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A cut version of a whole tiramisu layer cake on a white cake platter.

Tiramisu Layer Cake

Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
chilling time: 3 hours
Total Time: 5 hours
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 517kcal
Author: Shinee
Melt-in-your-mouth tender and light sponge cake layers are soaked with intense espresso and filled with fluffy eggless tiramisu cream.
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Ingredients

For sponge cake:

  • 6 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar divided Note 1
  • 1 1/2 cups (180g) plain cake flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

For coffee syrup:

  • 1/2 cup (120ml) hot water
  • 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder Note 2
  • 3 tablespoons amaretto liqueur Note 3

For tiramisu cream:

  • 1/2 cup (120ml) sweetened condensed milk
  • 8 oz (225g) mascarpone cheese softened Note 4
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (480ml) heavy whipping cream cold
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting, optional

Instructions

To make sponge cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line bottom of two 9 or 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. No need to grease the pans.
  • Separate egg whites and yolks, making sure not even a little bit of egg yolk gets into the whites. (TIP: It's easier to separate the egg when they're cold right out of the fridge.)
  • In a mixing bowl with whisk attachment, whisk together egg yolks, ½ cup of sugar, vanilla and almond extracts until pale and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, sift flour and salt.
  • In another mixing bowl with whisk attachment, beat egg whites at medium low speed until foamy.
  • Add remaining ½ cup of sugar 1 tablespoon at a time and continue to whisk until stiff peaks, gradually increasing the speed to medium high, 7-10 minutes.
  • Using a spatula, add 1/3 of the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mixture and gently fold until mostly smooth. Add the remaining egg whites and gently fold until smooth.
  • Add sifted flour into the batter in 3 stages, whisking the batter well after each addition.
  • Pour the batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
  • Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Don’t open the oven for at least the first 20 minutes!
  • Let the cake cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Then run a knife around the edges and invert onto a cooling rack. Cool completely. Once cooled, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight. It’ll be easier to cut when the cake is thoroughly chilled.

To make espresso syrup:

  • Dissolve espresso powder in 1/2 cup of hot water. Then stir in amaretto liqueur.

To make tiramisu cream filling:

  • In a mixing bowl with whisk attachment, beat mascarpone cheese, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract until combined.
  • In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until hard peaks form. 
  • Gently fold in half of whipped cream into mascarpone cheese mixture. Then add the remaining whipped cream and mix until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To assemble the cake:

  • Once the cake is completely cooled, slice each cake horizontally into 2 even layers.
  • Put a dollop of filling on a cake board and place the first cake layer.
  • Drizzle 1/4 of espresso mixture evenly all over the cake.
  • Then spread a generous amount of filling (about 1 cup) over the cake layer.
  • Place the next layer and repeat until all the layers are stacked.
  • Cover the cake with half of the remaining filling to crumb coat the cake. Refrigerate it for at least 1 hour to firm up.
  • Then frost the cake with the remaining filling and decorate, as desired. (I used Wilton 1M tip for the top.) NOTE: Since the filling is super soft and fluffy, you won't achieve perfectly smooth and hard frosting.
  • Dust the final cake with cocoa powder and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Sponge Cake: Watch my complete sponge cake video tutorial.
Note 1: Fine granulated sugar or caster sugar is ideal for this recipe, as they dissolve quicker.
Note 2: I use an instant espresso powder, because it's so convenient and easy to use. In a pinch, you can substitute 1/2 cup of strong coffee.
Note 3: Amaretto is a sweet and nutty liqueur adds that signature tiramisu flavor. My go-to brand of quality amaretto is Disaronno. You substitute Kahlua, if needed.
Note 4: Mascarpone is a soft Italian cheese that has a unique and subtle flavor. Although I highly recommend using mascarpone cheese, you can use cream cheese instead, but keep in mind the flavor will be slightly different.
Make-Ahead Tips:
- The sponge cake, tightly wrapped in a plastic wrap, can be refrigerated for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 1 month.
- Cake can be assembled 1-2 days in advance.

Nutrition

Servings: 1 slice
Calories: 517kcal
Carbohydrates: 46g
Protein: 9g
Fat: 32g
Sugar: 30g
Sodium: 206mg