Tiramisu Cake

For years, I steered as far away from wedding baking, as I possibly could.😬  On rare occasions, I would hesitantly accept requests from friends to bake a special dessert for a wedding but it didn't happen very often.👰🏽‍♀️ Honestly, just the thought of baking a wedding cake, a grooms cake, a cupcake or pie display or even putting together a tray of wedding favor cookies would send me into a cold sweat. 😅  

​I recognize that I put this unnecessary pressure on myself  but, wedding baking was a hurdle that took me a long time to get over.   Maybe it was the realization that everything that I make for a wedding will be photographed and examined by a larger than usual audience that caused my anxiety.  🎂😅  Or maybe it was the significance of the occasion that added to my baking stress level.  Whatever the reason, it took some serious prodding for me to start taking wedding orders in my business.  

After some super stressful and downright scary, larger than life, wedding cake experiences and a few cake deliveries that ended tragically, I finally realized that I needed to put some limits on the cakes that I make for weddings.  Turns out - downsized, simply decorated wedding cakes are super popular right now anyway. 🎂  I'm actually really starting to enjoy this part of my job. 💁🏻‍♀️

​My most recent wedding creation was a trio of tiramisu cake and a whimsical disk golf themed grooms cake.  

Traditionally, tiramisu is Italian ladyfingers, soaked in espresso, layered with creamy, mascarpone cheese filling and dusted with the most decadent cocoa powder available.  It's one of my all time favorite desserts.  Simple, light, creamy and sweet.  

Translating a classic tiramisu dessert to cake wasn't without it's complications.  After some extensive trial and error - I finally landed on a delicious tiramisu inspired cake that - in my opinion - is out of this world good.  A yellow sponge cake, brushed with an espresso simple syrup and filled with the signature mascarpone filling that everyone loves.  

Tiramisu Cake
Cake
3 3/4 cups cake flour , plus extra for dusting pans
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2  3/4 cups sugar 
15 Tablespoons butter , melted and cooled slightly
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
4 1/2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3 teaspoons vanilla
9 large egg yolks , room temperature
5 large egg whites , room temperature

Espresso Simple Syrup
3/4 cup hot brewed espresso coffee or very strong coffee
2 Tablespoons Grand Marnier
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

Mascarpone Filling
1 cup full-fat mascarpone
2 ½ cups buttercream
½ cup strong brewed coffee - espresso preferred, chilled

For cake: Whip egg whites and 1/2 c. sugar to stiff peaks.  Refrigerate.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 2 1/4 cups sugar. 

Whisk together melted butter, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and yolks.

Add dry ingredients and beat until just combined.  

Fold in egg whites.  

Divide batter between 3, 9" greased, parchment lined, round cake pans. 

Bake cakes 30 minutes at 350.

Cool on wire racks.

Stir together simple syrup ingredients. 

Make a batch of your favorite buttercream.

Add mascarpone and espresso and beat well to combine. 

Place cake layers on a plate and brush with simple syrup. 

Assemble cake with espresso mascarpone cheese buttercream between layers and on sides and top.  I decorated these cakes with a sprinkling of cocoa powder and few simple blackberries.  

​Ciao!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe