Tiramisu Cake
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5
184 reviews
Excellent
Tiramisu Cake
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The Tiramisu Cake is a multi-layered dessert featuring a soft cake base soaked in a coffee and brandy syrup, layered with a mascarpone cheese filling, and topped with Swiss meringue buttercream infused with espresso and brandy. Cocoa powder and chocolate-covered espresso beans decorate the final cake, enhancing its classic coffee flavor. The cake offers rich, moist layers paired with creamy, boozy frosting and a balanced bitterness from coffee.
Description
This Tiramisu Cake is constructed from two thin layers of moist cake baked from a batter including almond and vanilla extracts, butter, and sour cream. The cakes are cut once baked to create four layers. Between the layers is a filling made with mascarpone cheese mixed with egg yolks and sugar, producing a creamy texture. The cake layers are soaked in a syrup of strong coffee, brandy, and coffee liqueur to add moisture and the signature tiramisu flavor.
The exterior is generously frosted with Swiss meringue buttercream flavored with instant espresso and brandy, providing richness and a smooth finish. The assembled cake is dusted with unsweetened cocoa powder and decorated with chocolate-covered espresso beans for texture and visual appeal. The combination of coffee, brandy, creamy mascarpone, and delicate cake layers creates a complex dessert with balanced sweetness and slight bitterness.
There are practical tips to improve stability, such as chilling the mascarpone frosting before assembling and using cake strips to help produce flat, moist layers. Adjusting pan size or scaling the recipe can accommodate different cake sizes.
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Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour 175g
- 3/4 cup milk room temperature
- 3 egg room temperature, large, whites
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp table salt
- 3/4 cup butter softened but still cool, unsalted
- 1/4 cup sour cream
For the Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
- 5 egg room temperature, white
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 pinch salt sea salt
- 2 cups butter room temperature, unsalted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp instant espresso
- 3 tbsp brandy
For the Syrup:
- 1 cup coffee strong
- 1/3 cup brandy
- 2 tbsp coffee liqueur
For the Filling:
- 4 egg large, yolk
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup milk whole
- 16 ounces mascarpone cheese at room temperature
For the Assembly:
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder unsweet
- 12 chocolate covered espresso beans
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 6-inch cake pans. When finished, cakes will be cut horizontally making 4 layers.
- In a large bowl, mix the milk, sour cream, egg whites, and extracts then set aside.
- Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix at a slow speed. Add roughly tablespoon-sized pieces of room temperature butter to the flour mixture and mix on medium-low for an additional 2 minutes. You should end up with a relatively fine meal.
- Drizzle about half of the milk mixture into the mixer, while running on low. Scrape the bowl down then mix in the rest of the milk mixture.
- Distribute the batter evenly between the two pans.
- Bake for 27-30 minutes at 350F or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Invert the cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Filling:
- Whisk the yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl then place over a pot of simmering water making sure that the water does not touch the bowl.
- Whisk in the milk slowly.
- Whisk constantly until the combined ingredients have thicker consistency. The internal temperature of the mixture should register at 170 degrees when you finish.
- Remove bowl from saucepan. Set bowl in ice water. Whisk the mixture until it has cooled (around 1 minute).
- Place mascarpone cheese in a large bowl. Fold the mixture into the cheese, using a rubber spatula.
- Miix until it is ALMOST COMBINED completely. Word of caution: do not over mix or it can have a grainy consistency.
For the Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
- Add egg whites, sugar and salt in a bowl.
- Give the mixture a brief whisk.
- Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Make sure the water does not touch the bowl.
- Whisk the egg whites occasionally while it warms up. When the mixture has warmed, whisk it constantly. You will heat the mixture until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
- Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
- While the mixture is running on low, add tablespoon sized dollops of room temperature butter making sure to let the butter incorporate before you add the next piece. In a small bowl mix 1 tbsp Instant espresso and 3 tbsp of Brandy then mix into the buttercream.
- You can transfer it to a piping bag or to a ziplock bag to store in the freezer for later. (When you're ready to use it, take it out of the freezer, bring to room temperature, transfer to a bowl and beat it for about 10 second to bring back the consistency).
For the Syrup:
- Mix the coffee, brandy, and liqueur. Set to the side.
For the Assembly:
- Cut cake layers in half
- Transfer cooled, mascarpone custard to a piping bag.
- Place first layer — cut side up — on a cake stand. Drizzle the coffee mixture on top (about 1/3 cup per layer).
- Pipe the mascarpone filling on top and dust with cocoa powder.
- Place next layer on top. Repeat until all layers have been added.
- Cover the cake in the Swiss Meringue and smooth. You can scrape the side for a “naked” look but that buttercream is so delicious you'll probably want a nice thick layer!
- Dust top with cocoa powder. Use the end of a spoon to remove to remove a ring of cocoa powder from the edge of the cake’s top (this will allow your dollops to adhere).
- Pipe dollops of Swiss Buttercream in a ring formation around the top, using an 869 Tip. Any Star tip will do though.
Notes
- Use a skewer through the cake center and refrigerate if the mascarpone filling causes instability during assembly.
- Prepare the mascarpone frosting ahead of time and chill it in the fridge to improve texture when frosting the cake.
- Employ cake strips around the pans to bake flat layers moist inside and out; homemade strips from foil and paper towels can be used if commercial ones are unavailable.
- Adjust batter quantities to scale for larger cake pans: double for 8-inch or triple for 9-inch pans as needed.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1slice
Calories
345kcal
(17%)
Carbohydrates
38g
(13%)
Protein
2g
(4%)
Fat
9g
(14%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Monounsaturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Cholesterol
35mg
(12%)
Sodium
120mg
(5%)
Potassium
34mg
(1%)
Sugar
39g
(78%)
Vitamin A
50IU
(1%)
Calcium
10mg
(1%)
Iron
0.7mg
(4%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8Slices
Amount Per Serving
Calories 345 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1slice | |
| Calories | 345kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 38g | 13% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 35mg | 12% |
| Sodium | 120mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 34mg | 1% |
| Sugar | 39g | 78% |
| Vitamin A | 50IU | 1% |
| Calcium | 10mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.7mg | 4% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
184 reviews
Excellent
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