tiramisu cake

tiramisu cake with two layers of rich, espresso-soaked chocolate sponge filled and frosted with a traditional egg-based mascarpone cream and finished with a dusting of cocoa powder. a tiramisu in the form of a chocolate cake!

this tiramisu cake is a layer cake built with all the components of a proper italian tiramisu: a coffee soak, a traditional egg-based mascarpone cream, and cocoa powder dusted generously on top, but structured around two deep, fudgy chocolate sponge layers that results in a cake that is rich, dramatic and ridiculously moist.

why you will love this tiramisu cake recipe

• traditional mascarpone cream – this isn’t whipped cream with a little mascarpone in it – it’s a traditional egg-based mascarpone cream made the right way, with whipped yolks and folded egg whites. it’s light and airy, but still incredibly rich and tastes exactly like the filling of a classic italian tiramisu.

• chocolate sponge cake layers – the chocolate cake base takes the tiramisu flavour combination – coffee, cocoa and mascarpone – and commits to it fully. two deep, rich chocolate sponge layers soaked in coffee syrup make this a tiramisu cake that actually tastes like both tiramisu and cake.

• perfect for birthdays and celebrations – this tiramisu cake is perfect for birthdays and celebrations because it’s impressive enough to be a centrepiece, interesting enough to be memorable, and easy enough to make that you’re not stressed before the party.

learn how to make this tiramisu cake at home

to make this tiramisu cake, we start by baking the tiramisu cake layers – two chocolate cake layers made with an oil-based batter with cocoa powder and hot espresso stirred in for depth – and then setting them aside to cool completely. while they cool, we make the coffee sugar syrup by mixing coffee, sugar and water together until the sugar dissolves.

the creamy mascarpone frosting is just an egg-based tiramisu cream filling – we beat egg yolks with sugar until pale and thick, then whisk in the mascarpone, along with some vanilla extract and heavy cream. then, separately whip the egg whites with sugar until stiff and fold them through to lighten the whole mixture. once the cake layers are completely cool, we brush them generously with the coffee syrup, layer with the mascarpone cream, stack, frost the top cake layer then dust heavily with cocoa powder to finish.

tiramisu cake ingredients

for the chocolate cake layers

• milk – i’m using full fat whole milk in the cake batter for the chocolate cake layers.

• vinegar – i like to add a bit of distilled white vinegar to the milk before adding it to the chocolate cake batter. mix it in and let it rest for about 5 minutes before adding it to the batter. this will help make the tiramisu cake layers extra moist and soft. you can also use buttermilk in place of the milk and vinegar.

• flour – i’m using plain flour or all purpose flour in this italian tiramisu cake recipe.

• baking powder and baking soda – using a mix of baking powder and baking soda in the cake batter helps make the cake rise and gives it a tender crumb.

• light brown sugar and granulated sugar – this tiramisu cake is made of a combination of both sugars to the cake depth of flavour from the brown sugar and a clean sweetness and lift from the white.

• salt – a small amount of salt in the chocolate cake mix will help balance out the sweetness in the chocolate cake.

• eggs – this tiramisu cake recipe is made using two large room temperature eggs. the eggs give the batter structure and richness.

• vanilla extract – optional, but a small amount of vanilla rounds out the chocolate and coffee flavours.

• oil – use any neutral tasting oil. adding oil to the tiramisu cake mix will help keep the cake layers soft and moist. an oil-based cake batter gives you a moist, tender sponge that stays soft for days. don’t swap for butter, as oil is what keeps these layers fudgy rather than dry.

• cocoa powder – i’m just using regular, unsweetened cocoa powder to give the chocolate cake colour and a rich, chocolate flavour. i add this to the hot coffee first to bloom it, then add the mixture to the rest of the cake mix.

• hot espresso or strong hot coffee — i like to mix cocoa powder into the hot coffee first, then add this directly into the cake batter. the espresso deepens the chocolate flavour, and together they make the crumb taste significantly more complex than a standard chocolate sponge. you can also use boiling water and instant coffee, or if you’d rather skip the coffee in the cake layers, you can just use hot water.

for the coffee soak

• strong coffee – the base of the coffee soak.

• granulated sugar – this will be added to the hot coffee and mixed in until dissolved.

• *you can also use boiling water and instant coffee in place of brewed coffee if you’d prefer that.

for the tiramisu cake filling

• eggs – we’ll be separating the eggs and whipping the yolks and whites with sugar separately.

• granulated sugar – we’ll be using granulated sugar for the mascarpone cream mixture. you’ll need sugar for the egg yolks and for the egg whites.

• mascarpone – the key ingredient that is essential for the tiramisu cake filling – mascarpone is whipped into the whipped egg yolk mixture to create that signature creamy, slightly tangy flavour that’s typical in a real italian tiramisu.

• vanilla extract – optional, but recommended, as it adds depth to the cream layer an gives it a really nice flavour.

• double cream or heavy cream – i like to use a little bit of heavy cream in the mascarpone cream to create that light, airy texture that complements the chocolate cake really nicely, and also helps the mascarpone frosting be a bit more stable.

• vinegar – just a small amount of vinegar added to the egg whites and sugar will help them stabilise and whip up quicker.

for decorating

• unsweetened cocoa powder – dusted generously over the top of the finished tiramisu cake through a fine sieve. this is the signature tiramisu decoration and it’s all you need.

tools

• a jug or mug – we’re going to need a jug or mug to mix milk and vinegar and set it aside before adding it to the other wet ingredients.

• 4 large bowls – we’ll need 2 large bowls for the chocolate cake batter – one for the dry ingredients and one for the wet ingredients. everything will go in one bowl at the end, so make sure that it’s large enough to hold all of the tiramisu chocolate cake mix. we’ll also need 2 large bowls for the mascarpone cream – one for the egg yolk and mascarpone mixture and one for the egg whites.

• whisk or hand mixer – we’re going to mix the cake batter using a whisk or electric mixer. i prefer using a whisk so that i don’t over mix the batter, but this is up to you. you’ll also need a whisk or electric mixer for the mascarpone cream frosting to ensure that it’s smooth and lump free.

• 2 equal sized cake pans – this tiramisu cake is a 2 layer cake, so we’re going to split the chocolate cake batter between 2 equal sized pans. i’m using 7.5 inch cake pans for this tiramisu cake recipe. you can also use 8 inch pans if you have those.

• parchment paper or baking paper – lining your cake pans with parchment paper will make it easier to get the cake layers out once they’re done.

• wire rack – i place the cakes on a wire rack once they’re out of the oven so that they can cool properly.

• small bowl – for the coffee soak

• pastry brush – for soaking the chocolate sponge layers with the coffee soak.

• rubber spatula – for folding the egg whites into the mascarpone cream mixture.

• offset spatula – to spread the mascarpone cream onto the cake layers and smooth them out.

• fine sieve – for dusting the cocoa powder evenly over the top of your tiramisu cake.

step by step instructions

for full measurements, keep scrolling down to the recipe below.

step one: preheat oven, and grease and line 2 cake pans with baking paper or parchment paper.

step two: in a jug or mug, add room temperature milk and some white vinegar. mix these together, then set this aside.

step three: to a large bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, light brown sugar and salt. use a whisk to mix all of these together and break up any lumps. then, set this aside.

step four: in another large bowl, add 2 large eggs, and whisk these together. then, add the milk and vinegar mixture as well as some oil and vanilla extract. whisk this all together until combined.

step five: add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and whisk everything together until just combined, and you get a thick chocolate cake batter. do not over mix.

step six: add cocoa powder to hot coffee and mix these together until combined, then add this mixture to the cake batter and whisk it in until combined. the chocolate cake batter will look a bit more liquid and loose at this point.

step seven: split the tiramisu cake batter equally between the 2 lined cake pans.

step eight: bake the cakes in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick in the centre comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.

step nine: remove them from the oven and let the cakes cool for about 15-20 minutes before removing them from the pans. then, place the cakes on a wire cooling rack, and let them cool completely.

step ten: make the coffee soak. add hot coffee and sugar to a bowl and mix them together until the sugar dissolves. set this aside while you make the mascarpone cream.

step eleven: make the mascarpone cream. begin by separating the eggs. set the whites aside in a separate bowl. add yolks to another large mixing bowl. add half of the sugar to the yolks and beat with a mixer (or a whisk) until the mixture becomes a pale yellow colour and increases in volume.

step twelve: add mascarpone cheese and beat this into the egg yolk mixture until combined and the mixture thickens up. the mixture should look thick and smooth.

step thirteen: add cold heavy cream and vanilla extract, and use an electric mixer or whisk to beat the cream mixture until it thickens up.

step fourteen: to the egg whites, add the rest of the sugar and a little bit of vinegar and whip this mixture with an electric mixer until the egg whites look pale and fluffy. they should be soft, with tips that curl over slightly when you lift the beaters out of the bowl.

step fifteen: add the egg whites to the mascarpone cream mixture little by little and gently fold them into the mixture until combined.

step sixteen: continue to do this until you’ve added all of the egg whites to the cream, and the mascarpone cream looks smooth and thick.

step seventeen: flip your first cooled chocolate cake layer upside down and place it on a flat surface. using a pastry brush, soak the cake layer generously with the cooled coffee sugar syrup. don’t rush this step, as you want the coffee to soak all the way through.

step eighteen: spread a generous, even layer of the mascarpone cream over the soaked sponge using an offset spatula.

step nineteen: flip the second cake layer upside down and place this on top of the cream. again, soak the cake layer with the coffee sugar syrup.

step twenty: spread the remaining mascarpone cream over the top of the cake layer, swirling it for some texture.

step twenty-one: place the frosted tiramisu cake in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour.

step twenty-two: remove from the fridge and dust generously with cocoa powder through a fine sieve.

step twenty-three: slice, serve and let’s eat!

tips and notes

• use room temperature milk and eggs when mixing the tiramisu cake batter – this will just help all of the ingredients incorporate together better and make things easier. if your milk is cold, just place it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds so that it can warm up slightly. add the vinegar to the milk after removing it from the microwave.

• make sure the coffee is hot when you mix in the cocoa powder and add it to the batter. this will just ensure you get a moist, fudgy cake and a deep chocolate flavour. you really can’t taste the coffee at all, but if you’d like to avoid adding coffee to the cake, feel free to just add the same amount of hot water instead.

• be careful not to over mix the batter. whisk ingredients until just combined, especially when mixing the dry ingredients and wet ingredients together.

• make sure you preheat the oven and grease and line your cake pans at the beginning. this will ensure that the cakes bake evenly and that they won’t take longer to bake, and it’s helpful to have everything prepared so that you can just add the batter to the cake pans immediately and bake.

• adjust baking time as needed. every oven is different, so i recommend keeping checking on your cake layers for doneness near the end of the baking times. A toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean, but with a few moist crumbs attached. it shouldn’t have wet batter on it. i ended up baking each cake for about 30 minutes.

• once your tiramisu cake layers are out of the oven, you need to let them cool for about 15-20 minutes before removing them from the pans as they’ll be quite soft and delicate. once they’re cool enough to remove from the pans, place them on a cooling rack and let them cool completely before frosting the cake.

• make sure to let the cake layers cool completely before assembling the tiramisu cake. even a slightly warm sponge will melt the mascarpone cream, so you’ll need to be patient here.

• use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients. while i add both metric and cup measurements for this recipe, i always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh out your ingredients for most accurate results.

• the tiramisu cream is egg-based. i use raw eggs as i live in a country where raw eggs are generally safe to eat. if you are concerned about the raw eggs in this recipe, you can buy pasteurised eggs if you’re able to find them, or you can gently cook the yolks and whites by using the double boiler method (further details on this in the faqs section).

• when separating the eggs for the tiramisu cream, do not get any egg yolk into the egg whites as this will prevent the egg whites from whipping. make sure the beaters or whisk are clean as well when whipping the egg whites.

• dust the cocoa powder over the top of the tiramisu cake just before serving. cocoa powder can absorb moisture from the cream and look patchy if dusted too far in advance. dust it on right before you bring the cake to the table.

frequently asked questions

1. what is a tiramisu cake ?

   – a tiramisu cake is a layer cake built around the flavours and components of a classic italian tiramisu e.g. coffee, cocoa, and a mascarpone cream, but structured as a proper stacked cake rather than a dish you scoop from. the key difference between a tiramisu cake vs tiramisu is the base: a tiramisu uses ladyfingers soaked in espresso, and a tiramisu cake uses a baked sponge layer that’s soaked in a coffee syrup after baking. everything else, like the mascarpone cream, the coffee flavour and the cocoa powder dusting stays true to the original. this version uses chocolate sponge layers rather than a plain vanilla or yellow sponge, making it a tiramisu chocolate cake that’s richer, deeper, and a bit more indulgent than a traditional tiramisu cake recipe.

2. what does a tiramisu cake taste like ?

   – this tiramisu cake is rich and creamy, with a chocolate sponge base that soaks up the espresso syrup and tastes fudgy and moist all the way through. the mascarpone cream is light and airy, with a slight richness and subtle vanilla flavour. the cocoa powder dusting on top ties everything together.

3. what is this tiramisu cake made of ?

   – this tiramisu cake is made of two chocolate sponge layers, a coffee sugar syrup used to soak the layers after baking, a traditional egg-based mascarpone cream used as the filling, and cocoa powder dusted over the top. the mascarpone cream is made from egg yolks, sugar, mascarpone and whipped egg whites – the same method used for a classic italian tiramisu.

4. can i make this tiramisu cake recipe eggless ?

   – i personally have not tried making this tiramisu cake eggless myself, so i can’t recommend any substitute for the eggs. however, if you’d like to make the mascarpone cream eggless, then you can definitely make a mascarpone and heavy cream based cream over an egg-based one.

5. can i make tiramisu cake using cream cheese instead of mascarpone ?

   – yes, cream cheese will work as a substitute in the mascarpone cream. just bear in mind that the the flavour might be slightly tangier and less rich, and the texture of the cream will be slightly different as well.

6. can i make this tiramisu cake in advance ?

   – the assembled tiramisu cake keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days. the sponge layers can be baked up to 2 days ahead and stored wrapped at room temperature. the mascarpone cream is best made fresh on the day of assembly. dust with cocoa powder just before serving.

7. would this be a good birthday cake ?

   – yes! you can absolutely make this tiramisu cake for birthday celebrations or any kind of special event. it looks impressive, feeds a crowd, and is different enough from a standard birthday cake to be memorable. it’s also really to make! you could even decorate it a little fancier with piped mascarpone swirls or chocolate shavings.

8. can i make tiramisu yellow cake instead of a tiramisu chocolate cake ?

   – yes, you can. you can swap the chocolate sponge for a plain vanilla or yellow sponge for a more traditional tiramisu cake flavour profile without the extra chocolate.

9. can i make this tiramisu cake using cake mix instead of making the cake from scratch ?

   – i love to make the chocolate cake from scratch, but if you want to make this tiramisu cake easy and quick, you can definitely use a chocolate cake mix as the base for the sponge layers and just make the mascarpone cream from scratch. the mascarpone cream filling is the important part, and the cake mix will save you time!

10. can i make this tiramisu cake with alcohol ?

    – yes, you can add a splash of marsala wine, kahlúa or amaretto to the coffee sugar syrup for a version with alcohol.

11. would this tiramisu cake and ice cream be a good combo ?

    – absolutely! you can serve each tiramisu cake slice alongside a scoop of vanilla or coffee ice cream. the combination of cold ice cream and the tiramisu chocolate cake would work really well together.

12. can i make this tiramisu cake with ladyfingers ?

    – yes, you could absolutely add a layer of coffee-soaked ladyfingers to this chocolate tiramisu cake.

13. do you have any other tiramisu cake decoration ideas instead of the cocoa powder on top ?

    – personally, i think that the beauty of this tiramisu cake design is in its simplicity. a smooth coat of mascarpone cream and a heavy cocoa powder dusting is the classic tiramisu look, and it’s all you need. but if you want to take the decoration further, here are some ideas:

    • cocoa powder stencil: lay a paper doily or cut-out stencil over the top before dusting with cocoa powder for a pattern on the surface.

    • chocolate shavings: use a vegetable peeler or a knife along the edge of a block of dark chocolate to create curls and scatter over the cocoa-dusted top.

    • piped mascarpone swirls: save some mascarpone cream in a piping bag and pipe rosettes or swirls around the top edge before dusting with cocoa. or pipe all of the remaining mascarpone cream over the top of the final layer of cake and dust with cocoa powder.

14. i can’t find pasteurised eggs – how can i cook the egg yolks and whites before using them in this tiramisu cake recipe ?

    – if you can’t find pasteurised eggs, you can cook the egg yolks and whites using a double boiler method:

    • whisk the eggs yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl until the mixture becomes thick

    • place the bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water

    • whisk constantly until the mixture doubles in volume, becomes thick and foamy, and reaches about 71°c (160°f) on a thermometer 

    • remove from the heat, and continue whisking until pale and thick, then let the mixture cool slightly. 

    • in another heatproof bowl, whisk egg whites and sugar. again, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water. 

    • whisk constantly until the mixture doubles in volume, becomes thick and foamy, and reaches about 71°c (160°f) on a thermometer 

    • remove bowl from the heat, then beat the egg whites until they reach firm peaks. let the egg whites cool slightly.

    • add mascarpone, vanilla extract and heavy cream to the yolk mixture and mix that in, then fold in the whipped egg whites and proceed with the rest of the recipe. 

recipe