This Tiramisu Cake brings everything you love about the classic Italian dessert into a show-stopping layer cake. It features a moist, fluffy sponge cake layered with decadent espresso coffee drizzle and topped with a luscious mascarpone cheese frosting.
It’s elegant, surprisingly simple, and a total crowd-pleaser for birthdays, dinner parties, Thanksgiving and Christmas. For more takes on this dessert, try our easy tiramisu recipe and raspberry tiramisu.
What’s In This Tiramisu Cake:
Making This Tiramisu Cake
Baking the Cake Layers
Even though it starts with a boxed white cake mix, this recipe doesn’t taste like it. The key is mixing just until combined. Room-temperature egg whites whip in evenly, and baking with cake strips helps your layers stay flat and level.
Once baked, the cakes should spring back when lightly touched and pull away from the pan edges. Cool completely before slicing so the layers don’t tear.
Making The Coffee Drizzle
This coffee syrup is where the tiramisu magic happens. Use freshly boiled water so the sugar and espresso powder dissolve completely. If you’re using Kahlua, stir it in after the mixture cools slightly to keep the alcohol flavor intact.
When brushing the syrup on, less is more. The goal is to moisten each layer without making it soggy. A pastry brush works best — focus on the center first and lightly coat toward the edges..
Building the Layers
Cutting the cakes into four layers feels fancy but it’s worth it. Use a long serrated knife or cake leveler for even slices. Rotate the cake slowly as you cut rather than sawing back and forth — it keeps the crumbs clean.
Mascarpone Made Easy
Mascarpone is delicate — keep it cold. If it warms too much, it can loosen the frosting and make it soupy. Always start with chilled heavy cream and cold mascarpone right from the fridge.
Beat the cream to stiff peaks first, then slowly add the mascarpone mixture. This method gives the frosting a stable structure that holds its shape when piped. If it looks a bit loose after mixing, pop the bowl into the fridge for 15 minutes and re-whip briefly.
Spread about 1 to 1¼ cups of mascarpone frosting between each layer. It might look soft at first, but it firms beautifully as the cake chills. Use an offset spatula to smooth each layer and keep your stack level.
Decorating & Finishing Touches
After frosting the cake, dust the top with unsweetened cocoa powder for that signature tiramisu look. The easiest way is to use a fine-mesh sifter or small tea strainer — shake gently for an even layer.
Pipe reserved mascarpone swirls along the edge or in the center, and finish each with a coffee bean. The contrast of creamy frosting, cocoa dusting, and glossy beans looks elegant without needing extra effort.
Make-Ahead & Storage
This cake actually tastes better after it rests. Chill it for at least 6 hours, or overnight, to let the flavors meld and the texture firm up. Store it covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Because of the mascarpone and whipped cream, this cake should always stay refrigerated. Slice while cold, but let each piece sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving for the best creamy texture.
More Layer Cakes
Tiramisu Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 16.25 ounces white cake mix (Betty Crocker Favorites is the only one this size)
- 1¼ cups water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 4 large egg whites, room temperature
Coffee Drizzle
- ½ cup hot water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder
- 2 tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur Kahlua, optional
Mascarpone Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces mascarpone cheese
- 4 cups cold heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- Whole coffee beans, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray two 9-inch round cake pans with baking spray (Baker’s Joy or a generic version). Set them aside.
- Add the cake mix, water, oil, and egg whites to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Use a handheld mixer on medium speed to mix until completely incorporated and no lumps remain.
- Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes away clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
- While the cakes are cooling, add the granulated sugar, espresso powder, and Kahlua to the hot water. Stir to combine. Set it aside.
- Add the mascarpone cheese to a small mixing bowl and stir until the cheese is smooth.
- Using a stand mixer with a wire whip attachment or a large mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on high speed, beat the cold heavy cream and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Reduce the mixer speed to medium, and slowly add the granulated sugar. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for another 1 to 1½ minutes.
- Lower the speed to low. Slowly add ¼ of the smoothed mascarpone at a time, mixing until combined and smooth.
- Add ⅔ cup of the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star-shaped decorating tip (I used Wilton 1M). Cover the remaining frosting with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble and decorate the cake.
- Once the cakes are completely cooled, use either a long serrated knife or a cake leveler to slice each cake into 2 layers, giving you 4 layers total.
- Place the bottom layer either on a large flat serving plate or a round cake board.
- Use a pastry brush to generously brush on the cooled coffee mixture.
- Spoon on 1 to 1¼ cups of the mascarpone filling. Use an offset spatula to smooth the filling over the surface of the bottom layer. Repeat for the next 2 layers.
- For the final layer, brush the coffee mixture over the surface of the top layer. Spoon 1¼ to 1¾ cups of the mascarpone filling over the top.
- Spread the remaining filling around the outside of the layers, smoothing as you go.
- Add the 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder to a sifter. Gently shake the cocoa powder over the top of the cake.
- Pipe swirls of the reserved mascarpone filling around the edge of the cake top, as well as in the center of the cake. Place 1 coffee bean into the center of each swirl. Slice and serve.
Notes
- I recommend using cake strips to ensure an evenly baked and level cake.
- Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
- The mascarpone is best used cold and straight out of the fridge. The warmer the mascarpone cheese is, the more likely it is to soften to the point that it won’t firm up well again and can make too soft of a frosting.
Nutrition
Comments
Jeannette Shields says
Yum! So much easier than using the little – and hard to find- lady fingers! Thank you for the recipe. I had tiramisu the first time a couple years ago when I was visiting my sister in Arizona and fell “in love”!! 😊😊😊
Cindi Kirke says
Came out perfect, very pretty and delicious