A Biscoff drip cake is such a trendy treat! The Lotus Biscoff obsession is definitely sweeping the baking world, and I fully support this. Biscoff biscuits have such a beautifully distinct caramelised taste, they’re delicious to add to basically anything.
This Biscoff drip cake has three layers of brown sugar sponge cake, a Biscoff buttercream coating and filling, Biscoff spread between layers and dripped over the top. Oh, and a cute Biscoff biscuit crumb border to add a little more Biscoff, in case you already didn’t get enough Biscoff joy in your life.
This Biscoff drip cake is one of my all time best ever cake recipes. I've even had friends and family requesting it for their birthday cakes quite a few times! I don't blame them - who doesn't want a Biscoff birthday cake?! I'm a smidge obsessed with Biscoff...
Jump to:
✏️ Making a tasty and easy recipe
I love all things Biscoff, especially the Biscoff spread (i.e. cookie butter). It’s so smooth and creamy, but with that flavour we all know and love. Biscoff is such a distinctive flavour, and it’s loved pretty much universally.
Ok, so a Lotus Biscoff drip cake isn’t exactly new. But I like to think I’ve put my own spin on it by adding real Biscoff biscuits into the icing, so you get a delicious little crunch in your buttercream and the cute Biscoff border.
This gorgeous cake is impressive and perfect for any celebration. I first made this as a treat for the local firefighters in my area during the pandemic. They loved it! A huge dose of sugar is always helpful to get you through a work shift.
🥘 Ingredients notes
- As with most of my recipes, I recommend starting with room temperature ingredients. This will improve the consistency and ease at which your ingredients will mix together.
- When measuring your ingredients, I always recommend using weights rather than cups where possible for greater accuracy. This is especially important for the amount of flour.
- Always sieve your flour and baking powder. I used to be a bit lazy and skip this part, but it really makes such a difference to get you a lump-free mixture.
🔪 Equipment notes
- I like to use digital scales for weighing my ingredients as it's easier and more accurate than other scales. I'm a fan of KitchenAid or Salter ones!
- It’s also good to use measuring spoons for your tsp and tbsp amounts, as your standard teaspoon and tablespoon that you use to eat with won't be the correct volume. When using measuring spoons, make sure the scoops filled with your ingredients are levelled before adding them to your mix.
- In order to decorate your Biscoff cake, it's much easier if you have a cake turntable, tall cake scraper and an offset spatula. That way you can create smooth sides to your cake much easier. Give this video by Cupcake Jemma a watch for how she makes perfectly crisp corners and smooth edges on her buttercream layer cakes!
- To get smooth tops on your cake layers, I recommend using cake baking belts, sometimes called cake strips, when baking your cakes. You may need to bake for an extra 5-10mins if using these, as they slow down the process.
🍱 Storage
Once decorated and finished, it's best to place your Biscoff drip cake into an extra-large airtight container. Your Biscoff cake should keep for up to 3 days stored at room temperature.
If it's hot where you live (lucky you!), you may want to store your cake in the fridge instead. It should last up to 4 days in the fridge, but this may dry it out slightly so cover it well.
If you want to freeze your Biscoff cake, you can wrap the unfrosted brown sugar sponge cake layers in plastic wrap / cling film and then a layer of aluminium foil then freeze them.
Your buttercream frosting can also be frozen in an airtight container.
Both the sponges and frosting should keep for 1-2months in the freezer. Defrost and use as normal per recipe. The buttercream may need to be beaten again to whip up to nice and fluffy before frosting your Biscoff cake with it.
I’m a pretty busy person, and I’m sure you are too! So, if you’re short on time, I recommend making the brown sugar cake sponges in advance. You can bake the sponges 1-2 days before use and keep them wrapped up in cling film / plastic food wrap in the fridge. This is a pretty moist recipe so your sponges shouldn’t get a chance to dry out.
💭 Top tips for success
- When making a cake with raising agents (i.e. using self-raising flour, baking powder, baking soda, etc.) such as this one, try to not over-mix your cake batter. The texture of your cake will be dense rather than a light and airy sponge.
- Don’t open the oven mid-bake. You’ll have probably heard this advice before, but it’s such an important factor that it bears repeating. I’ve been there before and nobody likes a cake with a sinkhole!
- Once your cake layers have baked, it's best to leave them in the cake tin to cool for 10mins before removing them from the cake pan onto a wire rack to cool. This speeds up the cooling process and stops your cake from baking further trapped in the hot tin.
- To get smooth flat cake layers, you may need to cut off any peaked tops. You can use a knife or a cake leveller for this. Keep any offcuts and use them for decorating or turning into cake pops or cakesicles!
Biscoff buttercream tips:
- When making your American buttercream, make sure to use room temperature butter. Beat this by hand, stand mixer or electric mixer until it’s light and fluffy. It could just be me, but this always seems to take longer than I think. It should be several minutes of beating the butter if using an electric handheld mixer or stand mixer. This will give you creamy and light Biscoff buttercream frosting.
- To crush your Biscoff cookies for the buttercream, and the Biscoff cookie border if using, I usually use a food processor. However, if you don't have one you can always crush them using a pestle and mortar or even putting them in a plastic bag and bashing them with a rolling pin.
Biscoff drip effect tips:
- When going for the drip effect on your cake, always do a test drip first. You want to see how far down the side of your cake this tester runs.
- If your test drip hits the bottom of the cake, your Biscoff spread is too hot. Allow it to cool for a few mins at room temperature before trying again.
- If your test drip is so sluggish it barely moves at all, then put it in the microwave for another 5 secs and try another test drip. For a peek at how I create the drip effect for this cake, check out my Pinterest or Instagram videos.
Troubleshooting help:
If you’ve got any specific questions on making this Lotus Biscoff drip cake recipe, please feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll try my best to help out!
Alternatively, you can get in touch via my Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest – I’d love to hear from you!
♻️ Alternatives and substitutions
I like to put Biscoff spread between the layers of my cake for an extra Biscoff flavour, but this is optional. I’ve made this cake a few times using just the buttercream between the layers. It’s still definitely delicious and creamy!
Also, using the crushed Biscoff biscuits in the buttercream is optional, but adds a tasty crunch that I love. Instead of regular Biscoff biscuits, you can swap these for the Biscoff sandwich biscuits, for an extra creaminess to your frosting.
This recipe calls for Biscoff cookie butter spread, but there is currently a smooth (creamy) or crunchy variety on sale. I usually use the smooth Biscoff spread, so I can also use it for a smooth topping and drip effect. However, the crunchy one would also be delicious, just a bit more textured!
Cake pans and equipment:
I usually use fixed base or loose base cake tins for a sponge cake like this Biscoff cake. I usually use these fixed based cake tins by Wilton or PME. Be sure to grease and line them when using them!
When I make this Biscoff drip cake as a three-layer cake, I usually use three round 8-inch cake pans.
However, if you only own two 8-inch cake pans, you can split your cake batter evenly between these two and cake for an extra 5-10mins. Cut each of your sponges in half to give you four layers to your celebration cake instead. You may need to increase the amount of buttercream frosting you use, or make sure to use it a bit more sparingly between the layers.
I usually use a teaspoon to make the Biscoff drip effect on this cake. However, you can also use a squeeze bottle, like the ones they use for sauces and condiments, or a piping bag with a small round piping tip (like the ones in this round nozzle set).
🧁 Other goodies
So, I definitely recommend that you whip up a tasty and impressive Lotus Biscoff drip cake! But as an avid home baker, I’m sure you’re asking yourself “what next?”.
If you love a drip effect cake, check out my recipes for an Oreo drip cake and my gluten-free tequila rose skull cake.
In love with all things Biscoff? Then why not give my Biscoff stuffed vegan cookies or Biscoff-stuffed white chocolate blondies a try - so much Lotus Biscoff joy packed into every bite in this quick and easy recipe!
Looking forward to some new recipes? Check out my Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest pages for a few sneak peeks and some sweet inspiration!
Or if you’d like to hear about our latest recipes, why not subscribe to our newsletter?
📋 Recipe
Lotus Biscoff Drip Cake
Rate this recipe here:
Equipment
Ingredients
Sponges:
- 340 g (1½ cups) unsalted butter
- 330 g (1½ cups) light brown soft sugar
- 6 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 340 g (2¾ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour (see notes for self-raising flour swap)
- 4½ tsp baking powder
- 4 tbsp milk
Biscoff buttercream:
- 100 g (½ cups) Biscoff biscuits (optional: plus extra 2 biscuits for border)
- 250 g (1 cups) unsalted butter
- 575 g (4¾ cups) icing sugar
- 125 g (½ cups) Biscoff spread
- 4-5 tbsp cream (or 3-4 tbsp milk)
Filling:
- 200 g (¾ cups) Biscoff spread
Biscoff drip:
- 125 g (½ cups) Biscoff spread
Instructions
Sponges:
- Preheat oven: 180°C / 160°C (fan) / Gas Mark 4 / 350°F
- For the sponges, cream together the butter and sugar, either using a spatula, electric hand mixer or stand mixer, until pale and fluffy. This may take several minutes.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until whisked up to foamy, before adding this to butter mix and beating until combined.
- Sieve in the flour and baking powder, folding in gently until just combined.
- Add in the milk and vanilla extract, stirring gently until you only just have a smooth mixture.
- Divide the mixture evenly between three lined cake tins and bake for 30-35mins, until the sponges no longer wobble, are firm to touch and a skewer comes out clean. Allow these to cool on the side while you make the buttercream.
Biscoff buttercream:
- In a food processor or blender, blitz up the Biscoff biscuits, plus the optional extra 2, for 2-3mins until you get very fine crumbs. Set aside 2 tbsp for the crumb border later.
- Beat the butter (either using an electric mixer or stand mixer) until pale, light and fluffy. This could take several minutes.
- Sieve half of the icing sugar into the butter and beat until combined, then repeat this with the remaining icing sugar.
- Once fully combined, add the cream (or milk), Biscoff spread and crushed biscuits, then beat until smooth.
Assembly and filling:
- Set aside roughly ⅕ of the buttercream into a piping bag (with a 1M tip) for the swirls on top for later.
- Once the sponges have cooled completely, cut off any peaks to give smooth flat tops on all of your layers.
- Spread a layer of buttercream on top of one of your sponges, then pipe a thick border on top (i.e. around the edge). Add half of your Biscoff spread filling, smoothing it out within the border.
- Sandwich a second sponge layer on top and repeat the above step before gently pressing the third sponge upside-down on top.
- Smooth a thick layer of buttercream on top of the cake and around the edges, smoothing and scraping until your cake has a relatively thin and neat outside crumb coating. Refrigerate for 15mins.
- Add the remaining buttercream (not saved for the swirls) to the top and outside of the cake. Smooth using a spatula and scraper.
- Add the set-aside Biscoff biscuit crumbs around the bottom of the cake and press in gently with the back of a spoon, to create a roughly 1-2inch thick messy border.
Biscoff drip:
- Melt the Biscoff spread in the microwave for 20-30secs until drip-able consistency.
- Dip a teaspoon in your Biscoff spread and test a drip at the top edge of your cake. If this creates a thick line and only runs partway down the side, you’re good to go. If it hits the bottom, leave your Biscoff spread to cool for 5mins and try another test drip. If it’s too thick to run, microwave for another 5secs. Repeat until your test drips are to your liking.
- Drip the Biscoff spread from your spoon at the edges of your cake until you have enough drips. Then fill in the middle of your cake top, smoothing gently with an offset spatula until you get an even layer.
- Using the buttercream set aside previously, pipe big swirls onto the top of the cake in a ring.
Notes
- You can swap the plain flour in the sponge for self-raising flour of the same amount and reduce the baking powder by 3 ½ tsp.
- If you only have 2 cake tins, split the cake mix evenly across these and cook for 35-40mins instead. Cut these cakes in half to give 4 layers instead of the 3.
- When cutting the tops of your cake, keep the offcuts for use in other recipes, such as cake pops/cakesicles or for decorating.
Nutrition
* The nutrition information provided is an estimate based on an online nutritional calculator and actual values may vary.
I honestly have never had anything Biscoff, but I can only imagine how absolutely delicious this cake is!!
It's super tasty! Definitely give Biscoff cookie butter a try
I love biscoff biscuits, totally a win for me!
Thanks! There's so much Biscoff in this cake and I love it
This is a gorgeous-looking cake and the epitome of Biscoff! I had never heard of this cake, so thank you for sharing. I'd love a small slice with cup of coffee 🙂
Thanks, glad you like it!
Awesome. The decoration of the cake is amazing. Instructions are easy to understand. Thanks for sharing this
Thank you! Glad you liked it and hope your cake turned out well.
What flour do you recommend? Is self raising better than plain in this recipe or??
Hiya! You can use either plain or self-raising flour, as both will give you the same result if you adjust the baking powder amount per the recipe notes. I usually use self-raising flour because that's what I have more of in my cupboard. Happy baking!