Lemon Biscoff Cake
Lemon ricotta cake layers baked on a Biscoff cookie crust with lemon curd and lemon buttercream.
Ingredients
FOR THE BISCOFF COOKIE CRUST
- 25 Biscoff cookies, finely ground
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup (66.7 g) granulated sugar
FOR THE LEMON RICOTTA CAKE
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
- 1 cup (218 g) grapeseed oil
- 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 cups (480 g) ricotta cheese
FOR THE LEMON CURD
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/2 cup (55 g) lemon juice, about 3 lemons
- 3 large eggs
- 4 egg yolks
- 4 tablespoons (56.5 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
FOR THE LEMON BUTTERCREAM
- 2 cups (452g) unsalted butter, slightly cold
- 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar, measured then sifted
- 2 teaspoons (8.4 g) lemon extract
- 4 tablespoons (60 g) heavy whipping cream
- Pinch of salt
- Yellow food coloring, optional
- *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.
Instructions
FOR THE BISCOFF COOKIE CRUST
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray, line with parchment, and then spray again. Set aside.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the Biscoff cookie crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. Stir until all the crumbs are damped by the melted butter. Alternatively, you can add the melted butter and sugar to your food processor after you've pulverized the cookies.
- Divide evenly between the three pans (about 5 ounces in each pan) and press down firmly with your hand or the back of a measuring cup to form the crust.
- Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool while you make the cake batter.
FOR THE LEMON RICOTTA CAKE
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the grapeseed oil and sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to beat the minxture for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. The mixture should be smooth and look lighter in color.
- With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture and the ricotta, starting and finishing with the flour. Stir until incorporated.
- Evenly distribute the batter among the three cake pans on top of the crusts (about 16 ounces of batter in each pan) and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Remove from oven, and let the cakes cool in pans for 15 minutes before inverting the layers onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, you can cover with plastic wrap and store in your refrigerator overnight or freezer for longer.
FOR THE LEMON CURD
- Whisk the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the whole eggs and yolks in a small bowl and then whisk them into the lemon mixture.
- Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until it's thick like pudding, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, a few pieces at a time until incorporated.
- Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, pushing it through with a rubber spatula. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely set, at least 4 hours and up to 5 days.
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the cream, salt and lemon extract. Mix until combined. Add yellow food coloring, if using. Mix until incorporated completely. Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat the frosting for about 5 minutes.
- Use a spatula to beat the buttercream by hand to push out any air pockets.
ASSEMBLY
- Spread a small dollop of buttercream onto a cake board. Place the first cake layer, top side up, on the board.
- Spread a thin layer of buttercream (only about a half cup) over the cake layer and pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge of the cake to create a barrier to the filling. Spread about 1/4 cup of the curd in the center of the cake, carefully spreading it to the edge of the piping.
- Place a second cake layer on top of the piped buttercream and filling and repeat step 2. Place the final cake layer, top side up, on the second layer of filling.
- Lightly coat the cake with a thin layer of buttercream to lock in the crumbs. Freeze the cake for about 15 minutes to set the buttercream.
- Remove the cake from the freezer and contiue decorating the cake with the remaining buttercream. Serve a spoonful of the remaining lemon curd with each slice of cake, or add it to the top of the cake as pictured.