This easy biscuit cake recipe is a common Bulgarian dessert and features alternating layers of vanilla cream and pillowy soft cookies.
Making it is rather simple as long as you don’t burn up the milk or let it boil. You can serve it along with some coffee or over a cup of afternoon tea.
Easy Biscuit Cake Recipe (Bulgarian Style)
Biscuit cake is a dessert that’s extremely popular in Bulgaria and some other parts of the Balkans.
That’s why it’s important to note that a more appropriate translation of this recipe would be cookie cake instead.
With that said, the cake itself is extremely easy to make as long as you don’t mess up the cream.
You simply alternate layers of rectangular cookies and cream, and top the cake off with some ground cinnamon and ground walnuts.
You can also make this cake using some cocoa powder and a bit of chocolate curls on top.
Ingredients
- Rectangular cookies – You’ll need about 3/4 pounds of rectangular cookies to assemble three layers in a 10×10 inch square baking pan. Since there are different sizes of rectangular cookies, you may need to slightly adjust the amount you add.
- Cornstarch – Cornstarch will act as a thickener for the cream along with a few tablespoons of flour.
- Milk – Milk acts as a base for the cream. I use whole milk since it has a richer flavor.
- Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract along with a dash of cinnamon act as the main source of flavor for the cake.
- Unsalted butter – You’ll need half a tablespoon of unsalted butter which will help bind all of the ingredients together.
- Walnuts – I use 1/3 cup of walnuts for the garnish which I grind myself. This allows me to control their size and texture.
How to Make
Check out the recipe card at the end of this article for detailed, step-by-step instructions.
Start making the cake by dissolving the cornstarch in a cup of the milk in a small cup or a jug.
Set the cornstarch slurry aside and mix the remaining milk with sugar and flour.
Cook the cream over low heat and stir in the cornstarch slurry when the mixture starts bubbling over the edges.
Keep stirring until the cream thickens, then remove the pot from the stove and add the unsalted butter and vanilla extract.
Line the bottom of a rectangular 10×10 inch pan with a ladle of the cream, then add a layer of cookies.
Repeat by adding alternating layers of cookies and cream until there are three layers of cookies.
Scoop some of the cream over the last layer of cookies and garnish it with the cinnamon and ground walnuts.
Set the cake aside for half an hour then let it proof in the fridge for at least six hours.
Tips and Tricks
- Cook the cream over low heat – This will ensure that the milk doesn’t burn up or starts to boil, both of which can ruin its texture and flavor.
- Cover the cream with aluminum foil – If the cream cools off, it will develop a thin film on top. While this isn’t a deal breaker, it will slightly alter the texture of the cake. You can prevent this by either using the cream while it’s still warm or by covering it with some aluminum foil.
- Allow the cake enough time to set – The longer you leave your cake to proof, the more time the cookies will have to absorb the cream. This will create a better texture and a deeper overall flavor.
Storage
You can store any leftover biscuit cake in the fridge for between 5 to 7 days.
Just make sure you cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent the cream from drying out.
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Easy Biscuit Cake Recipe (Bulgarian Style)
Ingredients
- 12.3 oz Rectangular cookies
- 6 cups whole milk
- 4 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 8 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 Tbsp butter unsalted
- 1/3 cup walnuts ground
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Add the cornstarch into a bowl and mix it with a cup of the milk until it's completely dissolved.
- Pour the remaining milk in a pot and stir in the sugar and flour. Use a wire whisk to mix all of the ingredients until they're evenly combined. You can rinse the pot with cold water so the milk doesn't burn up.
- Transfer the pot to the stove and set your stove top burner to low.
- Add the cornstarch slurry to the pot once you notice small bubbles forming on the periphery of the milk. Stir until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble.
- Take the pot off the heat and add the unsalted butter and vanilla extract. You can cover the cream with aluminum foil to keep its surface film-free.
- Start assembling the cake by laying alternating layers of cream and cookies. There should be three layers of cookies and the top should be covered with cream. You can use smaller bits of cookies to fill up any holes in the layers.
- After 5 minutes, sprinkle the cinnamon and ground walnuts over the cake.
- Let the cake cool off for half an hour and transfer it to the fridge. The cake should stay in the fridge for at least six hours to fully set.
Notes
- IMPORTANT: Cook the milk over low heat so that it doesn't burn up or start boiling.
- IMPORTANT: Cover the cream with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent it from forming a film on top.
- IMPORTANT: The cake must sit for at least six hours in the fridge so that it can soak up all of the cream. I play it safe and always let it rest overnight.
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Nutrition
I do my best to provide you with the nutritional information for recipes but I'm not a certified nutritionist. The nutritional information provided should only be treated as an estimate since it will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.