It’s summer and I’m sure the most of you are thinking chocolate is just too damn thick for this heat. Yes, I feel ya, that’s why I made it a chocolate and Biscoff cupcake with booze. The chocolate cupcake has Kahlua in it and the marbled fluff you see is a Biscoff frosting marbled with chocolate ganache. Then of course you know me and my heavy hand, I had to drizzle it with chocolate ganache and step it up another notch with some Skor shards and crumbles for added texture.
Biscoff & Kahlua Crunch Cupcakes
I should tell you, I’ve actually never had Biscoff until this weekend. Biscoff is like the new Nutella, at least it is in the blog world-or so it seems to me. Could I reduce that statement anymore? But it seems like everywhere I look there is a blog featuring a Biscoff dessert recipe.
So why am I just hopping on the bus? Well bloggers have a way of influencing us consumers, especially if the blogger is also a good friend of yours. In this case, Julie of this lovely blog, insisted that I give it a try. I relented. I love it. And now I made something with it, or more accurately – a few. Julie and I are doing a Biscoff week, so don’t forget to hop over to her blog to see her crazy good creation and check back with us later in the week for more Biscoff madness.
Biscoff and Kahlua Crunch Cupcake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcake
- 1 cup (4.5 ounces) all purpose flour
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (7.3 ounces) sugar
- 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) SCHARFFEN BERGER Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and warm
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon instant coffee granules (recommended: Starbucks Via)
- 1/2 cup Kahlua
Biscoff Frosting
- 5 large egg whites
- 11/2 cup sugar
- 4 sticks unsalted butter, diced and softened
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup of Biscoff spread
Chocolate pouring sauce
- 2/3 cups dark chocolate
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
- 4-5 tablespoons water, warm
Instructions
Preparation
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
To make cupcake
Add flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and mix thoroughly to combine. Add in the butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for one minute. Add the instant coffee granules and half of the Kahlua into the mixture and beat for 20 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add remaining Kahlua. Beat for 20-30 seconds until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thin enough to pour. Divide it evenly among the lined cups. Bake 18-22 minutes just until a toothpick inserted into a few of the cupcakes comes out clean. Set the pan on a rack to cool. Frost the cupcakes when they are completely cool.
TIP: For light tender cupcakes, spoon flour and cocoa lightly into measuring cups (instead of dipping the cups into the flour or cocoa) and then sweep the measures level without tapping or shaking them.
To make chocolate pouring sauce
Place chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl over simmering water. Let chocolate and cream sit for 2-3 minutes to melt without stirring. Then slowly stir mixture to combine. Add powdered sugar and mix to combine. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition until pouring consistency is reached. Remove 5 tablespoons and place reserve in a separate bowl. Set aside all chocolate pouring sauce to cool until warm.
To make frosting
- Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl placed over simmering water. Bring mixture to 160 degrees F while whisking constantly.
- Transfer mixture to stand mixer bowl, fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium high speed (speed 8 on a KitchenAid stand mixer)until mixture cools and doubles in volume and forms stiff peaks; about 10-12 minutes.
- Add butter in one piece at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition. The mixture may appear clumpy and almost curdled looking-this is normal. Keep mixing and it will become even and smooth again. Add salt and vanilla and mix to combine. Add in Biscoff and mix until well combined. Add reserved chocolate pouring sauce into frosting. Using a spatula gently fold it into the frosting, DO NOT over mix so that chocolate streaks remain.
Assembly
- Cut Skor or Heath bars into shard shapes; set aside. Finely chop any left over crumbs.
- Fill pastry bag with a round tip. Hold pastry bag at 90 degrees above the cupcake and starting from the perimeter pipe inward and upward.
- Using a spoon drizzle chocolate on top of frosting. Sprinkle Skor crumbs on chocolate. Insert Skor shards into top of frosting.
Notes
A few notes:
- Biscoff spread can be found at either Target, World Market or Amazon.
- The frosting I used is my Swiss Meringue buttercream since it is lighter in texture than American buttercream. For a step-by-step tutorial on how to make Swiss Meringue buttercream click here.
- For the shards, I used Skor candy bars, but Heath candy bars will work just as well or skip it all together if candy in desserts is not your thing.
- As always, I highly recommend Scharffen Berger’s Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder. It’s the best on the market and will make a huge difference in your baking results in terms of flavor.
“skip it all together if candy in desserts is not your thing” <– they're nuts 🙂
Glad you got on board and you got on board with a bang! These look fabulous. I have a jar of Nutella, PB, and biscoff/cookie butter on hand at all times. They're each amazing in their own ways.
Lovely cupcakes !
These are simply dreamy! Oh my!
Absolutely stunning – not to mention how amazing the flavor sounds. Your talent consistently blows me away.
It’s never too hot for chocolate 🙂
These are stunning!
WHAT.
just stop. no seriously. just stop.
you’re killing me.
I love that you made a boozy cupcake…love this is so many ways. It’s a work of art, Naomi!!
The photo looks so delicious I found myself drawn to the screen ready to lick it!
Wow, what a way to kick off your biscoff week! These look and sound amazing!!
YUM!! Look at that frosting swirl in the first photo. Just makes me want to dive in 🙂
Too hot for chocolate? Blasphemy! Anyway, I’ve been buying my biscoff at Publix. Just wanted to throw that out!
I know this word has been used a lot in the comments but these are absolutely stunning. I’ve spent 5 minutes just scrolling up and down between the two pictures. They’re so pretty. They’re just perfect… I don’t know what else to say. The flavors sound great together, but I can’t get over the pictures.
You had me at biscoff 🙂
Seriously your treats just keep getting more and more beautiful! If you aren’t careful they might become to pretty to eat!!
WOW. That cupcake picture is the best I’ve ever seen, on ANY blog. I love the dark and light marbling through the icing, just fantastic. I don’t know how these taste, but if they taste as good as they look you’ve just taken cupcakes up a notch in my book!
Hi Naomi! Another great recipe of yours! I’m almost at the end of my reading of your blog… I was wondering if you received my comment (I copied it below) and could help me out. I need to make these!!!
Have a good day!
Gaijina
gaijina
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
July 4, 2012 at 8:51 am
Hi Naomi,
it’s the first time I leave you a comment but I have been reading you the last 7 days… I’m anal too and if I start something, I gotta start from the beginning through the end. I found your blog I don’t even remember how but I fell in love so I started reading from the first post till here. It’s just stunning. Your food, the photos, the description of the flavour and the texture, the minute details about the procedure just match with everything I love… I love food and baking, but I’m more of an ‘executor’ rather than a ‘creator’… I can reproduce everything I want but I’m lacking in experimentation, most of the times, either because I’m afraid of wasting food with some failures or because whenever I have time for baking I really want to make sure I will be rewarded with some edible food after. And I suck at the photo part. I have no idea what I’m doing and I have no tools to make it much better. And I’m a very impatient person so I can’t wait for the morning light to shoot photos. I really want to improve that. Of course this is why I admire you so much, you can do what I can’t do. And you are a mother and I’m not! I would like to sit in one of your kitchen corners and just observe how you manage the baking, the photos shooting, the blogging, the Skype chatting, the houseworks, the motherhood and wifehood, and all this when you are not working!
All right I don’t want to make you blush neither sound like a weirdo, just I really really really like your blog that is so nice to read, and your creations are amazingly beautiful, so… GREAT JOB!!!
I want to try this one soon but here I can’t find applesauce or corn syrup, and honey here is really not good, so I was wondering… What if I use maple syrup instead and… er…. oil? …or buttermilk/milk to replace applesauce? I know you didn’t try it and I will by myself, just want to know if, according to your experience, it’s really a stupid idea and you already know it won’t work or it might…
Thanks so much for your help, have a nice 2nd half of the week! And Happy 4th of July!!!
Ps. I’ve just realized that it didn’t show up where I left my previous comment… it’s in the Cinnamon Roll Cookies!
https://bakersroyale.com/cinnamon-roll-cookies/
Here is a confession. Never heard of biscoff!
But oh dear… A boozy cupcake! How do i resist that!
One word…ah-maz-ing!
that is seriously the sexiest cupcake I have ever seen… I’m planning a big party and perusing your blog for an amazing dessert (of which you have plenty) 🙂
Absolutely sinful! Pinned it!
Welcome to Biscoff land, where everything tastes better with Biscoff! 😉
UHhh, that is ART… I think you need a book deal right now! The flavors I’m imagining are intense! I gotta go out to World Market and get some Biscoff, quick!
You’d never had Biscoff? Really? The shame! Well, I think you’ve made up for lost times with this cupcake. Hot damn!
Beautiful!!!!
Never heard of Biscoff but so totally checking out today..
These cupcake look so my holy lord they look beyond delicious!!!
Hi! I have a question. In the frosting do you mean a cup and a half
Of sugar? ( 11/2). Where do you purchase your unsweetened cocoa?
Thanks and beautiful cupcakes!
I’m new to Biscoff too… Is it the same as Cookie Butter at Trader Joe’s?
WANT!!!
Holy smokes. I have to board the Biscoff train, and fast, because I have yet to try it. This is beyond amazing, Naomi.
These cupcakes are brilliant! I would adore one of those right about now!!! I will be making soon. Gina
Absolutely stunning! I’ve never seen such gorgeous cupcakes before… ok maybe except for your pretzel cupcakes.
My goodness, this looks scrumptious!
http://www.eatblogpray.blogspot.com
xo
how do u make your desserts look so finger lickin good?!
Oh yeah! I’ve been seeing Biscoff around food blogland. I’ve not seen it here in Canada (Toronto) yet, but will keep an eye out. As a matter of fact, Target is coming to Toronto, so maybe I can pick up some there! LOL! Your cupcakes look divine. Divine!
In Europe it’s called Speculoos spread – I only discovered it a couple of months ago too and it’s insane. So seriously good.
Your cupcakes look amazing, as always. Will definitely be trying 🙂
I don’t even know the words to say right now. These look… Just, well… Unbelievable. I haven’t heard much about Biscoff until this post and I’m becoming more curious about it. Does it have a similar ingredient list to Nutella?
Is there a way to follow you via email??
These are absolutely stunning cupcakes! I can only imagine how fabulous they taste!
What a great way to use Biscoff — welcome onboard 🙂 Those cupcakes has my name all over it. Seriously 😀
These cupcakes are seriously beautiful! I cannot wait to give them a try!
Can i make the cupcake’s into vegan
Hi Chelsea,
I’m sorry to say, I’m not sure if you can make it vegan. I’ve never baked vegan style.
Michelle-Thanks so much for the kind compliment! They were pretty tasty.
Hi Gaby,
I don’t have a way to follow email, as of right now, but I will once the site redesign is completed.
Marina-Thank so much. I love the sexiness of this cupcake too.
Hi Gaijina – My apologies for the delay in responding to you. I’m not always able to get to my comments so promptly. First off thank you for the kind compliment(s).
As for the “executor” vs. “creator” part, the more you bake the more you will learn. You’ll see yourself moving towards doing more creating as you learn from experience what works and what doesn’t. 🙂
The modifications that you are inquiring about: applesauce substitution try greek sour cream or greek yogurt, as for the corn syrup-I would not use maple syrup it will impart a different flavor all together. Again, I haven’t tried the modification I suggested, but if you do give it a go – come back and let the rest of us know how it goes.
Happy baking. Feel free to email me at naomi@bakersroyale.com if you have more questions as I’m more likely to receive and respond to that a little quicker. I’m
What an artistic and beautiful cupcake! It sounds and looks amazing. I love dropping by to drool over your latest creations and today I’m featuring this post in Food Fetish Friday (with a link-back and attribution). I hope you have no objections and it’s always a pleasure following you…
I just love your photography. The styling of these cupcakes were an inspiration for my latest posts. I have given credit to you so I hope you don’t have any objection. Not only do I love your styling but your recipes all sound so sinful.
Wow. Wow. Wow. I was really hoping to avoid new recipe discoveries like this for the next couple months of bikini season but DARNIT! Must. Try. Now. GAH! (Thanks SO much to Jessica from How Sweet It is ~ in the SARCASTIC tone possible ~ for introducing me to your LOVELY blog ~ not sarcastic.)
My friend and I share recipes or things like this due to our shared interest. I have to say, the pictures above are like art. Amazing!
These are beautiful!!
Hi Naomi, thanks a lot.
You won’t believe it but here I can’t find even greek yogurt. No worries, I will definitely save the recipe and I’ll try it as soon as I’ll be in the US. Have a nice week!
These cupcakes look absolutely heavenly!! I agree with you on the chocolate being a little heavy for summer, but this is a MUST try! Thanks for sharing this recipe. Great photography too 🙂
i love your blog and I always read with such a pleasure and admire you as a wonderful and inspiring baker but this time (this is totally my opinion) you’re a little wrong. I don’t think there’s such thing as “chocolate is just too damn thick for this heat”. I’m always in the mood for some chocolate goodness, heat or cold, day and night 🙂
Great looking cupcakes, would love one right now!
p.s. i apologize if you find this comment inappropriate.
Roxana-It’s not inappropriate at all. I for one always have room for chocolate, but my circle of friends don’t quite feel that way. But they also find drinking coffee on a hot day “wrong”. Again, not for me – chocolate and coffee are a-year-around consumption habit for me. 🙂
Shumalia-Thank you for the kind compliment. And NO way-have at it, we all appreciate and breathe in inspiration. 🙂
What a fantastic idea for cupcakes 🙂 If you don’t mind me asking – how do you get the Skor shards to cut so neatly? I couldn’t get sharp edges on mine – they kept breaking.
These photos are really beautiful, also love the recipe idea. Might try it out with some frangelico!
Quick question: it says ‘coffee’ in the list of ingredients, but then doesn’t say when to add to the mixture? Unless I’m just being blind! Hahaaa. Look delicious- really want to make them!
Is there a way I can make these cupcakes without the Kahlua? Should I substitute Kahlua with an ingredient, or can I just skip over it completely with out adding anything in it’s place? Thank you very much.
Hi I’m really excited about making this for a bridal shower but when the recipe calls for vanilla to you mean the vanilla bean that you scrape the contains? And I don’t see where you add the coffee in the recipe.
I’ve made 3 batches of these following the directions to a T every time (even weighing my ingredients) and every batch has fallen after being taken out. The batter has a great consistency, they rise beautifully, then fall while cooling. 🙁 What could I be doing wrong? I’ve even used a timer for the mixing thinking I might be over beating. The flavor is great though.