After trying Costa Coffee’s seasonal Biscoff Muffin in the fall of 2019 (listen to Episodes 147 and 153 for a refresh) Stefin vowed to come up with her own original “cookie butter” cupcake/muffin hybrid, and after several attempts, thinks she’s hit the nail on the head. Cookie butter is a peanut-butter-like spread made from ground speculaas (spice) cookies popular in Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, among other countries. Biscoff is a popular brand, but you can use any brand of cookie butter you like.
Stefin was inspired by the Spice Cake recipe printed in the Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book, published in 1996, but has made several modifications.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda (bicarb)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup vegetable or rapeseed oil
- 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup Biscoff cookie butter spread*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Prepare a standard muffin tin with liners for 14 cupcakes; set aside.
- In medium-size bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt; set aside.
- In bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and oil on medium-high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, and scraping bowl as necessary. Add dry mixture and buttermilk alternately, starting and ending with dry mixture. Beat on low speed after each addition, scraping sides of bowl as needed, just until combined. Divide batter among muffin cups.
- Bake at 350F (175C) for 15 minutes until a wooden toothpick or cake tester comes out clean and cupcakes are golden. Turn cupcakes onto a wire rack and cool completely.
- Once cupcakes are completely cool, frost each with a generous amount of Biscoff cookie butter spread.
Makes 14 cupcakes.
* The amount of Biscoff spread you need depends on how much frosting you like on your cupcakes. I thought 1 cup split between 14 cupcakes was just right. You may need more or less depending on your preference.