Finally, we are reaching autumn. And you know what that means: comfort food. Nobody can moan at me about putting salted caramel in everything any more – at this time of year, it’s justified! Here, I combine it with my other love, spiced spread, in a spiced caramel cake. Nom nom nom.

Prep 20 min

Cook 40 min

Chill 1 hr

Serves 8-10

For the sponge

500g unsalted butter

200g smooth Biscoff spread

500g caster sugar

8 large eggs

500g self-raising flour

½ tsp baking powder

8 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the spiced salted caramel

230g caster sugar

65ml water

85g butter

130ml double cream

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp vanilla extract

Fine salt

For the buttercream

600g unsalted butter

400g smooth Biscoff spread

1.3kg icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

8-10 tbsp milk

Extras

200g Lotus biscuits, crushed

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Line and grease two 28cm x 34cm baking trays.Cream the butter, Biscoff spread and sugar until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time, then, on a slow speed, add the flour and baking powder. Add the vanilla extract and enough milk for a smooth consistency. Mix until it comes together, then divide the mixture between the trays and spread it evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the centre of each cake springs back. Cool on a wire rack.

For the caramel, put the water in a saucepan, then whisk in the caster sugar. Put on a medium heat until the sugar has turned a deep amber – no need to stir. Add the butter and stir until melted. Remove from the heat and fold in the double cream, vanilla spices and salt to taste.

For the buttercream, mix the butter and Biscoff spread until fluffy. In a separate bowl, sieve the icing sugar and add to the butter mixture gradually, then mix in the vanilla. Use enough milk to loosen it to a smooth consistency. Remove the sponges from the tins, level them and put one on top of the other. Trim the edges. Then cut in half lengthways, so you have four strips of sponge.

Spread a thin layer of buttercream on to a dish, then put the first layer of sponge on top. Apply a layer of buttercream with a squiggle of salted caramel and some crushed biscuits, then repeat this process three times. Put in the fridge for an hour.

Apply the last of the buttercream around the sides using a palette knife. Squiggle the caramel all over.

Finally, pipe buttercream kisses on top of the cake, topping each one with crumbled biscuits. Put crushed biscuits around the cake’s base, then eat.