Prince William would be proud, and hungry. (Photo: Associated Press)
Due to reader demand, here's the recipe for the royal wedding's Chocolate Biscuit Cake, said to be Prince William's favorite. Two recipes, actually; the first, via the Chicago Tribune, is from Lady Di's former chef, who said he made the cake for Prince William.
The second, a bit simpler, is from Alison Ladman of the Associated Press, who made the cake in the picture above.
From the Chicago Tribune: This recipe from Darren McGrady's "Eating Royally" cookbook calls for McVitie's Rich Tea Biscuits. "Biscuits" is Brit-speak for "cookies." The biscuits may be purchased at
specialty food shops, some supermarkets and ordered through Amazon.com.
McVitie's digestive biscuits or other chocolate biscuits could be substituted. [ed. note for Western New York readers: English biscuits are sometimes available at Target, Tops or Wegmans stores.]
If you don't have a 6-inch cake ring or springform pan, substitute with an 8-inch version; however, you should double the recipe to get enough height from the cake.
CHOCOLATE BISCUIT CAKE (from Darren McGrady's "Eating Royally")
Prep: 25 minutes
Chill: 3 hours
Servings: 8
8 ounces tea biscuits or cookies
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
12 ounces dark chocolate
1 egg, beaten
1 ounce white chocolate
1. Lightly grease a small (6-inch) cake ring or springform pan with butter. Place on a
parchment-lined tray. Break each of the biscuits into almond-size pieces; set aside. Cream the
butter and sugar in a bowl until a light lemon color.
2. Melt 4 ounces of the dark chocolate in a double boiler. Off the heat, add the butter and
sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Add the egg; continue stirring. Fold in the biscuit pieces
until they are all coated with the chocolate mixture.
3. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake ring. Try to fill all the gaps on the bottom of
the ring, because this will be the top when it is unmolded. Refrigerate, at least 3 hours.
4. Remove the cake from the refrigerator; let it stand while you melt the remaining 8
ounces of dark chocolate in a double boiler. Slide the ring off the cake; turn the cake
upside-down onto a cooling rack. Pour the melted chocolate over the cake, smoothing the top
and sides using a butter knife or offset spatula. Allow the icing to set at room temperature.
Carefully run a knife around the bottom of the cake where it has stuck to the cooling rack,
transfer the cake to a cake dish. Melt the white chocolate; drizzle on top of the cake in a
decorative pattern.
Nutrition information: Per serving: 491 calories, 46 percent of calories from fat, 25 g
fat, 14 g saturated fat, 48 mg cholesterol, 61 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein, 124 mg sodium, 3
g fiber.
Here's another version, from the Associated Press' Alison Ladman:
Chocolate Biscuit Cake
Yield: 12 servings
For cake:
1 (7-ounce) package butter tea biscuits (sold in the cookie aisle)
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
16 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For glaze:
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips (about 1 cup)
1. Make the cake. Coat a 7- or 8-inch round springform pan with cooking spray. Break up
biscuits with your hands into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces; you want chunks, not crumbs.
2. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine 1 cup cream, honey and 1/4 cup butter. Microwave
on high for 1 1/2 minutes or until bubbling. Add 16 ounces chocolate and stir until smooth. Stir
in vanilla, then crumbled biscuits.
3. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, using the back of the spoon to smooth the top.
Gently tap the pan on the counter to eliminate any air pockets. Refrigerate for 3 hours or
until thoroughly chilled.
4. Once the cake is chilled, prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat,
combine 2 tablespoons butter and 1/4 cup cream. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Add 6
ounces chocolate, stirring until smooth.
5. Carefully remove the sides from the springform pan (you may need to slide a paring knife
around the inside upper edge to ensure the sides come away cleanly from the cake). Invert the
cake onto a wire rack, then remove the bottom of the pan. Set the rack over parchment paper to
catch drips.
6. Pour the glaze evenly over the cake, allowing it to drip down and completely cover the
top and sides. Allow to firm up, then transfer to a serving plate. Refrigerate leftovers.
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