Biscoff Caramel Cake

The most delicious cake you'll ever have! Each cake layer has a Biscoff cookie crust topped with a cream cheese cake. In between each cake layer is a caramel filling and everything is smothered in the most amazing Biscoff buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 32

Assembly Time 45

Total Time 2 2

Servings servings

Calories 1226kcal

Author Whitney Wright

Equipment

Kitchen Aid stand mixer

Ingredients

Biscoff Cookie Crust

2 1/4 cups crushed Biscoff cookies about 30 cookies or 240 grams
1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
1/3 cup granulated sugar

Cream Cheese Cake

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup canola oil or grapeseed oil, or vegetable oil
8 oz cream cheese room temperature (use block cream cheese, not cream cheese spread)
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon caramel extract
1 cup buttermilk

Caramel Filling

4 oz cream cheese very soft (can microwave for 20-30 seconds to achieve this consistency)
1/4 cup thick caramel softened (my favorite is Mrs. Richardson's)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon caramel extract

Biscoff Buttercream

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter slightly softened, but still a tad cold
1 cup Biscoff spread or Speculoos
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 cups powdered sugar sifted
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Biscoff Cookie Crust

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. Trace the pan on parchment paper and cut three 8-inch circles. Line the sprayed pans with parchment circles and spray again.
In a food processor, pulverize the Biscoff cookies. Add the melted butter and sugar and pulse until it’s well-combined.
Divide the crust between the three prepared pans (about 135-140 g of crust mixture in each pan). Press down with clean hands or the flat bottom of a glass.
Bake for 6-8 minutes, until the edges just start to get a little darker. Remove pans from oven and set aside while making cake batter.

Cream Cheese Cake

About an hour before starting the cake, set cream cheese and eggs out to come to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 325°F.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the sugar and cream cheese on a medium speed. Slowly add the grapeseed oil, about ¼ cup at a time. Mix well after each addition of oil to avoid oil splashing all over the kitchen! Beat for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture no longer pulls away from the side of the bowl and all of the oil is fully incorporated.
Add the eggs to the batter, one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add vanilla and caramel extract (if using). Beat for 1-2 more minutes.
Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix on the lowest setting. With the mixer still on low, add half of the buttermilk, followed by another 1/3 of flour mixture. Finish by adding the last half of buttermilk and the last 1/3 of flour mixture. Mix until combined, being sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Distribute the batter between the three cake pans (it will go right on top of the Biscoff cookie crust).
Bake for 27-32 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the middle of the cake. It will come out with a couple small crumbs stuck to it when the cakes are fully baked.
Let cool for 10-15 minutes, or until cool enough to handle, before turning the cakes out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely and cover with plastic wrap. Place each layer on a flat surface in the freezer until it’s time to assemble the cake.

Caramel Filling

In a small bowl, mix softened cream cheese and caramel together until smooth
In a medium bowl, whisk whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and caramel extract (if using) together on high speed until stiff peaks form. Mix about ¼ cup whipped cream into the caramel cream cheese mixture to loosen it up.
Gently fold the caramel cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream. Chill for at least an hour.

Biscoff Buttercream

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light and smooth. Add the Biscoff spread and mix until it’s well combined. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Add vanilla then add sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, adding a bit of heavy whipping cream as needed to keep the buttercream smooth and mixable.
Beat on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes to get the buttercream extra light and smooth.

Assembly

Put a small dollop of buttercream on a cake board and place the first layer of cake on the board, crust side down.
Spread a thin layer of Biscoff buttercream over the top of the cake layer, then pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge. Add about 2/3 cup of cream cheese caramel filling and spread to the inside edge of the rim of buttercream. Place the next cake layer, crust down, on top of the buttercream rim and filling. Repeat this process and place the third cake layer, crust down, on the top of the cake.
Apply a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake and freeze for about 10-15 minutes, until the buttercream is firm.
Using the rest of the buttercream, frost and decorate the cake as desired.
Store the cake in the fridge until 1-2 hours before serving, then let the cake come to room temperature. Slice and serve!

Notes

It is much easier to assemble a cake when the cake layers are very cold.

Caramel Filling Tips: Use full fat SOFT cream cheese. Microwave the cream cheese in a microwave safe bowl for 20-30 seconds. I love the Mrs. Richardson's caramel brand. Soften the caramel in the microwave, but the caramel shouldn't be too hot.

Cake Tips: Bake all cake pans on the middle oven rack. Use an oven thermometer to ensure the internal temperature is 325 degrees before baking. If your cakes are sinking in the middle when you take them out, they aren't baked all the way. To get a good rise on the cakes, make sure to use room temperature wet ingredients in the cake batter. When adding the dry ingredients to the wet, don't over mix the batter! Mix until just incorporated. Make sure your baking powder is up to date.

Storing

Cake layers can be made days ahead of time and stored in the freezer if wrapped well in plastic wrap.
The filling and buttercream can be made a couple days in advance and stored in the fridge. Beat the buttercream well after storing in the fridge. It will become smooth and creamy again.

Nutrition