If you can’t get enough of Biscoff and love quick and easy cakes, then I guarantee you this Biscoff tray bake cake recipe is absolute heaven! Light, melt in your mouth Biscoff sponge smothered with delicious Biscoff buttercream; it’s great for sharing… if you want to share!
Lou’s recipe overview
SKILL: Beginner
TASTE: Warm, spicy caramel cookie butter
PROS: Quick, easy and fulled of Biscoff
CONS: Really whip the butter for the best buttercream ever
Say hello to one of the easiest and most delicious cakes you’ll ever make – the Biscoff tray bake cake!
I love a tray bake cake recipe, they really are a no faff, super versatile cake for any occasion or just when you fancy getting your bake on. The cake batter take minutes to whip up, there’s no layers or levelling and there’s no fancy ingredients or equipment. Tray bake cakes are the perfect everyday bake!
But there’s one way to take the humble tray bake cake to the next level… add Biscoff! I just can’t get enough of that warm, cinnamon and caramel flavour. And with crushed cookies in the sponge as well as Biscoff spread, that’s also in the buttercream, the flavour is packed right in!
Have I convinced you that this really is the best cake? Yes, no, or do you need a little more convincing? Then what if I tell you about…
- Melt in your mouth sponge packed with Biscoff flavour – light and fluffy, you won’t be able to resist it
- Insanely delicious Biscoff buttercream frosting – sweet, creamy and whipped so it’s light and airy; grab a spoon you’ll want to eat it on its own
- Super simple, no special skills and all in one bowl – just bake, cool and frost; it really is that easy and there’s minimum washing up
Ingredients
Check out my shopping list for ingredients and equipment
The best thing about this Biscoff tray bake cake is of course it’s packed full of Biscoff cookies and spread, but also that the rest of the ingredients are super simple. Here’s everything you’ll need to make it…
For the cake
- Biscoff Spread – You can use either the smooth or crunchy version for the cake sponge
- Biscoff Cookies – These will be crushed and added into the cake batter. Make sure to save some for decoration
- Unsalted Butter – Add ¼ teaspoon of fine sea salt to bring out the creaminess of the butter, or alternatively use a slightly salted butter instead
- Plain Flour or All-Purpose Flour – You can also use self-raising flour, just leave out the baking powder. As self-raising flour has raising agents already added, reduce the baking powder quantity to 1 teaspoon
- Soft Light Brown Sugar – The caramel taste of the sugar works well with the warm, spicy caramel Biscoff flavour
- Caster Sugar or Superfine Sugar – I like to use a mix of sugars to give a light texture to the cake
- Natural Yogurt or Soured Cream – This adds fats into the cake batter to bind everything together but helps to keep a light and fluffy texture
- Eggs – Make sure these are at room temperature as it makes them easier to whisk and incorporate air into the cake batter. If you keep your eggs in the fridge, take them out about 15-30 minutes before you’re ready to start baking
- Baking Powder
For the buttercream
You’ll also need the following ingredients…
- Biscoff Spread – The smooth version is best for using in buttercream and frosting
- Unsalted Butter
- Double Cream or Heavy Cream – Alternatively use can use full-fat milk
- Icing Sugar or Powdered Sugar
BUDGET FRIENDLY: If you’re on a budget you can swap out most of the ingredients for store own-brands and many budget stores now stock good quality dupes that work just as well, even Biscoff alternatives!
Recommended ingredients
Equipment
Like the ingredients, you do not need any fancy tools or equipment to make this cake; just the way I like my recipes! To get the best buttercream, you need to really whip the butter, so I highly recommend a good sturdy hand mixer or a stand mixer.
Here’s the exact tools I use in my kitchen…
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Hand Mixer – This Breville handmixer is my new favourite piece of kit I love the softening function if your butter isn’t quite up to room temperature
- 13 x 9 inch sheet pan – You pan should be at least 1-inch deep to get a good depth to your cake. I absolutely love my Masterclass one, it gives the perfect bake.
- Angled Palette Knife – Ideal for a getting a level top to your sponge cake and those big swirls of buttercream on top – it’s one of my top 10 essential pieces of baking equipment!
- Food Processor – I love my Magimix for blitzing Biscoff cookies and getting the perfect texture to add to your cake batter, but you can use a mini chopper or bash them with a rolling pin if you prefer
- Rubber Spatula
- Baking Parchment
- Digital Kitchen Scales
CONVERT TO CUPS: There is a cup conversion option in the recipe card to convert the ingredients. This is automatic and I can’t guarantee the accuracy. For best baking results, I recommend using digital scales and weighing the ingredients.
How to make Biscoff tray bake cake
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the recipe card
This Biscoff cake batter has got to be one of my absolute favourites to make. Not only is it super smooth and silky, it also smells utterly divine. And you haven’t even baked it yet. Here’s what to do…
The Biscoff cake
For my tray bakes, I absolutely love using the reverse-creaming method. I find for single layer cakes, like my coffee tray bake cake and vanilla tray bake cake, it gives you a melt in the mouth and light texture.
- Crush the Biscoff cookies with a mini chopper or food processor until they are a fine sand texture. Alternatively you can crush the cookies with a rolling pin
- Add the crushed cookies, flour, baking powder and, if using, salt in a large mixing bowl and mix together until well combined
- Add in the light brown sugar and caster sugar and stir through until all the dry ingredients and evenly mixed and well combined
- Add the butter to the dry ingredients and mix together with a hand held mixer until you get a damp sandy texture. You can also use a stand mixer if you prefer
- Add the Biscoff spread to the mixture with half the natural yogurt, and mix well
- Add the remaining natural yogurt and stir through, the cake batter should start to look thick and creamy
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. You should end up with a smooth, creamy batter that spreads easily
When the cake batter is ready, pour it into a lined sheet cake or tray bake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden, then turn out onto a wire rack to completely cool.
BAKING SCIENE: The reverse-creaming technique starts with combining dry ingredients before adding the fats. This means the flour particles are coated with fat from the butter reducing the gluten formation. This gives you a finer, springy cake while still keeping it nice and light.
The Biscoff buttercream
If you thought the cake was good, then this buttercream is going to blow your taste buds. It really is one of the best buttercreams ever… and it’s so easy to make. Just remember to really whip the butter for the lightest texture.
- Whisk the butter and the salt, if adding, until very pale and fluffy in a large bowl; this should take about 4-5 minutes. The butter should be easy to spread and look like a thick whipped cream
- Add half the icing sugar to the butter and mix well; the buttercream will become thick, smooth and creamy
- Add the Biscoff spread and mix well until well combined
- Add half the double cream and keep mixing so that the buttercream is light, soft and smooth
- Add the remaining icing sugar and double cream mixing well until you reach a smooth and easily spreadable consistency
TOP TIP: The secret to the lightest buttercream is whipping the butter! Start with room temperature butter and make sure you whisk the butter for at least 4 minutes; don’t be tempted to cut it short. It should end up pale and fluffy, easily spreadable and with the consistency of a very thick cream.
To assemble the tray bake cake
The thing I love most about a tray bake cake is that you don’t need to faff around with levelling and icing.
You can just slather the buttercream on top, making sure you get a thick layer all over,. Then give it a swirl the buttercream with an angled palette knife and sprinkle over some crushed Biscoff cookies to finish off.
And it’s just as easy to serve – just slice into squares and feed your crowd… simple!
Tips for success
If you follow the recipe the I trust you, you can’t go wrong with this Biscoff tray bake cake. But here a few of my top baking tips that will help you absolutely nail this cake every time…
- Weigh your ingredients – This is always my number one top tip! It will change every single bake you make – digital kitchen scales are your new Best Friend! Did you know that a 1 cup of flour could give you 150% of correct measurement? Investing in a set of scales can drastically improve your baking results!
- Use room temperature eggs – And this is my second best top tip. Adding cold eggs to your cake batter mix can cause it to curdle. So get your eggs out of the fridge 10-15 minutes before you start baking. It also makes the eggs easier to whisk and gives them lots of volume, helping keep your cake light and fluffy
- Use room temperature butter – Starting with nice and soft butter is the key to the perfectly light and fluffy cake. If the butter isn’t quite soft enough, when you mix the ingredients together you’ll end up with butter lumps in the batter. Room temperature butter is easier to cream with the sugar and helps to incorporate air into the batter. Taking your butter out of the fridge the night before should make sure it’s just right. You want to be able to make a dent with your finger, but not go right through.
- Use a homemade cake release – You don’t want the cake sticking to the baking tray, especially if you want to serve in the pan. Give it a good coating of a simple 3-ingredient cake release before adding the batter. If you’re not serving in the pan you can also line your tray with baking parchment to help you lift the cake out.
- Let the cake fully cool before decorating – I know its tempting to get stuck in with the buttercream as quickly as possible so you can eat it, but let the cake fully cool first. Remove it from the pan after 10 minutes then allow to cool fully on a wire-rack.
BAKING SCIENCE: Check out my Baking Tips If you want to know more about why room temperature ingredients matter or swapping unsalted and salted butter
FAQs about Biscoff tray bake cake
The recipe will fit a 13 x 9 inch traybake pan, about 1-inch deep. If you prefer a deeper cake then use a slighter smaller but deeper pan. If you want to make a layer cake, this recipe will work in two 8-inch cake tins.
Once iced, the cake should be kept in an air-tight container, at room temperature. You can either cut the cake into slices and keep in a sealed container, or cover with kitchen foil if serving shortly after decorating.
If stored correctly, at room temperature, the Biscoff traybake cake will keep for up to 3 days or up to 1 week in the fridge. If freezing, the cake can be stored for up to 2 months.
Yes, you can! The cake is best frozen un-iced but you can freeze iced as well. Make sure to wrap the cake well in clingfilm before freezing and it will store for up to 2 months. Remember to defrost thoroughly before decorating or eating.
More Biscoff recipes to try
If you liked this Kit Kat ice cream recipe here are some other recipes that I think you’d enjoy…
Biscoff Tray Bake Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Sheet Cake
- 100 g Lotus Biscoff Biscuits
- 350 g Plain Flour or All Purpose Flour
- 3 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Fine Sea Salt optional
- 200 g Soft Light Brown Sugar
- 100 g Caster Sugar or Superfine Sugar
- 250 g Butter Salted
- 100 g Lotus Biscoff Spread
- 150 ml Natural Yogurt or Soured Cream
- 4 Eggs Medium
For the Buttercream
- 150 g Butter Salted
- 300 g Icing Sugar or Powdered Sugar
- 100 g Lotus Biscoff Spread
- 100 ml Double Cream or Full Fat Milk
Instructions
To make the cake
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F and line a 13×9 inch sheet pan with baking paper. Alternatively, coat the pan with homemade cake release.
- Add the Biscoff cookies into a food processor and blitz until they form a crumb. Alternatively, you can use a mini chopper or place the cookies in a ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin.100 g Lotus Biscoff Biscuits
- In a large bowl or a stand mixer bowl, sieve together the crushed Biscoff cookies, flour, baking powder and salt (if using) and mix together.350 g Plain Flour, 1 tsp Fine Sea Salt, 3 tsp Baking Powder
- Add the light brown sugar and caster sugar. Mix together until well combined.200 g Soft Light Brown Sugar, 100 g Caster Sugar
- Add the butter to the flour mixture and beat with a handheld mixer until everything is well well-combined and the butter evenly distributed. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer with the beater attachment.250 g Butter
- Add the Biscoff spread and half of the natural yogurt to the mixture. Beat the again until the ingredients begin to form a thick batter.150 ml Natural Yogurt, 100 g Lotus Biscoff Spread
- Add the remaining natural yogurt, and beat the ingredients again. They should be well combined into a runny cake batter.150 ml Natural Yogurt
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and whisk between each addition on medium-high until the cake batter is smooth, thick and spreadable.4 Eggs
- Pour the cake batter into the lined sheet pan, and level if required using an offset spatula.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until springy to touch and skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
To make the buttercream
- In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or stand mixer with the balloon attachment, whisk the butter until pale and creamy. This should take about 3-4 minutes on medium-heat.150 g Butter
- Add half the icing sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating between each addition until smooth. If the frosting is too stiff, add a tablespoon of whole milk and mix.300 g Icing Sugar
- Add the Biscoff spread to the buttercream and whisk until well-combined.100 g Lotus Biscoff Spread
- Add the half double cream into the buttercream mixture, and whisk well.100 ml Double Cream
- Add the remaining icing sugar and double cream and whisk on medium-high for 2-3 minutes to thicken the cream. The buttercream should be thick but easily spread using a palette knife.
To assemble the cake
- If you are transporting the cake and left it to cool in the pan, you can ice in the cake in place. If you have turned the cake out onto a wire rack, place the cake on a serving plate and then decorate.
- Spoon the buttercream on top of the cake, then using a palette knife, spread the buttercream evenly across the cake. You can add swirls with the palette knife for texture if you prefer.
- Sprinkle all over with more crushed Biscoff cookies and cookie pieces.
Notes
- What size cake pan should I use? The recipe will fit a 13 x 9 inch traybake pan, about 1-inch deep. If you want a deeper cake then use a slighter smaller but deeper pan. You can also make this recipe two 8-inch cake tins for a layer cake.
- How many servings does the recipe make? A 13×9 traybake pan will serve about 18-24 slices depending on how big you make the slices.
- How should the cake be stored? Once decorated, the cake should be kept in an air-tight container, at room temperature. You can either cut the cake into slices and keep in a sealed container, or if serving shortly after decorating cover with kitchen foil.
- How long will the cake last? The Biscoff tray bake cake will keep for up to 3 days stored at room temperature or up to 1 week in the fridge. If freezing, the cake can be stored for up to 2 months.
- Can I freeze the cake? Yes, the cake can be frozen, either un-iced or iced. Wrap it well in clingfilm/ plastic wrap and you can store it for up to 2 months. Remember to defrost thoroughly before decorating or eating.
Nutrition
DISCLAIMER
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
Delicious! Love the flavor the cookies give the cake and the crumb is so nice and tender.