Tiramisu Cake is a classic Italian cake that’s made with coffee-soaked sponge cake and layered with sweet mascarpone cream. It’s also dusted with delicious cocoa powder.
Do you love Italian desserts? Be sure to give our Chewy Amaretti Cookies and Mini Almond Biscotti a try!
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
This classic Italian dessert is typically made with ladyfingers as the “cake base,” but to be honest, this cake version is so much BETTER! You’ll love the way the flavors absorb into the fluffy layers.
- TASTE: This sweet and creamy espresso combination is every coffee lover’s dream. The addition of cocoa makes it even tastier.
- TEXTURE: The fluffy and airy sponge cake absorbs all the coffee liqueur, mascarpone cream, and cocoa powder all too well. And the frosting is so creamy.
- TIME: This cake will take 55 minutes.
- EASE: As elegant as it looks, this recipe is rather easy. Just follow the pictures and step-by-step instructions in this recipe for a perfect Tiramisu Cake.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Cake base- To make the cake layers of this sponge cake Tiramisu, we’ll be using All-purpose flour, Cornstarch, Baking powder, Eggs, Sugar, and Vanilla extract.
- Mascarpone cheese- This is for the frosting and is sweet with some hints of acidity.
- Cream cheese- Sweet and tangy, this mixes with the mascarpone for the frosting.
- Egg product- These eggs make the frosting extra creamy, as is traditional for tiramisu.
- Kahlua– To add extra coffee flavor along with hints of vanilla and caramel. This liqueur is sweet and rich.
- Powdered sugar- To sweeten the frosting.
- Espresso- This is what adds the delicious coffee flavor that Tiramisu cake is known for.
- Sugar- This is to add sweetness to the coffee soak.
- Cocoa powder- This is added to each layer of the cake for delicious chocolaty flavor to pair with the coffee taste.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Substitute the espresso- If you haven’t got an espresso maker, you can use instant espresso powder or really strong brewed coffee. You will need 1 cup of either one
- Use real eggs- Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar to 3 eggs instead of the egg product. Then simmer 2 cups of water in a pot. Place the egg mixture in a bowl, and the bowl in the pot. Beat until double in size, then remove from heat and cool before adding the mascarpone.
- Substitute the Kahlua- If you haven’t got any or don’t want to use it, you can substitute a few teaspoons of coffee extract to replace it.
- Add toppings- Top the cake with shavings from a bar of chocolate for a prettier presentation and more chocolaty flavor. You can also add espresso beans.
How to Make Tiramisu Cake
- Beat the eggs. Beat them in a stand mixer on high speed for 4 minutes, then add the sugar and vanilla. Continue beating until the eggs are fluffy and pale.
- Sift the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, baking powder and cornstarch into the eggs and fold it in with a whisk. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Bake the cake. Pour the cake batter into the parchment-lined round 10-inch cake pans and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 28-30 minutes. You can check for doneness with a toothpick. Then let the cake cool on a cooling wire rack.
- Make the frosting. Meanwhile beat the cream cheese, mascarpone, Kahlua, and powdered sugar. Whip the egg product using an electric mixer until it thickens, then add it to the mascarpone mixture.
- Slice the cake. Slice the cooled cake layers in half, and soak them in a combination of coffee and sugar.
- Assemble it. Then assemble the cake in this order: coffee-soaked cake, cream, cocoa powder, and repeat until all the cake layers are used. Be sure to reserve some cream to coat the outside of the cake.
Pro Tip: I find that using a Martellato soaker bottle is the best method for soaking cakes. It doesn’t drench it as other methods do.
Recipe Tips
- Thicken runny mascarpone- If the brand of mascarpone cheese you bought has a runnier consistency, make sure to refrigerate the cream for at least 40 minutes before combining it with the egg product.
- Make sure you beat the eggs well- Your mascarpone cream frosting can get runny if the eggs are not beaten well, until they are pale and fluffy.
- Don’t oversoak the cake- Be careful as you soak the cake not to dench it. It will fall apart if it becomes too wet. A soaker bottle works really well here, like this Martellato soaker bottle.
- Let the cake set- Tiramisu tastes best when it has had time to absorb all the delicious flavors of coffee, cream, and Kahlua. Therefore you want to let the cream infuse into the sponge cake overnight in the fridge.
FAQs
Mascarpone cheese is one of the main ingredients in a tiramisu cake recipe. It has a mild flavor similar to creme Fraiche and is used in the frosting.
This could happen due to the eggs or egg products not being beaten well enough. You want to beat the egg mixture until its pale in color and fluffy. If you want to thicken up a runny cream, place it in the fridge for about 1 hour before frosting the cake.
Cakes like tiramisu are made with raw eggs. If you prefer not to use raw eggs, you can use egg substitute, also known as egg product. Egg product is pretty much eggs that have been pasteurized. I have tested this recipe multiple times and come to realize that certain brands of egg products don’t thicken as much as others. So far, the best brand for this recipe is Lucerne.
Serving Suggestions
This Tiramisu Cake is such a versatile dessert and works great with lots of other sweets. Put together a dessert buffet and serve this with cookies, other cakes, coffee, and more.
- Cookies: Serve a slice with some Jumbo Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies, Chocolate Meringue Cookies, Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies, or Coffee Macarons.
- Cakes: Add this cake to your dessert spread with others, like this Chocolate Mousse Cake, New York Style Cheesecake, Gingerbread Cake, or Chocolate Honey Cake (Spartak Cake).
- Sweet treats: Pair this Tiramisu Cake with Coffee Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Pot De Creme, White Chocolate Creme Brulee, or Chocolate Covered Dates.
- Beverages: Enjoy a cup of Hot Chocolate or coffee with a slice of this cake. Or make your own Pumpkin Spice Latte or Iced Caramel Macchiato.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: This cake works best when it sets overnight, so you can make it the day before you plan to serve it. It also stores well in the fridge or freezer.
Storing: This Tiramisu Cake will last in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, covered or stored in an airtight container.
Freeze: Leave off the cocoa topping and wrap the cake in plastic wrap (twice). Once it is frozen solid, wrap tightly in foil. You can keep it frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
More Tasty Italian Desserts!
Full Recipe Instructions
Tiramisu Cake
Ingredients
Spongecake
- 8 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking powder
Cream
- 32 oz cream cheese (4 packages)
- 16 oz mascarpone cheese
- 2 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup Kahlua
- 1 cup egg product
Coffee Soak
- 1 cup espresso
- 3 tbsp Kahlua
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, beat 8 eggs until foamy. Then slowly add the sugar and vanilla while the mixer is still beating.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and cornstarch. Then fold it into the beaten eggs using a whisk.
- Line 2 round baking pans (10 inches in diameter) with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray. Then distribute the batter evenly between the two pans.
- Bake in a preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 28-30 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Meanwhile combine the cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, and Kahlua in the bowl of your stand mixer. If your mascarpone cheese has a runny consistency, refrigerate this mixture for 40 minutes before adding in the egg product.
- In a separate bowl beat the egg product with an electric mixer until it becomes thick and creamy. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Add the egg product to the cream cheese mixture and mix just to incorporate. If you don't have egg product, see notes below on how to make this cake without it.
- In a small bowl mix together the espresso, with 3 tbsp Kahlua and 1 tbsp sugar.
- Slice each cake in half so you are left with 4 thin slices. Soak each layer of cake with the espresso and Kahlua mixture. I find that using a Martellato soaker bottle works best.
- Then begin layering the cake in this order: 1 layer of soaked cake, 1 1/4 cup cream cheese mixture, and cocoa powder. Repeat this until you stack the last layer of cream. At this point, you can decorate the sides and top of the cake with extra cocoa or cream.
Notes
Nutrition
This tiramisu cake recipe was originally published on July 20, 2015, it has been updated since.
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Eunice says
Hello we don’t have the egg product in my country what can I use please I will be making this cake soon. Thanks for the rdcope
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Eunice, traditional tiramisu is made with raw eggs. So you can use real eggs instead. I use egg product because most people don’t like the idea of raw eggs in their food.
Tina says
???? thanks
Tina says
Hi, is it better to serve it the same day or next day? How long is enough for the cake to soak thru but not get soggy?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Tina, it taste best the next day. So if you put the cake in the fridge the night you make it, it will be perfect the following evening.
Jessica says
Where can I buy Kahlua ? Thanks
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Jessica, sorry for he delayed response, my blog has been having some technical issues. Kahlua should be sold in most grocery stores.
Taskeen Memon says
Hi ma’am what is the substitute of Kahlua bcoz we Muslims can’t use it or we can skip Kahlua plz reply
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Taskeen, Kahlua is a key ingredient that makes the flavor in a tiramisu. There really is no substitute for it so you can just omit it, but it may not taste like a true tiramisu.
Julia says
I recommend this tiramisu recipe to everyone! So easy to make! And delicious! One of my favorites now ???????? Thank you so much simplyhomecooked!:)
simplyhomecooked says
Julia I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed my tiramisu recipe! Thank you for the great review!
naamit says
hi, what can deplace the egg prodact? we don’t have this in my cuntry.
please help my to find samthing alse.
simplyhomecooked says
Tiramisu cream is typically made with egg yolks over a double boiler. I use egg product instead of the egg yolks. I’m not too sure how many egg yolks to substitute in place of the egg product though.
Insherah says
Madi it twice so far. The first time, the cake was rubbery and tasted like bread more than a cake. The second time I added baking powder to the batter and results were amazing!!!!!
Thank you for the recipe!!!!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you, glad it worked out the second time.
Ashley says
Hi There, I would love to make this cake or my mom’s birthday but would have to make it a couple days in advance, how long will the cake keep without getting soggy in the fridge? would it work to make the cake and cream mixtures a couple days in advance and then just assembling and layering the cake day of?
Thank-you!
simplyhomecooked says
Hey Ashley, I would bake the cake and make the cream on one day. Don’t frost the cake just yet. Refrigerate the cream. Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap and let it sit in room temperature for a day. Assemble the cake the next day and serve it the following day. This way the cake gets served on the third day. You don’t want to keep this cake in the fridge for more than 1 day because it may get a bit soggy.
Elaine says
Hi, can you freeze this cake?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Elaine, yes you can freeze this cake.
Megan says
I loved this recipe, but I made some adjustments to it. I used white cake instead of an egg based cake and eliminated the egg product altogether from the cream. It still turned out really well! Thanks for a delicious cake! My husband loved it for his birthday. 🙂
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for taking the time to write such a nice review Megan! Glad you and your husband enjoyed the cake 🙂
Brittni says
Will the egg product still turn out if you use a stand mixer?
simplyhomecooked says
Yes it should turn out just as good in the stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
lana says
hello.. what can I use instead of the egg product in the cheese?
simplyhomecooked says
Tiramisu cream is actually made with raw eggs, but I use egg product instead because people don’t really like the idea of raw eggs in the cream.
Yolanda says
Hello,
I used a 10 inch round pan as indicated in the recipe and the batter barely covered the bottom of the pan. I pulled it out of the oven after 14 min. because it was done….the cake came out flatter than a pancake and very rubbery. Should I have used a 9 inch round pan? I followed the directions to a T and didn’t over mix the dry into the wet, so I’m trying to figure out if I did something wrong or if this is suppose to be the results since I have never had Tiramisu before to compare..
simplyhomecooked says
Yolanda I’m sorry to hear your cake didn’t turn out. From reading what you wrote, I’m almost 100 percent sure you under-mixed the egg and sugar mixture. When mixing the eggs and sugar, you want to beat it for a while. The consistency should have been very airy and fluffy. The reason I mention carefully folding the dry ingredients into the wet is to so that that batter retains its volume and airiness as much as possible. This will give you a fluffier finished cake.
Jessica says
Hey Dina,
I tried a different brand of egg mixture stuff and i was hand mixing the egg stuff for like 40 minuets and it wouldn’t get stiff it just got foamy. Does it matter what brand the egg mixture is? For how long do you have to mix it to become stiff?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Jessica, did you mix the egg product by hand or with a handheld electric mixer? I don’t think it matters what brand it is. I used an handheld electric mixer and beat it for about 7-10 minutes.
Traci says
This is my favorite dessert! I’m so happy to have found this recipe! What is the brown sugar looking mixture in the pictures starting in step 10? Did I miss a step?
Thanks!
simplyhomecooked says
Traci so glad you stopped by 🙂 If you’re referring to the brown colored mixture in the glass prep bowl, that is the espresso, sugar, and Kahlua mixture.
Traci says
Thank you! =)
simplyhomecooked says
You’re welcome Traci. Enjoy! 🙂
Ana Fernandez says
om nom nom I just want to stuff my face with this cake! Great recipe and great pictures!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Ana 🙂 Its a dangerous cake…so hard to stop eating it! lol
Anna says
I am drooling over here; this is my all time favorite cake! And it’s the real deal! I’ll have to try it for sure.
Vika says
Thanks. Actually il try same method
simplyhomecooked says
You’re welcome Viktoriya 🙂
AC says
HELLO WHAT IS THE LUCERNE BEST OF THE EGG STUFF? IS IT EGG WHITES OR JUST REGULAR WHOLE EGGS? THANK YOU
simplyhomecooked says
It is and egg product that contains 99 % egg whites. I wanted to avoid using raw eggs because many people don’t want to use raw eggs in cream that doesn’t get cooked.
Suzanne says
I would like to make your tiramisu cake recipe. However, exactly what do you man by 1 cup egg product? When I go to the grocery store.. exactly what am I looking for? Is it the commonly known egg substitute known as
“egg beaters” or is it something else?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi, Suzanne its usually called liquid eggs. If you cannot find this, you can always make this recipe with real eggs over a double boiler. At the bottom of this tiramisu cake recipe, there are instructions for that.
Vika says
Looks amazing!!! Can’t wait to give a try. Thanks for a recipe. How did you do decorative squares on top with cocoa?
simplyhomecooked says
You’re so welcome Viktoriya 🙂 This is a little funny but I didn’t have a stencil around so I actually lined a bunch of wooden barbecue skewers crossing diagonally. But hey it worked lol 😉