Looking for a simple cake that can be made without turning the oven on? Your answer is a No-Bake Caramel Biscuit Cake. This rich dessert is one of the most popular sweet treats in Lithuanian adored by children and adults alike. Made with 4 ingredients, this biscuit cake has amazing flavours of salted caramel and peanuts!
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Lithuanian No Bake Biscuit Cake
We, Lithuanians, love an easy dessert that can be made without turning the oven on, and that will last a couple of weeks. And the king of all the no-bake desserts is none other than Tinginys! We make it for birthday parties, Christmas, or on an ordinary Friday!
Lithuanian word, Tinginys, means Lazy Bones and is used to refer to a lazy person. It is no surprise then, that this recipe is for a lazy cook that doesn't want to slave in the kitchen for hours. An original recipe of Tinginys is chocolate flavoured, similar to Italian Chocolate Salami (Traditional Lithuanian No Bake Chocolate Biscuit Cake Recipe here). But this No-Bake Caramel Biscuit Cake (as well as the No-Bake Matcha Cake) is becoming just as popular these days. Made with canned caramel, crunchy biscuits and some added peanuts, it is nothing short of delicious, and you will be amazed how easy it is to make.Â
Why You Will Love Lithuanian Caramel Biscuit Cake?
- This no-bake recipe means you don't even need to turn on the oven.
- 4 simple ingredients plus a pinch of optional salt - that's it!
- You can use a variety of different biscuits, or a variety of them, depending on what you have in your kitchen cabinets.
- It keeps well for up to 2 weeks, so you can make a big batch.
- Karamelinis Tinginys is one of the favourite no-bake desserts of Lithuanian children.
- It takes only about 20 minutes of active time, and the rest is chilling time.
Ingredients and Substitutes
You will only need 4 basic ingredients for this delicious cake. You can find exact quantities and a full method in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- canned caramel: also known as caramelised condensed milk. Carnation Caramel is probably the most popular brand of it, and it comes in 397g cans.
- biscuits: to intensify the caramel flavour, we used Biscoff biscuits, but this no-bake dessert works well with digestive biscuits, rich tea biscuits, Marie biscuits, shortbread, or any sweet crackers.
- butter: you may use salted or unsalted butter, but note that your peanuts may already have enough salt. It really depends on how salty you like your salted caramel.
- roasted salted peanuts.
Variations
Make your own version of Lithunian Karamelinis Tinginys, by putting a spin on the recipe.
- Change up the biscuits that you use, if you don't fancy biscoff. In Lithuania, we typically use biscuits called "Gaidelis" or Selga Caramel Biscuits. You can even make your own biscuits (like sugar cookies, or shortbread), but avoid using them whilst they are fresh, leaving them to become a little stale, so that they can absorb more moisture. We have more suggestions in the section above.
- Add some chopped chocolate or chocolate chips into the mixture at the end of mixing, and swirl it through the mixture to create a marble effect.
- Make some chocolate ganache (melted chocolate mixed with heavy cream) over the top of the cake once it's set, and leave the ganache to firm up. Decadence is the word!
Step-By-Step Method
Let's jump into the three simple steps required to make this Lithuanian Biscuit Cake.
Step 1: Prepare The Biscuits
Break up the biscuits into small pieces and place them in a large bowl. Don't worry if biscuits crumble - we will use it all.
Step 2: Prepare the Caramel
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat slightly (to medium-low heat). Spoon in the caramel from the can and stir vigorously. Note that caramel may be reluctant to melt and incorporate with the butter, so you will need to stir for a while. You may also use a handheld electric mixer to help it along.
As soon as the caramel starts bubbling around the edges, take the caramel off the heat.
Step 3: Assemble and Chill
Tip the biscuit pieces and peanuts into the caramel and gently mix everything until all the biscuits are covered in caramel sauce. Set the mixture aside to cool down slightly.
Line an 8.5in (22cm) springform cake tin with plastic wrap (cling film) or good quality, sturdy parchment paper.
Tip the caramel biscuit mixture into the prepared cake tin. Using a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon, press the mixture down so it fills all the edges and smooth the top so that it is level.
Leave the no-bake caramel cake to cool down to room temperature, then cover and place it in the fridge overnight (or 8 hours) to set.
How To Cut No Bake Biscuit Cake?
After chilling, take the no-bake cake out of the fridge and out of the cake pan. Unwrap it from the plastic wrap. Dip the knife in hot water for a few seconds, wipe it dry and slice the cake from the centre to the outer edge in one firm motion (avoid using the knife as a saw). This caramel biscuit cake is quite firm, so you will need a bit of downward pressure to cut through it.
Place the sliced cake on a serving plate or individual dessert plates and serve.
Storage
This No Bake Caramel Biscuit Cake will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. You may store it wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or you can slice it into individual portions and store them in an airtight container.
Other Lithuanian Desserts To Try
Love a simple dessert? We have plenty of Lithuanian dessert recipes to try:
- Chocolate Fridge Cake
- Lithuanian Farmer Cheese Cake Recipe (DraugystÄ—s Pyragas)
- Lithuanian Farmer's Cheese Roll Cake (Kuršėnų Vyniotinis)
- Raspberry Crumble Slice (Easy Raspberry Jam Crumble Bars)
- Lithuanian Apple & Yogurt Cake
- Lithuanian Christmas Eve Biscuits
No-Bake Caramel Biscuit Cake
Equipment
- Large Saucepan
- 8.5in (22cm) Springform Cake Tin
- Plastic Wrap
Ingredients
- 1 can caramel approx 400g
- 380 g biscuits biscoff, digestive or sweet crackers
- 180 g butter
- 200 g roasted salted peanuts
Instructions
- Break up the biscuits into small pieces and place them in a large bowl. Don't worry if biscuits crumble - we will use it all.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat slightly (to medium-low heat). Spoon in the caramel from the can and stir vigorously. Note that caramel may be reluctant to melt and incorporate with the butter, so you will need to stir for a while. You may also use a handheld electric mixer to help it along.
- Once incorporated, heat the caramel, stirring consitantly, and as soon as it strats bubbling, take the caramel off the heat.
- Tip the biscuit pieces and peanuts into the caramel and gently mix everything until all the biscuits are covered in caramel sauce. Set the mixture aside to cool down slightly.
- Line a 8.5in (22cm) springform cake tin with plastic wrap (cling film) or good quality, sturdy parchment paper.
- Tip the caramel biscuit mixture into the prepared cake tin. Using a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon, press the mixture down so it fills all the edges and smooth the top so that it is level.
- Leave the no-bake caramel cake to cool down to room temperature, then cover and place it in the fridge overnight (or 8 hours) to set.
- Take the cake out of the tin and plastic wrap, and slice it into portions.
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