Tiramisu Cake is an elegant twist on the classic Italian dessert. Four layers of light genoise sponge cake, soaked in a mixture of espresso and amaretto and filled with lashings of mascarpone cream. Che Buono!
Who doesn't love Tiramisu? It's an old favorite and a crowd-pleaser, but although it is a delicious dessert- it just doesn't slice pretty! This Tiramisu Layer Cake has the best of both worlds because it has the authentic flavors of traditional tiramisu and it looks absolutely showstopping.
Coffee is such a wonderful flavor to use in baking. It balances out the sweetness in desserts perfectly, like in my Tiramisu Cookies or tasty Coffee Cupcakes.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Authentic flavors of tiramisu in a beautiful layer cake
- Adjust the amounts of coffee and alcohol to suit your tastes
- Great birthday or special occasion cake for coffee lovers
Ingredients
I tried to make this tiramisu cake as authentic as possible, so you'll see all the same ingredients as a classic tiramisu, with one exception. This recipe uses whipped cream instead of egg whites, but it's for a very good reason! See the FAQs for info on this.
- Eggs - Eggs are so important in this tiramisu cake recipe. They create all the rise in the genoise sponge and the egg yolks add richness to the filling. Use fresh, large eggs.
- Sugar - White sugar is best, try to find superfine sugar (caster sugar) as this will dissolve into the mixture more easily.
- Flour - Cake flour gives the best results for sponge cakes as it is light and produces a fine crumb. But if you can't find it, all-purpose flour or 00 flour will do the trick.
- Oil - I use vegetable oil but you can use an alternative flavorless oil.
- Milk - A dash of whole milk gives the cake a fluffy texture.
- Vanilla -Use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Espresso - You can use fresh shots of espresso from an espresso machine, or you can use instant espresso powder mixed with hot water. (Or you could use really strong instant coffee). Just make sure it has a strong coffee flavor and the volume comes to roughly ¾ cup (180ml).
- Amaretto - The alcohol is optional, but I find Amaretto adds so much to the flavor of this tiramisu cake. You could also replace it with your favorite dark rum, marsala wine, brandy, or even coffee liqueur. Or if you prefer you can just leave it out entirely.
- Mascarpone - For the mascarpone filling you'll want to use high-quality mascarpone cheese. It should be thick and hold its shape, not watery. If it is too soft, you can strain it through a cheesecloth to remove some of the excess liquid. If you can't find mascarpone at your grocery store, you could use cream cheese in a pinch, but it won't have the same lightness and subtle flavor.
- Heavy Cream - Make sure you use heavy cream, heavy whipping cream, or double cream. Anything less than 35% fat will not be firm enough.
- Cocoa Powder - For dusting on top of the cake. Use whatever cocoa powder you have to hand.
See the recipe card for quantities and the full recipe.
How To Make Tiramisu Cake
There are three elements to this tiramisu cake - the genoise sponge, the coffee soak, and the creamy mascarpone frosting.
Make the Cake
This tiramisu layer cake uses a 1.5x version of my Genoise sponge cake recipe split into two cake pans.
The recipe is below in the recipe card, but you can see my Genoise recipe post for in-depth instructions and step-by-step process shots.
You can technically make this with a different kind of vanilla cake, but I strongly recommend using the genoise - see FAQ section for more details.
Make the Coffee Soak
Mix the amaretto (or other alcohol) into a bowl and mix together.
If you are making an alcohol-free version, you can just replace the alcohol volume with more coffee.
Tip:
The first time I made this Tiramisu Cake, I didn't have an espresso machine at home, but I wanted to use fresh espresso for the best results.
I just went into my local Starbucks and asked for 6 shots of espresso in a cup. They did look at me like I was crazy, but it did the trick!
Make the Mascarpone Cream
Whisk Egg Yolks
Create another double boiler, like we did for the cake, but this time add only egg yolks and sugar.
Whisk vigorously while the mixture warms up until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is light and thick. This will cook the raw egg yolks so they are safe to eat.
If you want to use a thermometer, they should reach a temperature of 165°F.
Remove from the heat and keep whisking until you can drizzle a pattern on top and it stays for 1-2 seconds.
Whip Mascarpone
Put the cold mascarpone cheese and Amaretto in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium speed for a few seconds until smooth and creamy. Don't overmix it.
Combine
Pour the whisked egg yolk mixture into the mascarpone cream and whip on medium speed, just until combined.
Transfer to a large mixing bowl, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl, we don't want to miss any of that delicious filling!
Whip the Cream
Whip the cream until it reaches medium peaks.
I like to get most of the way there with the mixer and finish it off by hand to make sure I don't overwhip.
Don't let it get to stiff peaks or it won't incorporate well. (No need to clean your mixer bowl after the mascarpone mixture).
Fold
Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until it is totally incorporated, be careful not to squish out too much air.
It's best to make this right before you are going to assemble the tiramisu cake.
Assemble Tiramisu Cake
Once you have the different Tiramisu elements ready, it's fairly easy to assemble and quite relaxing (a lot like Opera cake!).
Torte
Once the cakes have cooled, you can cut them into thinner layers with a cake leveler or serrated knife.
A cake leveler gives really nice, even cake layers which makes the finished cake look very professional.
Soak
Place the first layer of sponge cake onto a cake board or cake plate and use a pastry brush to gently dab the espresso soak all over it, all the way to the edge of the cake.
Don't be shy with the coffee soak, sponge cake can hold a decent amount of liquid!
Add Filling
On top of the soaked cake layer, add a generous layer of mascarpone cream and smooth it out with an offset spatula into an even layer.
You want the thickness of the cream to be roughly the same thickness as the cake layer.
Repeat this process with every layer of cake.
Frost
Once your tiramisu cake is stacked, cover the whole thing in a thin layer of mascarpone cream all over the top and sides of the cake. (Don't forget to soak the top layer of cake first!) A semi-naked design looks great here.
Put the whole cake into an airtight container in the fridge. The longer the cake sits, the more the flavors will seep in and improve. Overnight is best but a few hours will do.
Keep the remaining cream in the fridge for decorating later.
Tip: I always recommend weighing your ingredients with a kitchen scale, rather than using measuring cups. It's very difficult to measure accurately with cups and this can mess up your bakes. This especially applies to this recipe where the sponge cake is so delicate.
How to Decorate Tiramisu Cake
There are a few ways you can decorate this Tiramisu Cake. You don't have to be a master at cake decorating to make it look really impressive.
When you are ready to serve, remove the reserved mascarpone cream from the fridge and whip it up a little to bring the texture back. If you don't have very much left, you can whip it together with a little bit of heavy cream until medium-stiff peaks.
- Rosettes - If you want to decorate your Tiramisu Cake like I have in the photographs, spread an even layer of mascarpone cream over the top of the cake and give it a light dusting of cocoa powder. Then transfer the cream to a piping bag with a star tip and pipe some rosettes all around the outside of the cake.
- Classic Style - To decorate the cake like you would a traditional tiramisu, put the cream in a piping bag and snip the end off, pipe little peaked blobs all over the surface of the cake, then dust with cocoa powder.
- Spread - For something completely different, you could just spread a thick layer of mascarpone cream all over the top of the cake and either smooth it into a flat layer or you could create a nice textured surface using a palette knife, then dust with cocoa powder.
Tip: Use a small sieve to dust your cocoa powder on top, this will give you more control and help to create a delicate layer of cocoa powder, rather than a mound.
Common Mistakes
While this is a reasonably simple recipe, there are some themes I have seen while troubleshooting things that have gone wrong for people making it. Here are some of the most common mistakes to avoid when making tiramisu cake:
Messing up genoise sponge cake - Genoise can be fickle if you don't follow the recipe very closely. For best results when making the sponge cake, see my genoise sponge cake recipe which has in-depth instructions and step-by-step process shots so you know what to look out for.
How Much Coffee Soak - It is possible to under-soak or over-soak. the cake layers. Too little and the cake might be dry, too much and it could get soggy. If you're unsure, you can divide the soak into four so you have the exact same amount for each cake.
Egg yolks not whipped enough - In order to make a thick, spreadable mascarpone cream, you need to whip the egg yolks and sugar vigorously. You should be able to drizzle a pattern on top and have it stay for 1-2 seconds.
Mascarpone Issues - Some brands of mascarpone in the US are not great quality and have super soft, runny mascarpone cheese. If this is the case you can try draining some of the liquid out in a cheesecloth, but it's better to find nice thick mascarpone. It could also be that the mascarpone was left out of the fridge too long before being used which can make it go runny or look grainy.
Overwhipping the Cream - If the cream is whipped for too long and gets to the stiff peak stage, it may be really difficult to incorporate it into the mascarpone mixture and it will likely create lots of lumps of cream in your filling. I always recommend finishing off whipped cream by hand to make sure it doesn't overwhip.
Equipment
- Stand mixer with a whisk attachment - you can technically use a powerful electric mixer for this recipe, but your arms will get very tired! I recommend a stand mixer for best results.
- Saucepan
- Heatproof Bowl
- Large Bowl
- Rubber Spatula
- Whisk
- Offset Spatula
- Sieve
- Small Sieve
- Piping Bag
Storage
Keep your Tiramisu cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will be good like this for up to 5 days.
If you make the sponge cake ahead of time, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store insight an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days before assembling. Genoise cake can dry out quickly, but because of the coffee soak, this recipe is quite forgiving.
The mascarpone cream is best made fresh right before filling the cake as it sets up a little overnight (as we want it to!)
FAQ
Just like with a classic tiramisu recipe, you can alter the amount of both alcohol and coffee in this cake. If you want to leave out the alcohol entirely then that's totally fine, just replace the volume with more coffee or with simple syrup.
Personally, l love the flavor that amaretto adds - it gives a sweet almond taste, though it's also popular to use Kahlua or dark rum. If you want this flavor without the alcohol, you can actually find amaretto flavored coffee syrup that will do the trick. Just don't use quite as much as it will be super sweet. Dilute it in the coffee and taste test before you soak your cake.
Tiramisu cake aims to be as close to the classic dessert as possible. So the layers consist of genoise sponge (what ladyfingers are made of), espresso soak with amaretto, and amaretto cream which is almost the same as authentic tiramisu, but uses whipped cream instead of raw egg whites.
My original Tiramisu Cake recipe actually used a vanilla pound cake as the cake layer. It was delicious, but quite heavy and didn't soak up the coffee as well.
I recently re-developed this recipe to use genoise sponge cake instead for a few reasons.
Firstly, genoise is very similar to the recipe for lady fingers, which are the base for classic tiramisu. But also, genoise sponge cake soaks up liquids really well, so the coffee and amaretto flavors were better distributed.
Lastly, genoise is super light and airy, which gives a flavor and texture much more like traditional tiramisu.
So yes, you can use a regular vanilla cake recipe (or even a cake mix) to make Tiramisu cake, but the result will be a lot more dense.
No, the way we prepare this recipe is completely safe to eat.
Authentic tiramisu recipes do use raw eggs in the mascarpone cream. That is why we create a double boiler for the egg yolks, to cook them to a temperature of 165°F, which makes them safe to consume.
Also, I have replaced the raw whipped egg whites in classic tiramisu with whipped cream instead, so there are no raw eggs in the recipe.
Italians might be upset when they see a tiramisu recipe using whipped cream instead of whipped egg whites! While I typically like to keep my recipes as authentic as possible, I chose whipped cream for this Tiramisu Cake for two reasons:
Firstly, it means that the whole recipe contains no raw eggs at all, so it's safe for everyone to eat. This isn't a huge consideration in the UK where all our eggs are safe to consume, but that isn't the case all over the world so I wanted to make sure it could be safe for everyone.
Secondly, the whipped cream means the mascarpone cream stable, almost like a mascarpone cream frosting, so you can 'frost' the cake right away, and even do some decoration on top. Egg whites need to firm up for a few hours which makes them too sloppy to do this right away.
More Coffee Desserts
If you love his tiramisu cake, you might like to check out some of my other coffee recipes:
Recipe
Tiramisu Cake
Equipment
- Stand Mixer with whisk attachment
Ingredients
For the Genoise Sponge Cake
- 6 Eggs large
- 1 ⅛ cup White Sugar 225g
- 1 ½ cups Cake Flour 171g
- ¼ cup Vegetable Oil 45g
- 3 tablespoon Milk 36g
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
For the Mascarpone Cream
- 16 oz Mascarpone 455g
- ¼ cup Amaretto
- 4 Egg Yolks
- ¼ cup White Sugar 50g
- 2 cups Heavy Cream 476g
For the Coffee Soak
- 6 shots Espresso 180ml *see notes
- ⅓ cup Amaretto
Decoration
- 2 tablespoon Cocoa Powder
Instructions
Make the Sponge Cake
- Note: The cake is made from a 1.5x adaption of my genoise sponge cake recipe. For more in-depth instructions, including step-by-step process shots for the sponge cake, see my genoise sponge recipe post.
- Preheat oven to 350°F or 180°C and grease two 8 inch cake pans
- Whisk the eggs and sugar over a double boiler until the sugar dissolves. You can check by rubbing the mixture between your fingers - if it's grainy it needs longer. The mixture should not get hot at any point, just warm enough to dissolve the sugar, which should only take a few minutes.6 Eggs, 1 ⅛ cup White Sugar
- Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Whip on the highest speed setting for 5 full minutes. Once it's done it will be very pale and should have doubled in volume. Test if it's ready by drizzling a little of the batter on top of itself - if the pattern stays on the surface for a few seconds then it's good. If it disappears immediately, whip for another minute.
- Turn the mixer down to low speed (the lowest setting) and whip for a further 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients:Sift the flour twice into a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, oil, and vanilla. Set aside.1 ½ cups Cake Flour, ¼ cup Vegetable Oil, 3 tablespoon Milk, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Carefully fold the sifted flour into the whipped egg mixture with a spatula, trying not to knock out any air.
- Take a large dollop of the mixture and put it into a separate bowl. Then add the wet ingredients and mix them together thoroughly. This is called 'sacrificing' the batter - the air will be knocked out of it, but it will help the liquids to incorporate into the rest of the cake batter more easily.
- Pour the 'sacrificed' batter back into the main batter and fold in gently until combined. Keep folding until it reaches the 'ribbon stage'. This means that if you lift your spoon or spatula out of the batter, the batter should run off the spoon steadily in a flowy, ribbon-like motion.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pans and tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and springy to the touch.
- Remove from the oven and bang the cake pan on the counter again to release additional air bubbles and prevent the sponge cake from collapsing while it cools. Put a piece of parchment paper on top of a wire rack and flip the cake upside down on the rack - let it cool like this. Once it's cool enough to touch, remove the cake pan and let the cake cool completely (upside down).
Make the Mascarpone Cream
- Add the egg yolks and sugar to a double boiler and whisk vigorously until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is light and thick. This will cook the egg yolks so they are safe to eat. If you want to use a thermometer, they should reach a temperature of 165°F. Remove from the heat and keep whisking until you can drizzle a pattern on top and it stays for 1-2 seconds.4 Egg Yolks, ¼ cup White Sugar
- Put the cold mascarpone cheese and Amaretto in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium speed for a few seconds until smooth and creamy. Don't overmix it.16 oz Mascarpone, ¼ cup Amaretto
- Pour the whisked egg yolk mixture into the mascarpone cream and whip on medium speed, just until combined. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
- Whip the cream until it reaches medium peaks, I like to get most of the way there with the mixer and finish it off by hand to make sure I don't overwhip. Don't let it get to stiff peaks or it won't incorporate well.(No need to clean your mixer bowl after the mascarpone mixture).2 cups Heavy Cream
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until it is totally incorporated, be careful not to squish out too much air. It's best to make this right before you are going to assemble the tiramisu cake.
Assemble the Tiramisu Cake
- Mix the espresso and amaretto together in a small bowl or jug.6 shots Espresso, ⅓ cup Amaretto
- Slice the cake layers in half horizontally to make 4 thin cake layers.
- Place your first layer of cake onto your cake plate or board and use a pastry brush to generously dab the coffee soak all over the cake.
- Spread a thick, even layer of mascarpone cream all over the cake, then add the next cake layer and repeat until all your cake layers are stacked.
- Once the top layer is on, cover the whole cake in a thin layer of mascarpone cream (don't forget to add the coffee soak first!). Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight. Keep the remaining mascarpone cream for decorating later.
- Once ready. to serve, give the whole cake a light dusting of cocoa powder, then use the reserved mascarpone cream to pipe rosettes around the outside of the cake.2 tablespoon Cocoa Powder
Notes
It really helps and I love hearing all your feedback!
Yaya
Wow...I am so grateful for having found this recipe!!! Explained so well and in great detail. Thank you. Can't wait to make if this upcoming Thanksgiving. Sounds like it will be a hit! May God bless you.
Chris Radwanski
I wasn't much of a fan of tiramisu cake prior to eating try this one, but now I am HOOKED! It tastes so light and fluffy while being jam packed with coffee/almond flavour. SO GOOD!
pamela Gilbeau
What size piping tip are you using
Kellie
Are you using unsweetened, or sweetened cocoa powder? Thank you.
JG
Hello. How are you able to use raw eggs without cooking? Are you relying on the alcohol? Thanks.
jules
Hi, thanks for your question :). I have actually been baking with raw eggs for many years and many popular recipes include raw eggs including french meringue, chocolate mousse, and many frostings and buttercreams. Most eggs purchased in supermarkets have already been pasteurized, which means the risk has been removed and they are perfectly safe to eat raw, but you can double-check with the manufacturer to make sure. I never recommend using raw eggs in a recipe if you are baking for someone who is pregnant or vulnerable, just in case, but in most circumstances, it is perfectly safe. If you are concerned though you can use boxed egg products instead which are always pasteurized for sure. Hope this helps!
DIANA JONES
I cracked an egg into clear bowl, good thing it was the first egg. It looked kind a pale green but not really. I put in a white bowl sure enough it was neon green. Now I crack each egg in a white bowl then add it to the bowl. The chances are I will never see another one, , I. can’t imagine putting all the eggs in the bowl and the last one was neon green!
Jules Grasekamp
Wow a green egg?! Dr Seuss would be pleased!
As a rule I always crack each egg into a smaller bowl individually first before adding into a mixture - just in case any little pieces of shell get in there - it's much easier to fish a shell out of one egg than a whole bowl of them!
Hope you loved the recipe!
Jules
Ines
I like to use the zabaglione technique with the egg and sugar before mixing it with the mascarpone. This is done by cooking the egg mixture using a double boiler. You can look up the technique on Pinterest. Then cool the mixture and chill before adding it to the mascarpone. This may help in the uncertainty of using raw eggs. I usually do this when I put together a tiramisu.;
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Ines,
Thank you for your comment. Absolutely! If anybody is concerned about the raw eggs then this is a fantastic method. In the US, Canada and UK at least, all eggs that can be purchased at the grocery store are pasteurised and therefore safe to eat raw. But if in any doubt at all, this will for sure make any egg safe to eat. Thank you for your input 🙂
Jules
Lara
What can I substitute the amaretto with?
jules
You can substitute the amaretto with any alcohol you like, or you can just leave it out entirely and just have coffee if you'd like an alcohol free version 🙂
Heather Musgrave
Could amaretto extract be used, and if so, how much please?
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Heather,
You could use amaretto extract, probably 1-2 tsp. Almond extract would also taste great as a substitute. You can also leave out the amaretto entirely if you just don't want it in there.
Jules