Easy Chocolate Biscoff Cake (Moist and Rich)

This chocolate Biscoff cake is the one I reach for when I want a layered dessert that comes together without a lot of stress. It’s a moist, tender chocolate cake stacked with a creamy Biscoff spread frosting that tastes like speculoos cookies whipped into buttercream.

If you can stir ingredients in a bowl, you can make this cake. The batter is almost impossible to overwork, and the frosting takes less than ten minutes in a mixer. It bakes up tall and rich, with a crumb that stays soft for days.

Why This Cake Works

The cake gets its deep chocolate flavor from both cocoa powder and hot coffee, which wakes up the cocoa without leaving a coffee taste behind. Oil and buttermilk keep every slice velvety, even straight from the fridge.

Biscoff spread adds a warm caramelized spice note to the buttercream that pairs beautifully with the dark cake. It’s sweet but balanced, and it slices cleanly without crumbling. The whole thing looks impressive but comes together with about twenty minutes of hands on work.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour: spooned and leveled, no need to sift separately if you whisk well.
• 3/4 cup (60 g) unsweetened cocoa powder: use natural cocoa, not Dutch process, for the best rise with baking soda.
• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar: regular white sugar works fine here.
• 2 tsp baking soda: check the date so it’s fresh.
• 1 tsp baking powder: gives the cake a little extra lift.
• 1 tsp fine sea salt: brings out the chocolate.
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature: cold eggs can make the batter seize up slightly, so pull them out 30 minutes ahead.
• 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature: its acidity reacts with the baking soda for a tender crumb.
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil: keeps the cake moist without adding butter flavor.
• 2 tsp vanilla extract: use the real stuff if you have it.
• 1 cup (240 ml) hot strong brewed coffee: just brewed, not boiling, and it will not taste like coffee in the final cake.
• 1 cup (240 g) unsalted butter, softened: for the frosting, set it out with the eggs.
• 1 cup (250 g) Biscoff spread: the smooth kind, stirred well if any oil has separated.
• 3 to 3 1/2 cups (360 to 420 g) powdered sugar: sifted if lumpy, and added gradually so you can control the thickness.
• 2 to 3 tbsp heavy cream: as needed to loosen the frosting.
• 1 tsp vanilla extract: rounds out the biscoff flavor.
• Pinch of salt: cuts the sweetness just a bit.
• 3 to 4 Biscoff cookies, crushed: for the top if you like a little crunch.

Variations / Substitutions

• Use hot water instead of coffee: the cake will still be deeply chocolatey, just a touch less rich. Coffee simply amplifies the cocoa.
• Swap buttermilk for milk plus lemon: mix 1 cup whole milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice, let it sit 5 minutes, and it acts the same in the batter.
• Try chocolate buttercream instead: if you want double chocolate, replace half the butter with melted dark chocolate cooled to room temperature and fold it into the finished frosting.
• Add a layer of Biscoff cookie crumble: press some crushed cookies onto the sides of the frosted cake for extra texture.
• Make it dairy free: use a trusted vegan butter stick for both the cake oil and the frosting, and swap buttermilk for 1 cup almond milk mixed with 1 tbsp vinegar.

Rich Chocolate Bundt Cake is another dessert you’d probably love if you enjoy this cake.

How to Make Chocolate Biscoff Cake

Step 1: Whisk the Dry Ingredients

Heat your oven to 350°F (177°C) with a rack in the middle. Grease two 8 inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, then grease the parchment too.

In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, 2 cups sugar, 2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt until there are no streaks of cocoa. Whisking well here means you do not need to sift later. The mixture should look evenly brown and fluffy.

Step 2: Add the Wet Ingredients and Coffee

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and crack in the 2 eggs. Pour in the 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup oil, and 2 tsp vanilla. Whisk from the center outward just until the liquid absorbs the dry bits and the batter looks glossy and smooth. It will be thin, almost like pancake batter, and that is exactly right.

Now pour the 1 cup hot coffee slowly down the side of the bowl while you whisk. The batter will get even thinner and you might smell the chocolate deepen. Do not worry, it will bake up thick and tender.

Step 3: Pour and Bake the Layers

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Tap each pan gently on the counter once to pop any large air bubbles. Slide them into the oven and bake for 28 to 32 minutes. The cakes are done when the tops spring back when pressed lightly in the center and a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.

Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and turn them out onto the rack to cool completely. They must be fully cool before you frost, or the buttercream will melt.

Step 4: Make the Biscoff Frosting

While the cakes cool, beat the 1 cup softened butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until it is pale and creamy, about 2 minutes on medium speed. Add the 1 cup Biscoff spread and beat another 1 minute until the mixture is smooth and no streaks remain.

With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time, alternating with a splash of the heavy cream. Scrape down the bowl often. After the last addition, add 1 tsp vanilla and a pinch of salt, then beat on high for 1 minute. The frosting should be light and spreadable; if it feels too thick, beat in a little more cream, a teaspoon at a time.

Step 5: Fill and Frost the Cake

Set one cooled cake layer on a serving plate, flat side down. Scoop about a cup of frosting onto it and spread it out to the edges with an offset spatula. Place the second layer on top, flat side up, and press gently.

Pile the remaining frosting on top and work it down the sides. You can leave it swoopy and rustic or smooth it with a bench scraper. Scatter the crushed Biscoff cookies over the top right away so they stick. Slice and serve at room temperature, and the crumb will be soft and the frosting creamy.

Cake Baking Tips

• Use room temperature eggs and buttermilk: so the batter mixes smoothly and stays emulsified. Cold ingredients can make the oil separate slightly and the cake may dome more.
• Do not overmix once the wet and dry join.: A few small lumps are fine and disappear in the oven. Overbeating can activate too much gluten and the cake will turn out dense instead of light.
• Cool the layers completely before frosting, even if you are short on time. Push the cakes into the fridge for 30 minutes after they are cool to the touch if you want frosting to glide on cleanly.
• Chill the assembled cake for 20 minutes before slicing: for the neatest cuts, then let each slice come to room temp on the plate so the buttercream softens.

Bake times by pan:

Storing Leftover Cake

• Refrigerate: Cover the cake plate or tuck slices into an airtight container and chill for up to 5 days. The buttercream firms up in the cold, so let slices sit out 15 minutes before eating.
• Freeze: Wrap whole unfrosted cake layers tightly in plastic and freeze for up to 2 months. You can also freeze the frosted cake; freeze it uncovered for an hour to firm the frosting, then wrap well. Thaw in the fridge overnight.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different cookie butter?

Yes, any speculoos cookie butter like the Trader Joe’s version works the same way. The spice profile might be slightly stronger or sweeter, but it will still taste great with the chocolate.

Can I make this cake gluten free?

Sure. Use a good 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. The batter will look like the same thin pourable mixture and the layers will bake up with a similar tender crumb.

Do I have to use coffee?

No, you can replace the hot coffee with an equal amount of hot water. The chocolate flavor will be a little less bold, but the cake will still be moist and delicious. Coffee just makes the cocoa taste more intense, it does not add coffee flavor.

Can I bake this in a single pan?

You can, but I’d only do it if you have a deep 9 x 3 inch round pan. Pour all the batter in and bake at 325°F (163°C) for 45 to 55 minutes until a tester comes out clean. A single layer will be tall and need a longer, lower bake to cook through without burning.

Chocolate Biscoff Cake Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 520

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup hot strong brewed coffee
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup Biscoff spread
• 3 to 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 to 3 tbsp heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 3 to 4 Biscoff cookies, crushed

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8 inch round pans and line with parchment. Whisk flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and 2 tsp vanilla to the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Slowly whisk in hot coffee until the batter is thin and even.
3. Divide batter between pans. Bake 28 to 32 minutes until the centers spring back and a tester has moist crumbs. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
4. Beat butter until creamy, then beat in Biscoff spread. On low, add powdered sugar and heavy cream gradually, then 1 tsp vanilla and a pinch of salt. Whip until fluffy.
5. Place one cooled layer on a plate and spread with about 1 cup frosting. Top with the second layer, frost the top and sides, and scatter crushed cookies over the top.

Notes

The coffee in the cake batter only deepens the chocolate flavor; you will not taste coffee at all. Make sure the cake layers are completely cool before frosting, or the buttercream will slide. This cake stays moist for days in the fridge and is often even better on day two.