The Queen’s Chocolate Biscuit Cake

Today’s recipe for The Queen’s Chocolate Biscuit Cake is a variation on one I’ve been making for years, without realising that it was the Queen’s favourite cake.

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Today’s recipe today for The Queen’s Chocolate Biscuit Cake is a variation on one I have been making for years, without realising that it was Her Majesty the Queen’s favourite cake. It was a favourite for birthday parties and the cake tin, with my daughter taking a small square to school in her lunch box sometimes.

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Apparently, Her Majesty is so fond of this recipe for The Queen’s Chocolate Biscuit Cake, that she has it daily in the afternoon with a cuppa, and will enjoy a slice every day until it is all gone. I love this idea that The Queen is a bit of a chocoholic, and enjoys a simple no-bake cake above other more complex cakes.

She’s so fond of it, that any leftovers of the cake is transported in a biscuit tin with her, when she moves from Buckingham, Palace to Windsor Castle, according to her chef Darren McGrady, The Royal Chef and former personal chef to Queen Elizabeth II, see below:

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“I remember as a young chef travelling from Paddington to Windsor one Friday morning with a half-eaten chocolate biscuit cake packed neatly and tightly in a biscuit tin, and wrapped in Clingfilm, perched on my knee with the fear of God in me that I would lose or drop the thing! It was her favourite.”

Chef Darren McGrady, The Royal Chef and former personal chef to Queen Elizabeth II

And, she’s not the only Royal who is a fan of this Chocolate Biscuit Cake, Prince William is also known to be a fan of this simple cake too. So much so, that he had one made for his wedding to Catherine Middleton, as a “Groom’s Cake”.

I can see why it is so popular with The Queen, it is a simple cake insofar as it only has 5 main ingredients in it, namely chocolate, butter, sugar, cream and Rich Tea biscuits. I love Rich Tea biscuits which are essential as a “dunking” biscuit in a cup of tea.

The humble Rich Tea biscuit has a long and interesting history. Originally called “Tea Biscuits”, they were developed in Yorkshire (England) during the 17th century, as a light snack for the gentry to enjoy between meals.

The Queen’s Chocolate Biscuit Cake is a cake often known as Tiffin, these no-bake cakes were very popular in a little café I used to work in Cornwall, in the school holidays; there the cake was called “Wicked Cake”. It comprised melted chocolate, butter and cream, mixed with leftover cakes and biscuits. Served in squares, it was the most popular cake on the menu.

I hope you enjoy this cake if you make it, it’s very easy and the children can get involved too. The Queen’s cake, as seen on the Royal website, is decorated with chocolate curls and scrolls, but I’ve just added a sprinkling of cocoa nibs and some grated chocolate on top of mine.

You can be as inventive as you like with decorating this cake, although it’s simply divine with just its chocolate ganache coating. Just look at how this simple cake has been decorated in the Royal Kitchens below:

Notes and Substitutions

For a deeper cake, use a 15cm (6″) cake tin, or for a shallow cake, use a 20cm (8″) cake tin as I have done.
Make sure the cake is kept somewhere cool to avoid the chocolate melting.
Decorate with chocolate scrolls, curls or with grated chocolate and cocoa nibs.
If you can’t get Rich Tea biscuits then use any other plain biscuit, but NOT digestive biscuits. (Graham crackers)
LU Petit Beurre and Marie biscuits are a good substitute, as well as Rich Tea finger biscuits.
Make it vegan by using a plant based spread or margarine.