Tiramisu Cake Recipe
Four layers of vanilla sponge cakes soaked in spiked coffee, frosted with a light and fluffy mascarpone cream and topped with a generous dusting of cocoa powder.
Ingredients
Sponge Cake
- 12 large eggs 55-60 grams each, separated
- 300 grams (1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 240 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tsp baking powder read blog post
Coffee Soak**
- 480 mL (2 cups) strong coffee (I used 4 shots espresso and water to make 2 cups)
- 50 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 45 mL (3 Tbsp) Amaretto Liqueur *optional
Mascarpone Cream
- 24 ounces (3 small tubs) mascarpone cheese, cold (I recommend Belgioioso)***
- 300 grams (2 1/2 cups) powdered sugar
- 16 ounces (2 cups) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- tiny pinch of fine sea salt
- Cocoa powder for dusting I used dutch
Instructions
Sponge Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F (177C) convection (325F/163C conventional) and grease and line four 9-inch* pans with baking spray and parchment paper.
- Place the egg whites in the bowl of the stand mixer and using the whisk attachment, at full speed, beat until they're frothy.12 large eggs
- With the mixer on medium speed, stream in the sugar. Turn the mixer up to full speed and beat just until the meringue reaches stiff peaks.300 grams (1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
- Pour in the egg yolks and vanilla and turn the mixer to medium-high speed, mixing, a few seconds, just until they're fully combined.2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Sift in the flour and salt (and baking powder if using) and turn the mixer up to medium-low speed, mixing just until the flour is incorporated.240 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 2 tsp baking powder
- Scrape the edge of the bowl well and distribute the batter evenly among the four pans, about 10.5 ounces each, and bake for about 15-18ish minutes, until the cake is golden and separates itself from the edge of the pan. It will also spring back when you press on it gently.
- Flip the cakes over onto a tea towel and allow them to cool completely (I don't recommend flipping onto a wire rack, mine got suck on there before).
Coffee Soak
- Pour the coffee into a large measuring cup so it's easy to see how much you use per layer. Add the sugar and mix until it's dissolved.480 mL (2 cups) strong coffee, 50 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- Once the coffee has cooled, add the amaretto.45 mL (3 Tbsp) Amaretto Liqueur
Mascarpone Cream
- Place the cold mascarpone into the bowl of a stand mixer (or just a large bowl with a hand mixer) with the powdered sugar and salt.24 ounces (3 small tubs) mascarpone cheese, cold, 300 grams (2 1/2 cups) powdered sugar, tiny pinch of fine sea salt
- Beat at low-medium speed until they're combined and then increase the speed to medium-high for 1-2 minutes, scraping the edge of the bowl halfway through.
- Add the vanilla and the cold heavy whipping cream in 3-4 increments, mixing well between each addition.16 ounces (2 cups) heavy whipping cream, cold, 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- After adding all the heavy whipping cream, the cream may look soft, turn the mixer up to full speed for 1-2 more minutes and it should stiffen up (like whipped cream does).
Assemble
- With the cakes still flipped upside down on the tea towel, use a fork to stab the cake throughout, making holes for the coffee to soak into. (similar to a poke cake but smaller holes that are closer together; see photos in blog post)
- Place the first layer of cake upside down (so bottoms up) on to a flat surface and use a spoon or pastry brush to soak it with 1/2 cup of the coffee soak. (My family preferred the cake more 'wet' than I did so if you like a more soggy tiramisu feel free to use 3/4 cup of coffee per cake layer [you'll need three cups of coffee instead of 2 then] - I liked it with the 1/2 cup).
- Frost with a generous layer of mascarpone cream, try not to go passed the edge if you want a naked cake. Place the next layer of cake on top, upside down as well. If the cake feels unstable at any point, feel free to refrigerate it for 30-60 minutes before proceeding (store the mascarpone cream in the fridge when not in use).
- Repeat until the cake is assembled. Then swirl some mascarpone cream on top of the cake and dust with a generous amount of unsweetened cocoa powder.Cocoa powder for dusting
- Refrigerate the cake for 4-6 hours to set, before serving.
Notes
* This is cake is very tall if you bake it in 8 inch pans. I recommend doing 9 inch pans but the photos of my cake are baked in the 8 inch pans. Here are some options if making the full batch (see blog post if you want to make a half batch):
- Four layer 8 inch cake; about 10-11 oz each and bake for about 18-20 minutes. This is what I did but it makes a really tall (not super sturdy) cake.
- Three layer 9 inch cake; about 14 oz each and bake for about 18-20 minutes (do about ⅔ cup coffee soak for layer instead of ½ cup). This is the size I recommend if making the full recipe.
- Four layer 9 inch cake; about 10-11 oz each and bake for about 15-17 minutes
- Two layer 10 inch cake; about 21 oz each and bake for about 25-30 minutes.
- Two 9x13 inch pans (can bake one at a time); about 21 oz each and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 560kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 9gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 197mgSodium: 168mgPotassium: 91mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 42gVitamin A: 1190IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 129mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!