frosting cake: Add a final, smooth decorative layer of frosting.
13. Add final touches: Press the crushed Biscoff cookie crumbs to the bottom edge of the cake, Pipe on rosettes on top and scatter over a few more crushed speculoos cookies. Slice and enjoy!

FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW!

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• Reverse creaming: This cake recipe is made using a reverse creaming method. It creates a cake with a tight and refined crumb, and also simplifies and streamlines the cake mixing process.
• Slicing savvy: Cold, firm cake layers are much easier to cut into layers. Wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours before slicing.
  • Use a serrated knife and gently saw through the layers.
• Even stacking: Be sure to level the cake layers by cutting off the domed tops as directed.
  • Stack the cakes with the flattest side down.
  • Take care to spread the frosting evenly between the layers.
  • Step back and look at your work after frosting and stacking each layer. If it looks uneven, carefully move or gently press the layer to even it out.
• More cookies! For extra texture, mix 2 cups of buttercream with some crumbled Biscoff cookies and use this to fill the layers. (Keep the frosting on the outside of the cake smooth.)
• Chocolate option: If you are a chocolate cake person, you can make our Best Ever Chocolate Cake and frost it with the Biscoff Buttercream!

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

• Make-ahead tips: The cake layers can be baked, wrapped well, and frozen for up to two months.
  • When ready to assemble, defrost at room temperature, still wrapped, for about 1 hour.
  • The cakes will continue to soften and defrost as you decorate.
• The buttercream can be made and refrigerated for 2 weeks or frozen for up to two months.
  • Bring it up to room temperature on the counter overnight before using.
• How to store leftovers: Store leftover cake covered at room temperature for up to two days, or in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days.
  • When storing leftover cake, press a piece of plastic wrap against any exposed cake to keep it from drying out.

FAQs

Can I make this Biscoff cake gluten-free?

• Yes, you can make this Biscoff cake gluten-free.
• In place of regular cake flour, I recommend using a gluten-free 1:1 baking blend (such as King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Flour, Certified Gluten-Free), which contains tapioca, rice flour, potato starch, and xanthan gum.

Is it possible to make this cake without eggs?

• Since whipped egg whites contribute to the structure and texture of this cookie butter cake, I do not recommend using a substitute.

How can I serve this Biscoff cookie butter cake?

• Serve this cake with whipped cream or chocolate whipped cream.
• Pair with Vanilla Ice Cream, Butter Pecan Gelato, or Chocolate Ice Cream
• Drizzle with Salted Caramel Sauce
• Garnish the top of a cake slice with an extra Biscoff cookie
• Serve with a side of macerated berries

More Layer Cake Recipes

• Hazelnut Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream
• Easy Homemade Wedding Cake
• Tiramisu Cake
• Fresh Strawberry Cake
• Moist Coconut Cake

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