Shhh, come closer. I have a secret to share...

I don't like (hangs head)... coffee. Java lovers everywhere may swarm to swat me with stirrers, or grind me into gourmet grounds, but I can't help it. I just don't like coffee.

Believe me, coming from a household where my father's brew method included one scoop for every two cups and one more for the Corps (Marine Corps, that is) coffee has been in my life for a long time.  My folks still polish off about 3 pots a day.

I started in my teens trying to drink coffee. Everyone said to start with milk, add a little coffee and work your way up to more coffee and less milk, maybe a little sugar. No matter how much milk I used and how little coffee, I just couldn't enjoy the flavor. Feeling like I was missing some rite of passage, I gave up trying for several years.

I tried again when I moved in with my husband, who is not fit to live with until he has had his first cup of joe in the morning. More milk, more sugar, no dice. Secretly, I still felt like I had failed some kind of grown-up test.

Fast forward to the present. I still don't drink coffee and I rarely use PJ's beloved espresso powder in my baked goods. The world of mocha baked goods just doesn't send me.

So, imagine my joy when I tried this Tiramisu Layer Cake which has coffee syrup soaked cake layers, and I loved it. I mean I LOVED it! I'm a sucker for cake and cream and this take on classic Italian dessert just hits the spot. The coffee enhances and tempers the sweetness of the cream and the hint of marsala makes me feel like I really am a grown-up after all!

So imagine, if a non-coffee drinkin' gal like myself enjoys this cake that much, you folks who thrive on espresso and cappuccino are going to beat feet to the kitchen for this one.

For the Tiramisu Layer Cake you will need a single 9” round cake layer, chocolate or vanilla, split in half horizontally.  I used our Golden Vanilla Cake mix, it's a real favorite of mine. Just freeze the second layer for another day or double the filling and give one to someone who needs a pick-me-up.

To make the coffee syrup, add to a  small saucepan:

1/2 cup (113g) water
2 teaspoons espresso powder
1/4 cup (50g) sugar

Stir over medium heat until the sugar is fully dissolved.

Bring to a full rolling boil, remove from the heat and add in 1/4 cup (57g) Kahlua or amaretto liqueur. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

For the filling, you'll need: 

1 cup (227g) mascarpone cheese
1 cup (227g) heavy cream
1 tablespoon (14g) vanilla extract
1/3 cup (35g) confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons Instant ClearJel

Combine the mascarpone and heavy cream in a large bowl and whisk at low speed until the mixture is smooth. Mix in the vanilla extract. Whisk together the confectioners' sugar and ClearJel, and slowly add to the mixture. Increase speed to medium-high and whisk until medium peaks form.

Now for the assembly. Remove the top browned layer of your cake to expose the soft absorbent cake inside. I'm sure someone will nibble up those crumbs, eh?

Place half of the cake in a parchment lined 9” springform pan.

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the coffee syrup evenly over the cake, then spread 2 cups of the tiramisu cream filling over this layer of cake.

Top with the second half of your cake.

See that big split? Dinna fash yourself, (Gaelic for don't worry about it) it's all going to be covered in cream soon.

Sprinkle the cake with another 2 tablespoons of the syrup, let it soak in for a few minutes, then top with the remaining tiramisu cream.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

When you're ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap and run a thin, flexible spatula around the edge of the cake.

Unlatch and remove the springform ring. The cream should be well set and stand tall all on its own.

If you'd like, sift a fine layer of cocoa over the top of the cake.

All that's left is to slice, serve and enjoy. I must say I've had tiramisu in the past that overwhelmed you with strong coffee flavor, never letting you taste the other flavors involved.

This cake does have the coffee flavor, but in a much more subtle way. You know there is coffee, but you also taste the sweetness of the cream, the vanilla in the cake, even the hint of marsala-like essence in the filling. Truly, a dessert to lift you up at any time of day.

Please bake, rate and review our recipe for Tiramisu Layer Cake.

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Mary Jane Robbins
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About MaryJane Robbins

MaryJane, affectionately known as MJ here at King Arthur Baking Company, grew up in Massachusetts before moving to Vermont in 1990. Prior to this she taught pre-school and kindergarten in the Upper Valley area for 15 years. Drawing on those skills, MJ joined our Baker’s Hotline and teaching staff at...
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Comments

The Café Sucré Farine

May 3, 2011 at 7:35am

This looks divine! Wow, thanks for all the great instructions also. This would be a great ending to a fun dinner party!
HMB

May 2, 2011 at 7:51pm

I didn't like coffee either until a boyfriend (now my husband of nearly 30 years) said, "You don't like coffee because you've never had good coffee. I'm half Viennese, so coffee's in my blood. I guarantee you'll like my coffee." Yeah, it was so good I had to marry him, LOL! Anyway, for those who REALLY don't like coffee, the Fresh Berry Tiramisu on the KAF website is really good, and it doesn't require any specialty mix ingredients. I like to make it on Mothers Day, because that's when the strawberries are plentiful here, and this makes a lovely treat! http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/fresh-berry-tiramisu-recipe
"Linda S"

May 2, 2011 at 5:56pm

With regard to aoster's comments about your highlighting KAF products in your recipes, might I offer a suggestion? It is also often frustrating for me when I see a new recipe or blog posted, eager to try it, only to find it requires a special KAF or other specialty product I don't have. I will usually then check out the comments section to see if someone has hopefully asked about an alternative for that particular ingredient. Sometimes you do give them in the comments and even in the blogs, but they're not always noted in the recipes themselves. What would be great is, if you could always add notes to your recipes that offer commonplace alternatives for those particular ingredients that you feature, such as your baking and filling mixes, hi-maize fiber, pastry flour, etc. That way, if we don't have the required product ingredient(s) but want to make the recipe right away, we won't feel left out and can still make the recipe using alternate ingredients. It will also save you a lot of time replying to customers' questions about what they can use in place of a particular product. I, too, realize that you are in business to sell and promote your products, but it really would be wonderful to have your recipes knowing that if we either don't have a particular product ingredient, or, if someday that product is discontinued for some reason, we will always be able to enjoy your great recipes one way or the other! That being said, please keep up the great work and the wonderful blogs! I learn so much from all of you! Like you, I read recipes from many different resources and try to decide if the existing ingredients in my pantry will work. I know recipes are tested and published as written, and sometimes take the risk of making my own variation with less predictable results. Irene @ KAF
Christi

May 2, 2011 at 4:44pm

I like the idea of making tiramisu with a cake base. I always worry that the supermarket bakery won't have 3 packages of lady fingers when I make my traditional tiramisu. I was thrilled to find Tiramisu liqueur in NH. It's hard to find but the flavor is so worth it if you make tiramisu. http://www.crownwineandspirits.com/p-1894-tiramisu-liqueur.aspx?vid=2185 I felt compelled chime in as another reader who honestly, skips over when a recipe calls for a specialty KA products like cake enhancer, tiramisu mix and pizza dough stupifier and the like. My Nannie didn't need these gimmicks to bake wonderful desserts and I don't either. Be sure to read the review and other comments on the recipes when they are published....or even read through the blog text with pictures. Ingredients substitutions are often listed there. Happy Baking! Irene @ KAF
Apricot

May 2, 2011 at 4:39pm

re:lucyjoyce1's question about layers and Amy's answer--if I'm not mistaken, the bottom 2 layers are cake and the top layer is a thick layer of filling. It stacks up this way...cake, filling, cake, filling, cocoa. Happy Baking! Irene @ KAF
gaitedgirl

May 2, 2011 at 4:19pm

MJ - Just wanted to let you know that you have a fellow non-coffee drinker out there too. I cannot stand coffee. Never have liked it and although I've tried to many, many times, I just cannot stand the taste of it. And I don't like using espresso powder or coffee in my chocolate goods. My tastebuds pick up on the flavor every single time (and I mean, every single time - I can go to restaurant and can usually tell you if the pastry chef used coffee in their baked goods). My husband is not the biggest fan of coffee (although he does enjoy a cup of cafe con leche every once in a great while) so we won't be trying this recipe but I wanted to reassure you that you aren't alone out there in the baking universe! You're so lucky to be what I call a "Super Taster"! It's a great gift - or skill - that would come in handy for many foodies! Thanks for sharing your expertise! Irene @ KAF
pcstirn

May 2, 2011 at 3:24pm

MaryJane, You are not the only person to say they like Tiramisu but cannot stand coffee! I grew up in a 3-pot-a-day family too (I think I learned how to make coffee for my parents about the time I learned how to make toast!). I didn't really like it until my Army days and now I drink almost a pot a day myself. My, how our tastebuds mature! I will definitely try this! I used to have a recipe for a Hot Milk Sponge Cake that would work excellently, but, I lent the cookbook to someone, never to see it again.... Will be looking for that again. I will substitute my homemade Coffee Liquore for the bulk of my syrup, but I also want to add some espresso powder, too, to kick up the flavor. As for the cocoa powder sprinkled on at the end, I like the dark stuff now (didn't used to, though). Thanks for blogging one of my favorite desserts. I always enjoy seeing what you come up with that I hadn't enjoyed for a while! Yummmm! Thanks for connecting. We've got a nice recipe for Hot Milk Cake cake in our 200th Anniversary cookbook. If you send your address to bakers@kingarthurflour.com, we can photocopy and send it off to you. I've been thinking about trying coffee again, but I've recently discovered vanilla almond milk and it's like having a milkshake for breakfast, so I'm good for now ;) . So much for mature, tee hee! ~ MaryJane
lucyjoyce1

May 2, 2011 at 3:15pm

The recipe calls for cutting the layer in half but the pictures seem to show three layers Which is correct? The tiramisu actually only has two cake layers. The center layer is the filling, so you only need to cut the cake in half. ~Amy
Dogmom

May 2, 2011 at 2:24pm

I had such a good laugh with your "dinna fash" comment. I am a huge fan of the Outlander saga by dear Diana Gabaldon and have actually listened to all 7 of the huge books unabridged on CD, and "dinna fash" is so Jamie! Love it! And love this recipe. And thanks so much for an alternative to the tiramisu mix since I do want to make the cake for an event this week and don's have the time to order it. I will get some on hand though. Yes, I love Jamie. There is a family in town that is actually related to Simon, his "grandfather"(?), kinda cool. I think this cake will be a huge hit for many parties in the next few weeks. Have fun! ~ MaryJane
sailortitan

May 2, 2011 at 12:30pm

Is there a way to make the filling completely from scratch, without any kind of mix? You may try this recipe with a from-scratch filling: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/tiramisu-recipe ~Amy

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