Tiramisu Cake

Hello friends! This Tiramisu Cake takes all the flavors of traditional tiramisu and transforms them into a beautifully layered dessert. Soft vanilla cake is soaked with espresso and coffee liqueur, then layered with a light and creamy mascarpone frosting. A dusting of cocoa powder on top completes the cake, giving it that signature tiramisu look and flavor. Perfect for coffee lovers, this cake is elegant yet simple to make, with just the right balance of sweetness and rich espresso flavor.

Best Tiramisu Cake

What makes this cake so special is the combination of flavors and textures. The vanilla cake is light and fluffy, acting as the perfect base for the espresso soak, which keeps it moist without being soggy. The mascarpone frosting is silky and creamy, with just a hint of Kahlua for extra taste. Whether served at a dinner party or as a weekend treat, this cake is an indulgent take on a beloved classic.

Full instructions, total time, and ingredient amounts can be found at the bottom of this post!

Prepare the Vanilla Cake

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease three 8-inch cake pans, lining them with parchment paper for easy removal. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, oil, and sugar together until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Alternating between the wet and dry ingredients, add one-third of the buttermilk, followed by one-third of the flour mixture, mixing on low speed. Repeat this process until all ingredients are combined, finishing with the flour mixture. Be careful not to overmix—folding in the last bit of flour with a spatula helps maintain a tender crumb.

Divide the batter evenly between each prepared round cake pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes before flipping them onto a wire rack to cool completely. If assembling later, wrap the cooled cakes in plastic wrap and store them in the fridge or freezer.

Espresso Soak

In a small bowl, mix the brewed espresso with the coffee liqueur (if using) and set aside. This mixture will be brushed onto each cake layer to enhance the classic tiramisu flavor.

You could also use some coffee syrup, coffee brandy, or even dark rum as a swap!

Mascarpone Frosting

To make the frosting, beat the cold mascarpone cheese with 2 ½ cups of powdered sugar for about one minute, until smooth on medium speed. In a separate bowl, whip the cold heavy whipping cream with the remaining ½ cup of powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until fully combined, then mix in the Kahlua or vanilla extract. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip for easy decorating.

Assembling the Tiramisu Cake

Place the first cake layer on a serving plate. Using a pastry brush, generously soak the cake with the espresso mixture. Pipe dots of mascarpone frosting over the top and dust lightly with cocoa powder and maybe even a little instant espresso powder. Repeat with the second cake layer, brushing with espresso, piping frosting, and dusting with cocoa. Leave the sides of the cake exposed to recreate that tiramisu layered look.

For the final layer, repeat the process one last time, using the remaining frosting to decorate the top. Finish with a generous dusting of cocoa powder for that signature tiramisu finish.

Refrigerate the assembled cake rounds for at least 4 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the frosting to set.

Storage & Freezing

Store the cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Before serving, let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes to soften slightly. This cake can also be frozen—wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Recipe Notes & Tips

• Espresso Substitute: If you don’t have espresso, you can use strong brewed coffee instead.
• Alcohol-Free Option: Skip the coffee liqueur and use vanilla extract in both the espresso soak and the frosting.
• Cake Texture: For the best texture, avoid overmixing the batter. Finishing with a spatula helps prevent the cake from becoming dense.
• Chilling the Frosting: Since mascarpone is delicate, keep the frosting cold while assembling to maintain its structure.
• Chill the Cake Before Serving: This allows the mascarpone frosting to firm up and the espresso to fully soak into the layers.
• Use a Sifter for Cocoa Powder: Lightly sifting the cocoa powder over the cake ensures an even, delicate dusting.
• Make Ahead Tip: The cake layers and espresso soak can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge before assembling.

Variations on Tiramisu Cake

• Chocolate Tiramisu Cake: Add cocoa powder to the cake batter for a deeper chocolate flavor.
• Tiramisu Cupcakes: Bake the cake batter into cupcakes and fill them with an espresso soak before frosting.
• Strawberry Tiramisu Cake: Replace the espresso soak with a strawberry purée soak for a fruitier version. This kind of mirrors this Strawberry Tiramisu recipe.
• Extra Boozy Tiramisu Cake: Brush an extra layer of Kahlua or rum onto the cake layers for a more intense flavor.

If You Love This Recipe, Try These Next!

• Limoncello Tiramisu
• Tiramisu Macarons
• Pumpkin Tiramisu
• Matcha Tiramisu
• Strawberry Tiramisu

This Tiramisu Cake is a perfect blend of creamy mascarpone, bold espresso, and soft vanilla cake, making it an irresistible dessert for any occasion, especially birthdays. If you make this recipe, share your photos with me on Instagram—I’d love to see your creations!

Tiramisu Cake

Camila Hurst

This Tiramisu Cake transforms the classic Italian dessert into a beautifully layered cake, featuring soft vanilla sponge soaked in espresso, a light and creamy mascarpone frosting, and a dusting of cocoa powder for the perfect balance of rich coffee flavor and delicate sweetness.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Chill Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 5 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Servings 12 servings

Calories 692 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Vanilla Cake

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour 324g
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature 169g
• ¼ cup vegetable oil 60ml
• 1½ cup granulated sugar 300g
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1¼ cup buttermilk 300 ml

Espresso Soak

• ½ cup brewed espresso or strong coffee room temperature
• 1 tbsp coffee liqueur (Kahlua or similar) optional

Mascarpone Frosting

• ¾ cup heavy cream 180ml
• 3 cups powdered sugar 375g
• 2¼ cups mascarpone cheese 510g
• 2 tsp Kahlua or vanilla extract

To Decorate

• ½ cup cocoa powder

Instructions

 

Vanilla Cake

• Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and line 3, 8” cake pans with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter, oil, and sugar. Beat the ingredients together for two minutes, until the mixture is fluffy and light in color. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment, or you can just use a hand mixer.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing one egg completely until incorporated before adding the next one.
• Remember to scrape the bowl in between mixing.
• Add the vanilla and mix to combine.
• Add one third of the buttermilk to the bowl with the batter, mix on low to combine.
• Next, add one third of the dry ingredient mixture. Mix on low speed.
• Add another third of the buttermilk and mix.
• Follow by another third of the flour mixture, mix to combine.
• Add the remaining buttermilk, and mix. Finish with the remaining flour, add it to the bowl and mix on low.
• You can finish by folding with a spatula, to avoid over mixing the batter.
• Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes off clean.
• Remove the cake from the oven. After 10 minutes, flip the cake onto a cooling rack or plate. Let the cake cool down completely. If you aren’t assembling the cake on the same day, wrap the completely cooled down cake in plastic wrap, and place in the fridge, or freezer.

Mascarpone Frosting

• Place the cold mascarpone and 2½ cups of the powdered sugar to a bowl and beat for 1 minute, or until incorporated. Set aside.
• In another bowl, whip the heavy cream, the remaining ½ cup of powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
• Add the heavy cream to the mascarpone/sugar mixture and mix to combine. Add the Kahlua or vanilla extract and mix.
• Place in a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice. I used a large round tip.

Espresso Soak

• Mix the brewed espresso with the Kahlua liqueur, if using. Set aside.

Assembly

• Place the first cake layer on top of a cake plate. Brush some of the brewed espresso mixture on the cake.
• Pipe dots of frosting on top of the cake. Sprinkle with cocoa powder.
• Top with another cake layer. Brush the cake layer with the espresso mixture. Pipe dots of frosting on top and follow with the cocoa powder.
• Top with another cake layer, brush it, and pipe the remaining frosting on top, finishing again with a dusting of cocoa powder.
• Place the cake in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving.

Storage

• Store the cake in an air tight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. Let the cake sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Buttermilk Substitute: If you don’t have buttermilk, mix 1¼ cups whole milk with 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for 5 minutes before using.

Mascarpone Frosting: Keep mascarpone cold before whipping to prevent it from becoming too soft. Overmixing can cause it to curdle, so stop once it’s smooth and fluffy.

Alcohol-Free Option: Omit the Kahlua and use extra vanilla extract for a non-alcoholic version.

Storage Tip: This cake tastes even better the next day as the flavors develop. If making ahead, let it chill overnight before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 692kcal

Keyword tiramisu, tiramisu cake

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