Malted Nutella & Biscoff Brownie Torte

Malted Nutella and Biscoff Brownie Torte

This cake started out innocently enough with three brownie layers and a jar of Biscoff spread, but something happened along the way; namely the discovery of an unopened jar of Nutella in the back of the pantry. At first I felt like using these two European spreads in the same cake would be crazy (like the Ghostbusters crossing streams? Mass hysteria? Dogs and cats living together?!) but ultimately, curiosity got the best of me. I tasted both spreads together on a graham cracker and decided the combo was a good idea.

I do my best to make sure my taste buds and brain are intellectually connected when I test recipes. I mean, just because you can put two flavors together doesn’t always mean they will harmonize, and I worried about this rich-on-rich pairing. After a good ponder and many taste-tests I decided the Nutella filling was a touch too dominant and needed to be tempered with something. But what? After staring blankly into the open refrigerator – for who knows how long – unbelievably, the answer appeared. Peeking out just behind the orange juice was a stash of malted milk powder. It was just the thing to round out the richness of the chocolate hazelnut spread. Don’t get me wrong, the finished cake is rich indeed, but with a covering of salted Biscoff frosting, it is balanced in spite of itself.

Speaking of salted desserts! My new book Sea Salt Sweet has a newly added “Look Inside” preview on Amazon, so you can have a peek right now! There’s a healthy preview of the front matter, and a couple of recipe previews, too. I almost wish there were more recipe previews because that’s the true heart and soul of the book, but if you’d like to have a more complete idea of what’s inside, the index is also viewable.

Malted Nutella and Biscoff Brownie Torte
Malted Nutella and Biscoff Brownie Torte
Malted Nutella and Biscoff Brownie Torte

Back to this cake! I feel like I need to recap the whole thing before you dive headfirst into the recipe, which admittedly has several steps but is pretty straight forward. I feel that even novice bakers can tackle this with a little stick-to-itiveness.

Malted Nutella and Biscoff Brownie Torte

The cake consists of three brownie layers, all baked in 9-inch round cake pans. Sandwiched between the brownies are fillings of malted Nutella and Biscoff. The fillings have an almost cookie dough consistency but with a much more velvety texture. The whole cake is covered in salted Biscoff frosting, which, if you make nothing else in this entire recipe, you must try this frosting.

Swirls of Nutella frosting are piped along the top edge of the cake and each is garnished with a large malt ball (usually found at bulk candy stores or here). I pulverized a few Biscoff cookies into crumbs and used it to garnish the edge of the cake. The final flourish is a touch of Maldon flake sea salt atop the Nutella swirls. If you’ve been reading this blog for very long, then you know it is one of my favorite salts to use on desserts. If you’ve never tried it, then you can find a small pinch tin here if you’d like to give it a try before committing to a larger quantity.

Malted Nutella and Biscoff Brownie Torte

This is certainly an eye-catcher and yields a high quantity of servings, so needless to say – it’s good for a party! I highly suggest serving it with scoops of ice cream or whipped cream (or both!). If nothing else, a tall frosty glass of milk will do the trick.


Enjoy!

Malted Nutella and Biscoff Brownie Torte

Heather Baird
Nutella and Biscoff are both European dessert spreads that can usually be found at most grocery stores here in the states. If you’re coming up empty handed, you can procure some online.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 25

Ingredients
 
 

Brownie layers

  • 1 1/2 cups butter
  • 6 ounces unsweetened baker’s chocolate chopped
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour sifted
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Malted Nutella and Biscoff layers

  • 6 cups powdered sugar divided
  • 1 cup about 9 oz. Biscoff spread
  • 1 cup about 9 oz. Nutella spread
  • 1/2 cup malted milk powder
  • 1/2 cup butter melted, divided
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream divided

Salted Biscoff frosting

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup about 9 oz. Biscoff spread
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk or cream
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

Nutella Frosting

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup about 9 oz. Nutella spread
  • 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream

Assembly

  • 15 Jumbo chocolate malt balls
  • 6 Biscoff cookies pulverized
  • Maldon flake salt for garnish

Instructions
 

Brownie layers

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter and chocolate; stir until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and whisk in sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in vanilla, flour, salt and baking soda.
  • Pour into three greased and floured 9-inch round baking pans. Bake for 23-25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans; remove from pans to a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap or store in air-tight containers until needed.

Malted Nutella and Biscoff layers

  • Line two round 9-inch pans with plastic wrap (the same ones used to make the brownie layers, if possible).
  • Make the Biscoff layer: Mix together 3 cups of the powdered sugar, 1 cup Biscoff and 4 tablespoons melted butter in a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mixture will be crumbly. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture becomes consistent workable dough. It should not be crumbly or stick to your fingers. The mixture should hold together easily when a small amount is squeezed tight in the palm of your hand. Press the dough evenly into one of the lined pans. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
  • Make the malted Nutella layer: Mix together 3 cups of the powdered sugar, 1 cup Nutella, malted milk and remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter in a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mixture will be crumbly. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture becomes consistent workable dough. It should not be crumbly or stick to your fingers. The mixture should hold together easily when a small amount is squeezed tight in the palm of your hand. Press the dough evenly into the remaining lined pan. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Salted Biscoff frosting

  • Combine the butter and Biscoff in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Beat until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and mix again. Add cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture is thick and fluffy; add the salt and whip again. Scrape down the bowl and beat for 2 minutes longer, or until the salt is well dispersed throughout the batter.
  • Nutella Frosting
  • Beat the butter and Nutella in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Beat until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and mix again. Add cream 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed. Transfer the frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a large closed star piping tip.

Assembly

  • Place a brownie layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Turn out the Nutella candy layer on top of the brownie; top with another brownie layer. Turn out the Biscoff layer onto the brownie layer and top with the final brownie layer. Frost the entire cake with the salted Biscoff frosting, using an offset spatula to swirl the icing. Pipe 12 to 14 rosettes of Nutella frosting on the top edge of the cake. Garnish each with jumbo malt ball. Place the cake on a baking sheet and gently toss pulverized cookies onto the bottom edge of the cake, allowing the excess to fall onto the baking sheet. Finally garnish the top of the cake with Maldon flake salt.
  • Store the cake covered at room temperature
Keyword biscoff, nutella, salted biscoff frosting
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Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
8 years ago

Malted Nutella?! You just rocked my world!

Rosa's Yummy Yums
Rosa's Yummy Yums
8 years ago

Ooohhh, what a heavenly combination/creation!

Cheers,

Rosa

Unknown
Unknown
8 years ago

This sounds (and looks!) AMAZING. I'm always seeing truly inspired recipe inventions on your site. One day I hope to be this good at recipe development! For now I'm working on curbing my desire to include a million different flavors in every recipe. 😉

Beth @ bethcakes
Beth @ bethcakes
8 years ago

Omg this cake is so ridiculous in the best way possible! Love the combo of nutella and biscoff! I love how it looks with the different layers on the inside. 🙂

œuvres d'art originales
œuvres d'art originales
8 years ago

Holy Toledo, Ohio! I do believe the dial on the decadent barometer just flipped into the red zone. And how delightful! Thank you! Cheers, Ardith

Rachel @ Bakerita
Rachel @ Bakerita
8 years ago

This cake is killing me! It's so ridiculously gorgeous, and what delicious flavors. Love it!!

June Burns
June Burns
8 years ago

OMG you are killing me! Too many layers to love…I will take a slice 🙂

Colette (Coco)
Colette (Coco)
8 years ago

I just licked the screen.

How embarrassing… *hides face in shame*

Joanna
Joanna
8 years ago

Wow! Amazing! But that's why I don't keep Nutella handy at home…my bikini body would suffer everyday! 😉

Lauren at Keep It Sweet
Lauren at Keep It Sweet
8 years ago

If you say the frosting is a must try, then I trust you. Wow!

Sophie
Sophie
8 years ago

Awesome! This is perhaps the best combination of flavours, ever!!!

Sophie Loves Food | Recipes & Reviews

Katalina@ Peas and Peonies
Katalina@ Peas and Peonies
8 years ago

Biscoff and brownies are enough to make me hoard this cake and eat it all by myself. I am dead serious, just look at that creamy goodness!

Lane
Lane
8 years ago

I can't believe I just made this! It's insanely awesome! There are lots of steps but none of them are too difficult as you wrote! Thank you so much for this magical creating – I can't wait to bring this to a party today!

Unknown
Unknown
8 years ago

This cake looks awesome and I would like to make it for my daughters birthday but do not know the conversion to UK weights. Can anybody help me please?

Unknown
Unknown
8 years ago

Une merveille, j'adore et merci pour la recette

Anonymous
Anonymous
8 years ago

I am baking the brownies for this right now! I plan to serve the cake at a dinner party in two days and couldn't hold back my excitement! I got started early! It's midnight now, so I won't finish constructing until tomorrow! but I will update my review based on my taste testers comments.

Anonymous
Anonymous
8 years ago

Oh no. .. things went horribly awry when u get my brownies out of the pans. .. so now they are all broken up. Delicious, but still broken. Luckily I have friends that will gladly eat the remains but how can I prevent this tragedy? Any pointers?

Anonymous
Anonymous
8 years ago

Also, I did floor and grease the pans before baking. It just seemed to be most in the areas that stuck…

Unknown
Unknown
8 years ago

Thank you for making me disover biscoff spread! Yummy! I tried the frosting with a simpler pumpkin/chai cake, it was a hit!!

audreygg
audreygg
8 years ago

Hi Heather, This looks amazing! I live in Germany and here one can find easily Nutella and Biscoff but there is no malted powder, any ideas on substitutions?? Thanks!

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
8 years ago
Reply to  audreygg

Hi! There's a powdered chocolate drink mix called Ovaltine that may be substituted in equal amounts to malted milk powder. The end result will be more chocolaty because malted milk powder isnt' chocolate flavored, but it will do in a pinch? Do you have access to this product?

Britt
Britt
8 years ago

I made this back in September for my friend's birthday party. The presentation is certainly a showstopper. The final result went over well minus two things – it is SO sweet. Like insanely indulgant. Nothing wrong with this but just know you will probably have issues finishing a piece. Second, and the only downfall, the brownie layers make it so that when you cut the cake, the layers don't stick and fall apart. Maybe it was just me but the nutella and biscoff layers don't "hold" onto the brownie layers like frosting would. Overall, it's amazing!

Linda
Linda
8 years ago

Hi, do you think I could make the frosting several days before I want to assemble the cake? I’m talking about 3 days maximum here…

Nani Wijaya Nasution
Nani Wijaya Nasution
8 years ago

Oh my Lord! That is awesome!

Dliche
Dliche
8 years ago

These are SO pretty… and I completely LOVE how easy they are to whip up!!

Raxhil
Raxhil
7 years ago

It looks amazing.. I want to make it like a sand castle for birthday cake but in my county I cant find Biscoff spread and malted milk powder!!!
Do you have any idea on substitutions???
Thank you very much

Unknown
Unknown
6 years ago

Божечки, я не могу на это спокойно смотреть! Это очень аппетитно выглядит!!! Когда-нибудь я переведу этот рецепт и приготовлю этот шедевр. По крайней мере попытаюсь. Если найду ингридиенты в своем городе. Если я вообще до этого доберусь))))