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A slice of Tiramisu Cake on a white plate, dusted with cocoa powder.

Tiramisu Cake | Baked Bree

Bree Hester
4.67 from 3 votes
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Chilling and Cooling Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 50 minutes
Course cake
Cuisine italian inspired
Servings 10
Calories 389 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the cake:

  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 10 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk

For the espresso extract:

  • 2 Tablespoons instant espresso powder
  • 2 Tablespoons boiling water

For the espresso syrup:

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Kahlua or brandy or amaretto

For the filling and frosting:

  • 1 8-ounce container mascarpone cheese
  • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 Tablespoon Kahlua or brandy or amaretto
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 1/2 ounces finely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate or mini chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Sift the dry ingredients together and set aside. Beat the sugar and butter together until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and yolk, one at at time, beating for 1 minute in between each addition. Beat in the vanilla. The mixture will look curdled, but it will all come together, I promise. Turn the mixer on low and add the dry ingredients alternatively with the buttermilk. Start and end with the dry. Scrap down the sides of the bowl really well.
    Adding dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately to the Tiramisu Cake batter in a stand mixer.
  • Pour the cake batter into two 9-inch pans that have been sprayed well with cooking spray and lined with parchment. Isn’t it amazing how the towel trick works? They are perfectly level. Bake the cakes in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 28 minutes, rotating halfway through baking. When they are finished, they will be golden and start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let the pans sit on a rack for about 5 minutes, then unmold them and let them cool completely, about 30-60 minutes.
    Golden Tiramisu Cake layers in two round pans with baking strips, cooling on a sheet.
  • Now you are going to make the espresso extract. It is nothing more than combining the espresso powder and the boiling water into a bowl. Set this aside.
    Combining espresso powder and boiling water in a mug to make espresso extract for Tiramisu Cake.
  • In a small saucepan combine the sugar and water. Bring it to a boil. Pour in into a bowl and add 1 Tablespoon of the espresso extract that we just made and the 1 Tablespoon of Kahlua. Set this aside.
    Pouring sugar and water into a glass measuring cup for Tiramisu Cake's espresso syrup.
  • Whisk together the mascarpone, sugar, vanilla, and remaining Kahlua. Whisk until blended and smooth. Beat the heavy cream in the mixer until it holds firm peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture using a spatula.
    Folding whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture for Tiramisu Cake frosting.
  • Now we are ready to assemble the cake. I put a few strips of parchment underneath my cake layers (but not underneath the whole thing) so that I would not get frosting all over my cake plate. When I am done decorating, these pieces will come out and the plate will still be clean. Poke some holes with a toothpick or a knife and brush the cake with the espresso syrup.
    Brushing a layer of Tiramisu Cake with espresso syrup using a pastry brush.
  • Spread a layer of the frosting over the first cake layer. Use about a cup and a quarter. Level it with an offset spatula and sprinkle with the chocolate. Add the top layer and again, poke with holes and brush with the espresso syrup.
    Spreading mascarpone frosting on the first layer of Tiramisu Cake, with chopped chocolate on the side.
  • Add 1 to 2 Tablespoons of the remaining espresso extract to the remaining frosting. Fold together.
    Adding espresso extract to the mascarpone frosting for Tiramisu Cake.
  • Frost the cake with the rest of the frosting. Chill for at least 3 hours but overnight is better.
    Frosting the Tiramisu Cake with espresso-mascarpone frosting.
  • Dust the top with cocoa powder.
    Tiramisu Cake on a white cake stand, frosted and dusted with cocoa powder.

Nutrition

Calories: 389kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 7gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 212mgFiber: 1g
Keyword Tiramisu Cake
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