Tiramisu Cake

My version of well known Italian dessert: Tiramisu cake. This simple and delicious dessert is one of our family’s favorites . I make tiramisu quite often and of course I’d go the shortcut way ,use ready made lady finger cookies to finish it faster. But since I really wanted to make it as my daughter’s birthday cake, I decided to bake the cake layers and go from there.

Tiramisu cake turned out really delicious and looking special.

Hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy as much as we did.

Happy baking!

Ingredients 

For the cake layers

5 medium eggs ,at room temperature

¾ cup granulated white sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

⅔ cup all purpose flour

⅓ cup cornstarch

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

1-2 tbs powdered sugar

You will need two 10” or 12” round baking pans, lined with parchment paper

For the cream

3 large eggs

½ cup sugar

2 packs (8 oz /227 grams each) of mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

1 ⅓ heavy whipping cream, cold

2 tbs powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the coffee syrup

¾ cup hot water

1 tbs instant coffee

2-3 tbs amaretto liqueur

You will also need a few tablespoons of cocoa powder

9” springform baking pan, with lined sides

Directions 

To make the cake layers




Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C

Line baking pans and set aside

Sift all the dry ingredients

In a mixing bowl beat the eggs,sugar & vanilla extract

Mix on high speed until pale and foamy, almost tripled in size

Add the dry ingredients,sift and fold with spatula , try not to deflate the mixture

Equally divide the batter and pour into the baking pans

Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and bake 20-25 minutes or until light golden color

Making the cream

*Mascarpone cream

Start a double boiler, as we need to temper the eggs

Place the eggs and sugar into heatproof bowl,mix and place over the boiler

Cook on medium heat,by constantly mixing, until it starts to foam and darken in color, about 5-6 minutes

Remove from the heat and transfer into mixing bowl, allow to cool down 3-5 minutes

Beat on high speed until it’s pale and foamy

Lower the speed and beat in the mascarpone cheese, in 4-5 additions

*Whip cream

Be sure to freeze the mixing bowl and whisk attachment about 10-15 minutes prior using

In a mixing bowl combine heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract and powdered sugar

Beat on medium the on high speed until it reached the right , stiff consistency

Save about ⅓ cup of whipped cream to decorate the top (optional)

*Gently fold in the whipped cream with eggs-mascarpone mixture, place in the fridge

Making the coffee syrup

Mix the hot water with coffee ,let cool down and add amaretto liqueur, set aside   

Prepare the springform pan by lining the sides with parchment paper, that will help to remove the cake smoother and easier

Cut the cake layers to fit the 9” pan ,( simply use the bottom of the pan and cut with pizza knife)

Set the leftovers aside, you will use those to assemble the middle layer

Assembling the Tiramisu cake




Eyeball the cream into three portions ,living a bit less for the last layer

Place one of the layers on the bottom

Generously drizzle with coffee syrup

Place a generous amount of cream and spread evenly

Sift cocoa powder on the cream (2-3 tsp or as much as it needs to cover the cream entirely )

Place the leftover cutouts on the cake and for another layer ( middle layer)

Repeat the same process : syrup + cream + cocoa + last layer

The last layer you can decorate to your taste using the saved whip cream and the rest of mascarpone cream, I use star tip and round tips with pastry bag

Dust the final layer with cocoa and chocolate shavings

Let the cake to chill 3-5 hours

Enjoy!