This is the traditional Italian dessert, Tiramisu in a layer cake form. Rather than using ladyfingers, here I am four layers of cake. This four-layer cake is a decadent mix of dark chocolate, espresso, and vanilla layers brought together with a creamy mascarpone frosting and this cake is perfect for anyone who loves coffee.
This is our all-time favorite cake. When my son eats this cake, he says, "I'm feeling like I am having a coffee frappe". Last week, when I posted the picture of this cake on Instagram, one of my friends asked, "Who will eat this big cake in the lockdown". This cake is so delicious that I could eat the whole cake with no regrets.
This recipe is adapted from https://www.eatloveeats.com/tiramisu-layer-cake-ombre-mascarpone-frosting/
Recipe of Tiramisu Layer Cake with Mascarpone Frosting
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 8 slices
Ingredients:
for the base cake
Unsalted butter - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
All purpose flour - 1 1/2 cups
Baking powder - 4 teaspoons
Baking soda - 1/2 teaspoon
Large Eggs - 4
Milk - 3 tablespoons
Vanilla essence - 2 teaspoons
Espresso powder - 1 tablespoon
Cocoa powder - 1 tablspoons
For the Coffee Syrup:
Espresso powder - 2 tablespoons
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
For the mascarpone frosting:
Mascarpone cheese - 750g
Icing sugar - 1 cup
Milk - 2 tablespoons
Vanilla essence - 2 teaspoons
Espresso powder - 1 teaspoon
To finish:
Cocoa powder - 1 tablespoon
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line 4 (6 inch) cake tins.
2. Place the butter and sugar in the stand mixer and cream it. Then add eggs one by one and beat it. Add milk and vanilla essence. Mix it until incorporated.
3. In another bowl, add flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix it well. Add this flour mixture to the egg mixture. Beat the mixture until just combined. Do not overmix the batter.
4. Now divide the batter into 3 portions. Put half of the mixture in one bowl, and two quaters in another two bowls. If you would like to be accurate you can use the scale. If you don't have scales just eyeball it. Into the large portion add the espresso powder. Add cocoa to one of the smaller portion. Leave one smaller portion as it is.
5. Split the coffee mixture between two tins and pour the vanila and chocolate portion into two other tins. Level the tops and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool for 5 minutes in the tin before removing and transferring to a cooling rack.
For the coffee syrup:
Add the espresso powder, sugar and water into a saucepan. Bring to the boil by stiring it intil the sugar has dissolved. Remove it from the heat and let it cool.
Frosting:
1. Using stand mixer beat the mascarpone cheese in medium speed. Add the icing sugar, milk and the vanilla essence. Mix together until the mixture is smooth. Now add the espresso powder into the frosting and mix it well.
Assemble the cake:
Start by levelling off all the cakes using a cake leveller or a serrated knife.
Using a pastry brush generousy brush the tops of each cake with coffee syrup.
Place one layer onto the surface. Spread the frosting on the top. Place another layer on top followed by frosting. Repeat the process until you are done with all the layers. Roughly spread some frosting over the entire cake and make a crumb coat.
Smooth out the frosting little bit and leave it rustic or decorate as your own. Dust the top of the cake with cocoa powder for that final tiramisu touch.
