Chocolate biscuit cake is a classic British dessert. It was chosen as one of the cakes served at the royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011. The cake is a rich, no-bake treat and is simple to make. It requires just five basic ingredients!
The royal chocolate biscuit cake
As a child, I can remember my Mom watching Princess Diana and Prince Charles get married. I dreamed of having a wedding like that in a huge church!
Reality hit pretty quick as I got older. I realized dresses and heels were overrated and I'd rather have a beach wedding than a big expensive wedding. But I won't lie that I loved Catherine Middleton's wedding dress to this day.
When Prince William and Kate Middleton decided to serve this cake (and a 7 layer fruitcake) at their wedding reception, it quickly became a sensation. The simple, yet indulgent dessert captured the attention of people around the world, and since then, it has been a sought-after recipe for those looking to recreate a piece of royal history at home.
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Ingredients
The ingredient list is very easy for this recipe. You will need:
- tea biscuits
- butter
- caster sugar
- dark chocolate (at least 53% cocoa)
- heavy whipping cream
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Prepare the baking pan by lightly greasing the pan. Measure and place the parchment paper to fit the bottom of the baking pan.
- Break the tea biscuits into bite sized pieces about 1-2cm in size. Note: You do not want to make the biscuits into crumbs.
- melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a simmering bowl of water.
- While the chocolate is melting, whip the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. (Note: if using dairy free butter, you can soften/melt (see video--the butter will be part melted and part softened), then stir the melted chocolate and sugar into it. Dairy free butter doesn't really become light and fluffy very easily and I found this to be a bit easier to manage with the dairy free butter.
- Once the chocolate is melted, pour the chocolate onto the butter and sugar mixture and stir thoroughly. Stir in the water and broken biscuit pieces. Stir the mixture well so all the biscuits are covered in the chocolate mixture.
- Pour the mixture into the cake pan and lightly but firmly press it into the pan evenly.
- Place the cake into the fridge to allow it to set up. Chill until the chocolate becomes firm, about 30 minutes.
To Prepare the Ganache:
- To make the ganache, pour the dairy free whipping cream and chopped chocolate into a saucepan.
- Place the saucepan over medium low heat on the stove and simmer. Carefully stir the mixture until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Remove the ganache from the stove, turn off heat and get ready to assemble the cake.
To Assemble the Cake:
- remove the cake from the refrigerator and place on a wire rack with a tray beneath it to catch the excess ganache.
- pour the ganache over the cake and smooth with a knife, allowing the excess ganache to drip off the sides of the cake. Smooth the sides of the cake with a knife to evenly distribute the ganache.
- Allow the ganache to set for several minutes before decorating. To decorate add tea biscuits, shaved chocolate, drizzled chocolate, etc to the top. We decorated ours with a couple of tea biscuits, chocolate shavings and an additional drizzling of ganache.
Substitutions
I've made this cake for myself and you can make it easily to fit your dietary needs and preferences.
- Gluten free: This is an easy recipe to adjust to gluten free. You just need to substitute gluten free tea biscuits or digestive biscuits.
- Dairy free: You will want to use diary free chocolate and dairy free butter. You will also want to use dairy free heavy whipping cream.
- Vegan: For a vegan version, make sure to use plant based chocolate and plant based butter. You will also want to use a plant based heavy whipping cream.
Storing
The chocolate biscuit cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Make sure to keep it in an airtight container to maintain its texture and flavor. You can also freeze the cake for up to a month. Thaw it in the refrigerator before serving.
FAQ
Caster sugar is much more fine than granulated. You can use granulated, but it may change the texture of the cake slightly, causing it to be more dense.
If digestive biscuits aren't available, you can use graham crackers, tea biscuits, or any other semi-sweet biscuit. The key is to choose something that isn’t too sweet or too flavored, as this could overpower the chocolate.
Yes, you can substitute milk chocolate for dark chocolate if you prefer a sweeter taste. However, the dark chocolate adds a rich, deep flavor.
Yes, adding nuts like chopped hazelnuts, almonds, or walnuts can add a nice crunch and extra flavor. Dried fruits like raisins or chopped apricots can also be mixed in for additional texture and sweetness.
5 Ingredient Chocolate Biscuit Cake
Equipment
- 8 x 8 inch round baking pan
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup (225 gm) digestive biscuits
- ½ cup (115 gm) butter
- ½ cup (115 gm) caster sugar
- ½ cup (115 gm) chopped dark chocolate (at least 53% cocoa)
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
For the Ganache:
- ⅔ cup (125 gm) dark chocolate chopped
- ⅓ cup (125 gm) heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Lightly grease your baking pan to ensure easy removal of the cake later. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan and place it inside.
- Break the tea biscuits into bite-sized pieces, approximately 1-2 cm in size. Be careful not to crush them into crumbs; the pieces should remain chunky to provide texture.
- Melt the chocolate either in the microwave in short intervals or over a simmering bowl of water. Stir occasionally until fully melted and smooth.
- While the chocolate is melting, whip the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. If using dairy-free butter, it’s okay if the butter doesn't become very fluffy. You can melt or partially soften it and then mix in the sugar.
- Once the chocolate is fully melted, pour it into the butter and sugar mixture. Stir thoroughly until well combined. Add in the water, then fold in the broken biscuit pieces, making sure each piece is coated with the chocolate mixture.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan. Use a spatula to lightly but firmly press it into the pan, ensuring an even layer.
- Place the cake in the refrigerator and let it chill until the chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes.
- In a saucepan, combine the dairy-free whipping cream and chopped chocolate. Place the pan over medium-low heat and gently simmer, stirring frequently, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Once the ganache is smooth and fully melted, remove the saucepan from the heat. Turn off the stove and prepare to assemble the cake.
- Remove the chilled cake from the refrigerator. Place it on a wire rack set over a tray to catch any excess ganache that drips off.
- Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, allowing it to flow over the sides. Use a knife or spatula to smooth the top and sides of the cake, ensuring an even coating.
- Allow the ganache to set for a few minutes before decorating.
- Decorate the cake as desired. You can add whole or broken tea biscuits, shaved chocolate, or a drizzle of any remaining ganache for an elegant finish.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Royal Collection Trust.
burntapple
One of my favorite recipes and it was so easy to adapt to gluten free.