tiramisu cake

It's 2017. I'm baking a cake. It's got cake and coffee and mascarpone cream in it. I post it on IG. I don't share the recipe for 2 1/2 years. Totally normal. 

Also, mascarpone is super hard to spell and I'm pretty sure I mispronounce it. 

My cousin asked me to make something tiramisu based to cut at her wedding [back in 2017] and I came up with this combination after exploring several other recipes on the internet.  

It's pretty good. 

Tiramisu Cake

cake:

• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

combine the above together

• 10 Tbsp butter
• 1 cup sugar

cream for 3 minutes with a mixer

• 3 eggs
• 1 egg yolk

add the eggs to the creamed mixture

• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla

combine the buttermilk and vanilla together

Alternate the dry ingredients and the buttermilk mixture into the creamed mixture with the dry mixture in 3 parts. Start with the dry until just combined, add the buttermilk...dry, buttermilk, dry.

Divide into prepared pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a tester comes out clean and the cake springs back when you touch the middle.

coffee extract:

• 4 Tbsp instant coffee
• 4 Tbsp boiling water

Combine in a small bowl.

simple syrup:

• 1 cup water 
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp coffee extract

Boil the water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool. Once cool stir in the coffee extract you made. 

frosting: 

• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream 

whip the HWC until you have peaks

• 8 oz mascarpone cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1-2 Tbsp coffee extract [to taste]

whisk the cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and coffee together in a second bowl

In the second bowl you'll combine a large dollop of whipped cream with the mascarpone mixture with a whisk start to loosen the cheese mixture. Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until you no longer see streaks and everything is smooth.

 

 

Assemble the cake:
Take your cooled layers and drizzle or brush them with the coffee simple syrup. Give it time to soak in and drizzle it a few times for maximum coffee moisture. Layer with the mascarpone frosting and grated chocolate. Frost the outside with more of the mascarpone frosting and then add chocolate however your heart desires.

Tips!
*there are lots of pieces to this puzzle, but none of them are difficult, I promise!
*I made this as a 3 layer 6-inch cake. you could definitely do 2 8-inch layers easily. just adjust the bake time. your cake will also be more stable.
*as with all cake layers: parchment circle on the bottom of the pan, non-stick spray on the sides and lower edges
*trim the tops of your cakes so they're nice and flat. see above for stability issues. give yourself your best shot for zero cake slippage.
*this is a whipped cream based frosting, so it's gotta stay cool. the cake itself won't be very stable simply because the frosting is slicker'n snot. REFRIGERATE YOUR BELOVED CAKE.
*I think that coffee extract is a thing. I have never purchased it or tried it. I find the instant coffee/espresso to be more versatile.
*if you overwhip the heavy whipping cream you will make butter. just go until you have some nice peaks, baby.
*soak the simple syrup into the cake with as much or as little as you like. if you're a firm believer that tiramisu should have rum or brandy or something boozy, this is where you can add it.

Look at these two cuties who now have a sweet babe at home. The real reason this recipe is posted now? They asked. ♡

P.S. sorry for that heavy handed 70s filter. 2017 me was super into it. 2019 me doesn't hate it, but it does seem like a bit much.