This British Biscuit Cake is a crunchy concoction of chocolate, cookies, butter, and nuts. This cake is reminiscent of crunchy and buttery Rice Krispies Bars. Like Rice Krispies Bars, there is no baking for this cake, and you can add decorations to dress it for special occasions.
Why Is It Called a Biscuit Cake?
In the United Kingdom, cookies are usually called biscuits–and this dessert is a cake made with cookies. It has a similar consistency to Rice Krispies Bars. However, instead of melting butter and adding marshmallows like crispy bars, you melt butter and add golden syrup and chocolate to make the sticky base. Next, chop the cookies to about almond size or smaller and stir them into the butter mixture. Then pack the mixture into a pan and chill to set it.
Use a Good Quality Chocolate
Be sure to use good quality chocolate for the best taste. Chocolate is part of the binder holding the cookies together and is poured on top of the cake to finish it. This recipe uses semi-sweet chocolate to cover the top, but you can replace it with white chocolate.
Biscuits for British Biscuit Cake
This original recipe calls for digestive or rich biscuits; however, they are harder to find in the U.S., so use graham or animal crackers instead. If you substitute another cookie, look for one that isn’t too sweet or rich because the chocolate is decadent, which makes this a rich dessert.
Ingredients Needed for British Biscuit Cake
This recipe uses only six ingredients. You probably have the ingredients on hand except for the golden syrup. This syrup is similar to corn syrup, except it is made from sugar instead of corn. It is amber in color and has a buttery, caramel flavor.
Steps for Preparing British Biscuit Cake
Use a large pan to make this cake because there are a lot of biscuits to stir in.
Stir to mix the syrup and butter, and then remove the pan from the heat.
Use Parchment Paper for the British Biscuit Cake
Place a sheet of parchment paper in the baking dish before adding the cake mixture. The weight of the cake will weigh down the paper. Use a large sheet that extends over the sides of the round dish so you can use the “paper handles” to remove the cake when it cools. Then use a tamp or the bottom of a heavy glass to compact the cake mixture. Let it cool, and then chill it for one to two hours to set it.
Cover the British Biscuit Cake in Chocolate
Once the cake cools in the refrigerator, set it out. Pull the parchment paper “handles” to remove the cake from the dish. Then peel the parchment paper off of the cake. Place the cake on a rack with a pan underneath and pour on hot melted chocolate. Then spread the chocolate on the top and sides of the cake.
Use a spatula to smooth the chocolate over the top and sides of the cake. Use spatulas to move the cake to a serving platter. Let it cool; then place it into the refrigerator to set the chocolate.
Decorate the British Biscuit Cake
You can decorate this cake with simple or elaborate decorations. Simple decorations might include malt balls, broken chocolate pieces, or shaved and rolled chocolate. The cake in these photos is decorated with white chocolate flowers and edible glittered blackberries. The recipe has an ingredient list and instructions for these more elaborate decorations.
How to Make Chocolate Flower Petals
These flowers were made by using eggs to form petals. They are easy to make and make a beautiful presentation. Follow the photos to see instructions on how they were made.
Wrap the egg by pulling the plastic and twisting it. Smooth the wrap folds as well as you can. Repeat for 12 eggs total.
Place a dollop of melted chocolate inside a cupcake liner. Then place a chocolate petal vertically in the chocolate to stand it.
Remove the flower from the cupcake liner. It will easily pop out.
How to Make Chocolate Leaves for British Biscuit Cake
Freehand draw chocolate leaves onto a silicone mat or parchment paper using a spoon and melted chocolate. To keep the leaves from being flat, try rolling the silicone mat and placing it inside a large cup previously chilled in the refrigerator. The cold cup will help set the chocolate immediately so it doesn’t run and ruin its shape. Then place the cup in the fridge for a few minutes to set the leaves.
Gently roll the mat or parchment paper and slide it inside the cup. Place the cup into the refrigerator to harden the chocolate.
Place the Flowers on the Finished Cake
After you make the flowers, paint a little melted chocolate onto the bottom of the flowers to “glue” them to the cake. The contrast of white flowers against a dark cake is pretty. Or you can add some coloring to the flowers to tint them.
How to Tint Chocolate Flowers
Use gel food coloring to tint the flowers one of two ways:
- Mix the gel coloring with the melted chocolate before you make the flower petals to create a single color.
- Or paint watered-down gel coloring on the finished flower petals with a paintbrush for a subtle effect.
I painted Wilton’s Leaf Green and Wilton’s Rose colors with a paintbrush on these petals. You can make the flowers any color you choose.
Use a Paintbrush
Add the Green Paint to the Flower Tips
Use a food-safe paintbrush to color the flowers by following these steps:
- Place a small amount of green gel color on a plate.
- Wet the paintbrush and dip it into the gel color.
- Tap the paintbrush on a washable dinner plate to remove about 80 percent of the color.
- Then paint the tips of the flowers green. Paint the green so it is not even all over the flower tips.
- Dip the paintbrush in water, shake off the water, and work the green until you are satisfied with the placement and the intensity.
- Paint a little green on the leaves to give them more dimension.
Add Rose Paint to the Petals
Add a small amount of rose or pink gel coloring to the plate and follow these steps to paint the petals:
- Wash the paintbrush well to remove any green paint. If the two colors mix, they can make a muddy gray color.
- Add water to the paintbrush and dip it in the rose gel, again removing about 80 percent of the color before you start.
- Paint the outside petals.
- Thin out the color with more water when needed.
- Make the color faint and build it slowly so you don’t get too much color. If it gets too dark, wet the paintbrush and thin the color.
Add Edible Gold Glitter to Berries
Edible gold glitter is pretty and easy to dress up your cake decorations. Use a dry paintbrush to brush it on the top of the cake and on the flowers. Dip small berries, such as blackberries, into the dust to turn them gold. Tap them on a plate to remove extra gold dust before you place them on the cake. If loose gold glitter lands in places you don’t want it, brush it away with a paintbrush.
Store the British Biscuit Cake in an Airtight Container
Store this crunchy cake in an airtight container. If the room is warm, keep it in the refrigerator to keep the chocolate from melting. Enjoy!
Other Chocolate Recipes You Might Enjoy
If you like this recipe, you might enjoy these recipes. Click on each name to link to the post.
- Nutella Crispies Bars
- Chocolate Pecan Caramels
- Chocolate Tarts
- Chocolate Crispy Cereal Treats
- German Chocolate Cupcakes
British Biscuit Cake
Equipment
- (1) 9-10 inch round pie dish or pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ยฝ cups butter (3 sticks or 12 ounces)
- ยฝ cup golden syrup
- 3 ยฝ ounces semi-sweet chocolate (14 rectangles of Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate used)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ยฝ cup cocoa powder, unsweet
- ยฝ cup pecans, chopped (optional)
- 1 pound graham or animal crackers, chopped (about 29 graham cracker sheets)
Topping
- 11 ounces (about 2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate
Floral Decorations
- 1 dozen large chilled eggs
- 6 ounces white chocolate
- Wilton leaf green gel food coloring
- Wilton rose/pink gel food coloring
- food-safe paint brush
- plastic wrap
- cornstarch (cornflour)
- pastry brush
- 2 cupcake liners
- small silicone mat or parchment paper
- blackberries (optional)
- gold glitter
Instructions
Cake
- Melt the butter in a large, heavy pot. Add the syrup while the butter melts. Be sure not to boil.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and add the semi-sweet chocolate. Stir to melt. Then add the vanilla and cocoa powder. Whisk the cocoa powder until dissolved. The chocolate mixture should be smooth and glossy.
- Add the pecans (if using) and the chopped crackers and stir until coated. If you do not use the pecans, add 2 ounces or 1/2 cup of chopped graham or animal crackers in their place. (If using graham crackers, the amount is about 4 sheets.)
- Line the round dish with parchment paper, letting it hang over the sides of the dish for handles when you remove the cake.
- Press the mixture into the dish and tamp it until it has an even surface. Let it cool down, and then place it into the refrigerator for 2 hours to set.
Topping
- Place the semi-sweet chocolate in a large microwavable bowl. Heat for 30 seconds on high. Stir. Heat for another 30 seconds. Stir until the chocolate melts. If needed, continue to heat in 10-15 seconds intervals and stir until the chocolate is fully melted. Do not overheat.
- Place the cake on a wire rack over a large baking pan. Pour the melted chocolate over the cake and spread it to cover the top and sides. If using simple-premade decorations, add them to the melted chocolate so they will stick to it when the chocolate hardens. Use spatulas to move the cake to a platter for serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Floral Decorations
- Remove the eggs from the refrigerator.
- Cut plastic wrap into 12 pieces, each large enough to wrap an egg. Use cornstarch to dust one side of the plastic with a basting brush.
- Wipe the shells to remove condensation. Then place an egg on each prepared plastic.
- Melt chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between intervals. This will take about a minute. It is better to take time to stir the chocolate to melt it rather than to overheat it.
- Wrap the egg by pulling the plastic and twisting it into a pigtail. Smooth the wrap folds. Dip half of the long side of the plastic-wrapped egg into the melted chocolate. Set it chocolate-side up on a cooling screen or in the egg carton. The cold eggs will quickly cool and set the chocolate. You can also place them in the refrigerator to harden. Repeat for all 12 eggs.
- Remove the plastic from the egg after the chocolate hardens by unwrapping the egg. The cornstarch will prevent the chocolate from sticking to the egg. Carefully pull the chocolate away from the wrap. Dust off any cornstarch from the inside of the shell. Repeat for all 12 eggs and set the shells aside.
- Place a dollop of melted chocolate in the middle bottom of a cupcake liner. Then place a chocolate petal vertically in the chocolate to stand it. The cupcake liner will help hold the flower petals in place as you make it. (Use the prettiest ends for the top of the flowers.) Add 9 petals total until the large flower is complete. Use more melted chocolate as needed for “glue.” The cupcake liner will help hold the flower upright.
- Make the second flower bud following the same procedure used for the large flower. The bud takes 3 flower petals. Let the flowers harden on their own or place them into the refrigerator.
- Melt 2 ounces of white chocolate or reuse any leftover chocolate from the petal-making. Add leaf green gel coloring to the melted chocolate and stir.
- Use a small silicone mat or parchment paper to make the leaves. “Draw” leaves with a spoon and melted chocolate by placing them on the small silicone mat. Use a toothpick to smooth the chocolate. Create movement by placing a melted chocolate leaf inside a pre-chilled cup. This helps prevent the chocolate from running when you position it inside the cup. Gently roll the mat or parchment paper and slide it inside the cup. Place the cup into the refrigerator to harden the chocolate.
- Cut shallow veins into the hardened leaves with the tip of a knife.
- Remove the flowers from the cupcake liners. They will easily pop out. Use a little melted chocolate to glue the flowers in a pleasing arrangement to the cake top.
- Use a gentle hand and a food-safe paintbrush to color the flowers. Place a small amount of green gel color on a plate. Wet the paintbrush and dip it into the gel color. Tap the paintbrush on a washable dinner plate to remove about 80 percent of the color. Then paint the tips of the flowers green. Paint the green unevenly all over the flower tips. Dip the paintbrush in water, shake off the water, and work the green until you are satisfied with the placement and the intensity. Paint a little green on the leaves to give them more dimension. Glue the leaves onto the cake with melted chocolate.
- Wash the paintbrush well to remove any green paint because if the two colors mix, they can make a muddy gray color. Then add a small amount of rose or pink gel coloring to the plate. Add water to the paintbrush and dip it in the pink gel, again removing about 80 percent of the color before you start. Paint the outside petals. Thin out the color with more water when needed. Make the color faint and build it slowly so you don’t get too much color. If it gets too dark, wet the paintbrush and thin the color.
- Dip small berries, such as blackberries, into the edible glitter pot to turn them gold. Tap them on a plate to remove extra gold dust before you place them on the cake. If loose gold glitter lands in places you don’t want it, brush it away with a paintbrush. Also, use a dry paintbrush to brush glitter on the top of the cake or on the flowers. Scatter the gold berries on the top of the cake.