Ok. I’ll have to admit. Before today I had never tasted a Biscoff cookie. I’d seem them at the German restaurants and in the stores but had never tasted one. To be honest, I didn’t even really know what flavor to even expect. But today, once I actually tried one I realized what the obsession with Biscoff is. Caramel. Yup. These cookies taste like caramel!! NO WONDER!
I looked all over the internet for someone else who had made a Biscoff cupcake and I really wasn’t impressed with what I had found. None incorporated the cookie into the batter, just the spread and none of them had the appearance I was looking to achieve. So, I set out to make a recipe of my own.
Peanut butter is a lot like Biscoff spread in texture and consistency, so I researched peanut butter cake recipes. I found this recipe for Peanut Butter Cake by Paula Deen that called for crushed graham crackers in the cake and thought that could be easily substituted for crushed Biscoff cookies and the peanut. So I made it the batter, altered the sugar to include some brown sugar, substituted Biscoff for the peanut butter and crushed Biscoff cookies for the graham crackers. The recipe FAILED miserably. I think there was too much leavening (baking powder) in this recipe and the cupcakes all sank like the Titanic.
I seriously hate it when recipes fail. I mean REALLY hate it. It feels like such a waste of ingredients and like I should of known better or something. Seems like lately I’ve just had too many epic fails with recipes. (Most of those I don’t even mention on the blog or Facebook, btw.)
Well… I had about 2/3 cup of Biscoff spread left and decided to try again, but this time I’d make my chocolate cupcakes and top it with Biscoff buttercream. I bought Milka chocolate cream cheese at the German store and thought that’d pair well with the Biscoff in the buttercream. Damn. This buttercream is so good… definitely glad I decided to go with the chocolate cake though…. pairs perfectly with it!!
I created cute little tags and attached them to these cups with some ribbon and gave a cupcake to each of Emily’s 7th grade teachers at her Open House last night. They were all very shocked and surprised and loved them!! I’m pretty sure that Emily’s teachers will be getting treats from me until she graduates from college!!
Chocolate Cupcakes with Biscoff Milka Cream Cheese Frosting
Decadent chocolate cake topped with a smooth frosting bursting with Biscoff flavor!
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp espresso powder (optional)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 cup hot water
Biscoff Milka Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 package Philadelphia Cream Cheese with Milka
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2/3 cup Biscoff spread
- 1lb powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 Tbsp heavy cream
- crushed Biscoff cookies (for garnish)
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Line cupcake pan with 12 liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, egg and vanilla.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the oil mixture. Whisk until you can't anymore.
- Add the hot water and whisk until smooth.
- Fill liners 2/3 full with batter. Bake about 16-18 minutes or until a toothpic comes out clean.
- Cool completely before frosting.
Biscoff Milka Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream together the cream cheese, butter and Biscoff spread. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Add the sugar, vanilla and heavy cream. Mix until combined and crape the sides of the bowl again.
- Beat on high for 4-5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Pipe a swirl of frosting onto each cupcake and rim the sides with crushed cookies.
3 1/2 tsp of baking soda for 12 cupcakes! Wow that seems like way too much! No wonder your first batch didn’t turn out. These new ones look very yummy. You are not alone in cupcake fail, I’ve made quite a few batches that went straight to the garbage. Love your blog. Cheers.
I know right. I should have known when I read the recipe… but I was like, it’s Paula Deen…. it should be FINE! WRONG. š
can I substitute room temperature milk for the hot water or does it have to be hot water?
You could probably use milk… but the hot water really helps to bring all the ingredients together. I’d try warming the milk so that it has the same effect. š
I hate recipe fails too, I completely sympathize.
These cupcakes look like they turned out great, though! I want to lick up all that frosting!!
I made the chocolate cupcakes last night minus the biscoff milka frosting, and oh my gosh! THEY ARE AWESOME!!!! This will definitely become my go to recipe for chocolate cupcakes! I have been searching and searching for the one that would illicit oohs and ahhs after one bite. Thanks to you I have got it!!!! I made these for my son’s kindergarten class today as chocolate cupcakes are his favorite. I just followed the recipes exactly and didn’t change anything. THANK YOU!!!!! I absolutely love your recipes!
That’s so awesome! Thank you for sharing your success with me!
I need to know where you got the milka chocolate cream cheese! I’m in Germany too (Graf) and I have been searching for it!
I got it at the Edeka!
These look fabulous! Have you tried Speculoos before? The same company makes bsicuits and a spread which is available in Luxembourg, I haven’t seen Biscoff before so might give these a go using the Speculoos…sounds good in theory…! And I’m always looking for new ways to use the Milka Cream Cheese because I love it so much, so thank you for this recipe š
I’ve heard of Speculoos…. but I’ve never used it! Let me know if you try it with the Speculoos! <3 And that Milka Cream Cheese.... I'm never making chocolate frosting without it!! SO GOOD!
I made these cupcakes again last night using pernigotti cocoa and baked them in Cupcake Creations liners and this morning the liner were all pulling away from the cupcake. What causes this? Any helpful suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Michelle
I’m not sure… I’ve never used that type of cocoa. Do you allow the cupcakes to cool in the pans before removing to a wire rack to cool? If not, leave them in the pan for at least 5 minutes before removing. That will help them set up in the liners. Try cooking for a minute longer than normal too… they might be too moist. Also, how are you storing them? Air tight container? Check for moisture in the container… that always makes the liners pull away. There’s really not a 100% answer or reason for this happening. Ugh. Try different liners too!
Thanks for the Milka frosting recipe. I live in France and have been making cupcakes lately. I saw Milka cream cheese and I decided I was going to try to use it to make frosting. I didn’t have a recipe so I am glad I found yours. I going to make it this afternoon! Also, I think Biscoff and Speculoos are the same thing it just depends on where you live.
Thanks,
Laura
Hi Laura! Let me know how it turns out for you! <3 Betsy
so delicious <3
Hi! I can’t get the Milka cream cheese herebin the US. Is there anything I can substitute? ThanksM
Laura, just realized that Milka is a chocolate bar, and I CAN get those here. If I cream together 3.5 oz bar with a brick of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, do you think that would be close enough?
Frosting is forgiving. Try it and see how it tastes!! š