This Tiramisu Cake turns your favorite Italian dessert into a delicious and decadent layer cake. Coffee soaked layers paired with mascarpone buttercream.
This is going to be another one of those posts where you will hopefully learn something from my mistakes.
It’s no secret that I have fails in the kitchen more often than I’d like to admit. I figure most normal people do though, so why not just lay all the cards out on the table, right?
Things don’t always go how you expect. And this time, with this Tiramisu Cake, it was due to a rookie mistake on my part.
What is Tiramisu?
Tiramisu is an Italian dessert consisting of coffee-soaked lady fingers layered with a whipped mascarpone cream filling and dusted with cocoa powder. It is heaven.
To transform this delicious dessert into a layer cake I used the following:
- Vanilla cake layers
- Coffee simple syrup
- Mascarpone frosting
- Lady fingers
- Chocolate shavings & cocoa powder
How to Make this Tiramisu Cake
For the cake layers I used my favorite Vanilla Cake recipe. No tweaks, just straight up. I thought it would be the perfect base for this Tiramisu cake.
The coffee simple syrup is a must do. Not optional especially since soaking lady fingers in coffee is a key part of the traditional dessert! Adding the coffee syrup adds a delicious flavor and moisture to the cake. You can leave the liqueur out if you prefer though.
The mascarpone frosting is where I ran into trouble…
I am usually really good at making sure all of my ingredients are at room temperature. This is important so that all of the ingredients emulsify together and yield proper results when baking. I never mess around with this when it comes to cookie dough or cake batter, but I tend to be a bit less rigid when it comes to (some) buttercreams.
Even still, I usually check the ingredients to make sure they’re not rock hard. But I actually broke my favorite KitchenAid beater blade a couple of weeks ago because I tried to whip a large chunk of butter when it was still too hard! Sad times.
So this time, with this mascarpone buttercream, I actually cut my butter up into cubes so it would come to room temperature faster. What I failed to do though, and ultimately what caused the issues (I think), is that I didn’t properly bring the tub of mascarpone to room temperature. I didn’t even check it!
I don’t know why I didn’t check it. I guess I thought it would be fine (cream cheese usually is) or that even if it was a bit stiff, it would soften up while it was whipping. What I didn’t anticipate is that the butter and mascarpone would completely curdle and separate when whipped together.
Minor panic set in when I looked into the bowl. I thought that surely more whipping would fix it, so I added in the sugar and whipped it to oblivion. No dice. Honestly, I almost considered using it in this state (wtf Olivia?).
If we still had a grocery store close by, I would have run out and bought new ingredients, but that wasn’t really an option here. Thankfully, I came to my senses and tried a trick to see if I could save it.
How to Save Curdled Buttercream
What seems like a lifetime ago I remember dealing with a curdled/separated Swiss meringue buttercream.
I had frozen some leftover buttercream, thawed it, and started to rewhip it (which is what you should do after thawing). I guess it was still a bit too cold, because what was in my mixer looked like cottage cheese soup.
I’m not even kidding you. This mascarpone frosting didn’t look quite that bad, but it just didn’t look right (or taste right).
What I remembered from last time is that you just needed to warm the frosting up a bit so that it can emulsify properly.
So I grabbed my trusty hair dryer and started heating up the sides of the bowl while the mascarpone buttercream was whipping. The hair dryer has saved me from more than one baking disaster.
Sure enough, after heating it a bit and letting it whip some more, it came together perfectly. You can also heat the buttercream in bursts over a double boiler (whipping between heating) or microwave a small amount of the buttercream and add it back to the bowl and whip. You know, if you’d rather try something more professional, lol.
So learn from my mistakes, people. Make sure all of your ingredients are actually at room temperature, or you’ll have some ugly curdled buttercream on your hands. But if that happens, now you know how to save it now, right??
Cake Tip!
Alternatively, if you don’t want a buttercream, you could make a mascarpone cream like I have in my Strawberry Shortcake Cake. It is lighter and much less sweet but also softer and less stable. Both options will be perfectly delicious.
I’m not in love with how this Tiramisu Cake looks (shocker). I should have done something, anything, with the frosting on the sides. It’s too flat and boring. Ryan says it looks very art deco, which makes me like it a little bit more. Oh well, it’s the taste that matters and it tastes ridiculously delicious!
Really, it tastes just like tiramisu. You could just have tiramisu, but this way is better because it’s a CAKE.
Those coffee soaked layers are some of the best I’ve ever had. And the mascarpone buttercream has just the perfect balance of flavors. It’s a bit heavier than what you’d see in a traditional tiramisu, but I wanted the cake to have more structural integrity. Plus, I love a good buttercream.
If you love tiramisu and are looking for something a little different, then this Tiramisu Cake is for you!
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I convert this recipe?
- The recipe as-is will also work in three 6″ pans. For three 8″ pans, 1.5x the recipe. Baking time may need to be adjusted.
- To make cupcakes, all you need to do is reduce the baking time — start checking at 15mins or so. The recipe will make 18-24 cupcakes depending on size.
- For other conversions go here.
Can I make it in advance?
- The cooled cake layers can be baked ahead of time, double wrapped in plastic wrap, and frozen for up to 3 months. Take out 2-3 hours before assembly.
- The frosting can be placed in an airtight container and refrigerated for 1 week for frozen for 3 months. Bring to room temp and rewhip before using.
- The simple syrup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple weeks.
- The finished cake (whole or sliced, stored airtight) can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Can I get the measurements by weight/grams?
- There is a Metric option in the recipe card. If you click it it will convert everything to grams.
- This conversion is done automatically and I cannot guarantee the accuracy but many readers have had success using the metric option for this recipe.
Tips for making this Tiramisu Cake
- Make your mascarpone is at room temperature If it’s too cold it can cause the frosting to curdle. See post for details.
- If you don’t want a buttercream you could make a mascarpone cream instead. It will be less sweet but also softer.
- For added flavor, you can add a layer of coffee-soaked lady fingers between the cake layers. This might work best for a two-layer cake (don’t cut the cakes in half horizontally).
- I was a little too generous with the frosting between the layers (I used about 1 cup per layer). A thinner layer between each would have balanced the cake better. This would also leave enough frosting to do some piping on top.
- The coffee liqueur in the simple syrup is optional – you can leave it out, and it will still taste delicious!
- I like to prepare my cake pans using Homemade Cake Release then line with parchment.
- Learn how to keep your cakes moist using Simple Syrup.
- To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, check out my How to Bake Flat Cake Layers post!
Tiramisu Cake
Ingredients
Coffee Simple Syrup:
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp instant espresso powder
- 1/4 cup coffee liqueur or dark rum optional
Vanilla Cake:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk (or any milk) room temperature
Mascarpone Frosting:
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups mascarpone room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Assembly:
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- chocolate shavings
- lady fingers
Instructions
Coffee Simple Syrup:
- Bring sugar, water, and instant espresso powder to a boil in a small pot over med-high heat. Simmer for 1min. Remove from heat and stir in coffee liqueur or rum if desired. Set aside to cool.
Vanilla Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 8″ cake rounds and line with parchment.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on med-high until pale and fluffy (approx 3mins). Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla.
- Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition.
- Bake for about 30-35mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
- Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 10mins then turn out onto wire rack. Cool completely.
Mascarpone Frosting:
- Beat butter and mascarpone until fluffy (2 mins). Add powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add vanilla and beat until fluffy (3 mins). Do not overmix.
Assembly:
- Cut each cake layer in half horizontally.
- Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Brush generously with about 4 Tbsp coffee syrup. Dust with cocoa powder if desired (I did).
- Top with approximately 3/4 cup of mascarpone buttercream and spread evenly.
- Repeat with remaining layers and crumb coat the cake. Chill for 20mins.
- Frost the cake with the remainder of the buttercream and smooth the sides and top.
- Dust top with cocoa powder and/or sprinkle with chocolate shavings, and press lady fingers into the sides if desired.
Jesse says
Hi! If I wanted to use espresso from my espresso maker, how much would you recommend (vs water and espresso powder)? Same amounts of sugar and liqueur for the coffee syrup?
Olivia says
Hi Jesse! I would just use a shot of espresso and reduce the water by about the same amount.
Ellen says
I soooo badly wanted to make this cake! But alas, every time I try to make the frosting, no matter what, it either curdles or goes too runny…then curdles when I try to thicken it. I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong…then my mum suggested it might not be me, it might be the ingredients. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve discovered that an ingredient down here in Australia is made differently to the rest of the world. And sure enough, there it is…Australian mascarpone is so different that it’s actually classified as a different kind of cheese! The fat content is 20-35% lower than the rest of the world. Combine that with the fact the humidity here is currently 85%…it looks like the frosting’s off the table…
That being said, the rest of the recipe worked wonderfully. I found the cake was wonderfully light and fluffy, and the espresso syrup is seriously addictive. I ended up turning it into a latte cake, which I took to work and disappeared in a day!
Olivia says
Hi Ellen! So interesting, thank you for sharing that info!! I’m sorry it caused you so much trouble. I had no idea mascarpone was made differently in other parts of the world — especially so drastically that it would affect a recipe. I’m so glad the rest of the recipe worked well and that you liked it. Thank you for sharing your tips!
Eliza says
Hi Liv! I only have 1 eight inch pan. Can I bake them in two batches? If so, how long would I need to bake each batch?
Olivia says
Hi Eliza! I wouldn’t bake them in two batches as the cake should ideally be baked right away. I mean, you can try, it might work, the second layer might just not be as good as the first :). Alternatively you can halve the recipe and make it twice. Baking time would be relatively the same, maybe slightly shorter if baking one at a time.
Eliza says
Oh, okay! Also, your cake here seems to be the same as your basic vanilla cake recipe. Everything else is the same, but here, it says to use 2 tsp baking powder. It says 2 1/4 tsp over on the basic vanilla recipe. Which one should I use????
Olivia says
Hi Eliza! Use the recipe here as listed. I experiment with my cakes so they’re not always the same each time. Using and extra 1/4 tsp won’t hurt though.
Ginny says
Hi Liv! I’m really excited to make this cake. My only question is- is it possible to make buttermilk at home? Which type did you use?
Olivia says
Hi Ginny! You can make it at home, I do all the time! Add 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk and let it sit for 10mins.
Sonya Kreger says
I made this for Christmas last year. The recipe was pretty easy to follow but I must say temperature is everything when it comes to this cake. You really need to make sure EVERYTHING is room temperature before you use it.
I had a little trouble keeping the frosting from curdling, but I used some of the helpful tips to keep it perfect! Overall, I got a lot of compliments and requests to make it again!
Olivia says
Hi Sonya! Totally agree about the room temp ingredients, especially the mascarpone! So glad everyone liked it 🙂
Tiffany says
Hi Olivia! So this is the second time I’ve tried one of your cake recipes. They are amazing, but I’ve been having problems with the cake being very dense STILL! ARGH!
It becomes very tacky when eaten and sticks to the roof of your mouth.
For this cake, I made sure to get new baking powder and was so sure I did not over mix. Just until each addition of whatever is called for was incorporated. And made sure everything that had to be at room temp, was at room temp.
The first pan I put in the oven(30 min) baked a little more that half way up the pan. Took it out and it did not seem dense at first. (Forgot to put on the bake even strip but didn’t think it’d matter since it baked up relatively flat)
Second pan, (I put on the bake even strip soaked in water for 5 min and baked for 35 min since the moisture probably caused the cake to take longer to bake? Took it out of the oven a couple times to test for done-ness) Took it out, and this one rose even less than the first one, less than half. After cooling, the center also slightly deflated(which was weird since I tested for done-ness all over the cake, shouldn’t have been undercooked) and caused a small dip/crater.(although it wasn’t a big deal since I was able to fill it in with frosting)
Overall, I was not able to determine dense ness until completely assembling the cake and cutting into it. Ended up having to do two layers since I did not think either was thick enough to torte.
The first pan ended up dense, while the second did not, which made no sense to me, unless it was just because the second pan was thinner and was able to absorb more of the coffee syrup?? Or maybe it had something to do with the bake even strips and the evaporating water made it less dense? Or maybe it was because I took the second one out of the oven multiple times?
But to recap on my questions, I have no idea why the first pan came out so dense or why the second had a slight crater. Olivia please help😖 am at the end of my wits! So sorry for the book😞 I appreciate any advice you have, and thanks for your time!
Olivia says
Hi Tiffany! Sorry to hear about your cake troubles, I hope I can help!
First — the moisture of the baking strips will make the cakes take longer to bake, so that’s nothing to worry about. The center being deflated leads me to believe the cake was take out too early which could cause it to collapse. My first test when checking for done-ness is to give the pans a very slight nudge in the oven. If there is any jiggle at all, I leave them in there another 5 mins. I never actually take the pans OUT until I’m sure they are 100% done. This could also have contributed to it being shorter than the first.
Was each of the pans baked from a separate batch of batter? If not, they should be baked at the same time (one should not be sitting out while the other bakes). I’m not sure that’s what you did, but I thought I’d call that out.
Finally, for this recipe, my cake layers were not very tall — about 1.5″ or so — you can see the torted layers are quite thin, but I wanted it that way to more emulate the tiramisu.
I wonder if the gummy texture is due to too much of the syrup being added on top of the layers? That would cause them to get more dense and potentially a bit soggy.
I’m not sure if any of this was helpful, but I hope so! Please keep me posted on how things go next time.
Zunaira Naz Quraishi says
Hi! i wanted to make a sample of this cake. if i cut the recipe in half would it better fit in a 6 inch or a 4 inch round pan thats 3 inches deep?
Olivia says
Hi Zunaira! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html I think a 4″ would be too small.
Zunaira Naz Quraishi says
I made half the cake, and it was perfect for one 6″ – 3″ deep round pan! it came out to approximately 1.5 lbs (which is how much i usually put in a 6″ pan).
Olivia says
Awesome, thanks for the update!
Hannah Memory says
Hello!
I’m planning on making this cake soon but could only find instant coffee at my grocery store. Do I need to use espresso powder or could I use instant coffee?
Olivia says
Hi Hannah! Instant coffee won’t be as strong as espresso powder, so I would use more of it (maybe 3x more). Otherwise it should work fine!
Cassandra Pantano says
Hello,
I am planning on making this cake for my family’s thanksgiving, however I am short on time the days prior due to work. If I were to bake the cakes on a Tuesday night, and then make the icing and assemble on a Wednesday night to severe Thursday, do you think I will have a problem keeping everything fresh? Any recommendations on ways to make and store this cake for 1-2 days?
Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Cassandra! I think you will be fine, especially since the layers will be soaked in the coffee syrup — that will help prevent the cake from being dry. I would wrap the layers in plastic wrap and freeze overnight (the freezer helps lock in moisture). Take out 1-2 hours before you plan to assemble, then store the assembled cake in the fridge.
Nina says
Awesome cake, Olivia!!!!!
Just omitted sugar in brewed coffe, just perfect. Made it for my friend’s bday party, everyone loved it.
And I think it will hold dondant.
Thanks
Olivia says
So happy to hear that you liked it Nina!
Brandy says
Hi Olivia!
So I’m looking to make this cake into a 2 layer 9”X 13”
Cake for a college graduation. I’m thinking I’m. Going to need to at least double it. What’s your suggesting on doubling or possible tripling the recipe? Also do you think I should be adjust mint the temperature and bake time as well? It’s been awhile since I have done a sheet cake so I don’t want it to come out dry.
Thanks in advance for any assistance!
B
Olivia says
Hi Brandy! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html I would not adjust the temperature but baking time will vary depending on the thickness of the layers! The syrup will help counteract any dryness too, if that happens 🙂
Brandy Crassweller says
thank you so much!
I will let you know the outcome!
Aly says
Hi, Liv! I was wondering how I would make this recipe (cake mixture) for high altitude..if you know how to!
I just recently moved from sea level to the mountains, so baking is still tricky for me 🙁 I would love to make this for work!
Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Aly! High altitude baking can be tricky and require some experimentation :\ Here’s a site that I recommend to people with tips! https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
Jo Blair says
Absolutely agree with Ryan. Very art deco and very beautiful. Sometimes simplicity is the best strategy for presentation and this works to perfection. Now to make it for myself – presentation is very much my thing, cake baking isn’t… yet!
Olivia says
Hah, thanks Jo! I hope you like this one 🙂
Anastasia says
I’ve made this cake twice now, its a wonderful recipe and gets great feedback. For this cake, I would strongly suggest to add the mascarpone cheese (cold) at the end for the icing, once all other ingredients are mixed well, to prevent the mascarpone from splitting. I am having trouble getting the cake to rise, I keep getting very flat layers, minimal rise, any suggestions? I’m using correct temperatures and fresh ingredients, the only thing I can think is I’m using an electric hand mixer….
Olivia says
The cold mascarpone is what caused mine to split actually, I had to heat it up for it to come together. For the flatter layers — is it possible you’re overmixing the cake batter? That can cause cakes to bake flat and dense. Only mix until the flour is just incorporated.
Brandy says
Hi Olivia, I was thinking her cake isn’t rising her baking powder could be off. Once baking powder goes off, no rise will happen.
Olivia says
Yes good point! That could be a culprit too.
Alyssa says
Hi! Do you know how to make this for a 10 inch cake? If I doubled the recipe, would that give me enough batter for 1 or 2 layers? Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Alyssa! I’m not 100% sure, but according to this site (http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html) it looks like if you double it it should work for two 10″ layers.
Alyssa says
Thanks so much! One more question, sorry! How is the texture of the cake? Is it on the denser or lighter side? I just want to make sure it isn’t like a pound cake texture? The person I’m making it for isn’t a fan of that lol. Do you think the layers would stay moist if refrigerated wrapped in plastic wrap overnight? I guess that’s two questions haha.
Thanks!
Olivia says
I found it nice and light, definitely NOT a pound cake texture. But be sure not to overmix the batter as that can lead to a dense cake. Also spoon and level your flour into the measuring cup rather than scooping it. The layers would definitely stay moist overnight! Let me know how it turns out 🙂
katherine hernandez says
How deep should the 8″ round cake pan be? I have two but they are only about 1″ 3/4 deep.
Olivia says
Hi Katherine! Mine are 2″ tall and the cakes bake almost to the top. I suspect 1 3/4″ would be close, you can give it a try!
Elizabeth says
Hello! I am making this cake 2 days in advance. Can I make the buttercream 2 days in advance as well? With 2 days in between baking and eating, should I refrigerate the cake layers or freeze?
Or could I assemble the cake 2 days in advance and refrigerate the whole thing?
Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Elizabeth! Yes you can make everything in advance. Ideally freeze the cake layers as the fridge tends to dry them out. Buttercream can be refrigerated but will need to be rewhipped once it’s at room temp again. You could also assemble all 2 days in advance, and refrigerate or freeze. The syrup helps keep the layers moist, so drying out shouldnt be as much of an issue with this one.
Ilona Alkins says
What a fantastic cake! My fiancee loves tiramisu and was very excited when he saw the cake. Your steps are easy to follow – will certainly be reading your blog for new ideas and tips on baking! x
Olivia says
Hi Ilona! So happy to hear that you both liked it 🙂
Katherine says
This turned out really well, thanks for the recipe!
Olivia says
So happy to hear that you liked it Katherine!
Rachel says
Hi… I want to make this in a 12″ x 3″ round pan. What would be the new measurements?
Stephanie says
Hi! I am a new baker so though ur receipt is looking great mine turn out a disaster 🙁 The mixture turns into an oil flood and theres barely enough flour. I’m sure i follow the measurements step by step, do you think it would be problems related to me using the metric system or over-whisking?
Olivia says
Hi Stephanie! Sorry to hear you had trouble with this one. I have not verified the metric measurements as they are automatically calculated. They seem correct though… But the cake mixture should be quite thick, so something must have been off. What do you mean by oil flood? There is no oil in the cake.
Kat says
I really want to make this recipe, it looks amazing!! However, I only have 6- inch pans. Can I use the same batter in 3 6-inch pans instead of 2 8-inch pans and would the cooking time be different?
Thank you !!
Olivia says
Hi Kat! Yes, it should work fine in three 6″ pans. Baking time would be relatively the same. Let me know how it turns out!