A cake style variation of the Italian classic tiramisu. With a tender vanilla espresso cake soaked in a lightly sweetened espresso mixture and topped with a thick and creamy mascarpone frosting. All of the best elements of tiramisu in cake form.
0 Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
2 Grease a 9”x13” baking dish and set aside for now
Make the cake…
3 Add 4 large eggs into a large bowl and use an electric hand mixer to whip on medium speed until bubbly
4 Gradually add 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar while continuing to mix on medium speed
5 Increase the speed to medium high and whip until pale, airy and more than doubled in volume
6 Sift 2 cups of all purpose flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt over the whipped eggs and gently mix only until mostly combined (this batter will be mixed a little more later, so don’t over mix at this point)
7 Place a saucepan over medium heat and add 8 tablespoons of butter and 1 cup of whole milk
8 Once the milk is steaming and the butter has melted, transfer the saucepan off of the heat and whisk in 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract, a tablespoon of espresso powder and a tablespoon of vegetable oil
9 Add the hot milk mixture into the rest of the batter and mix until fully incorporated
10 Add the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake on the center rack of a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick will come out of the center clean
11 Transfer onto a cooling rack or cutting board for now
Make the espresso soak…
13 Combine 3/4 cup of hot freshly brewed coffee with 1/4 cup of granulated sugar in a cup and stir until the sugar has dissolved
14 Stir in 2 tablespoons of whole milk and a teaspoon of vanilla extract
15 Use toothpicks, a fork or thin chopstick end to poke small holes all over the surface of the cake and brush the espresso soak all over the top surface of the cake
16 Set the cake aside to continue cooling
Make the mascarpone frosting…
18 Use an electric hand mixer to whip 8 ounces of mascarpone with 3/4 cup of heavy cream and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until completely combined
19 Sift 1 1/2 - 2 cups of confectioners sugar into the bowl and whip until thick and fluffy
Chill & assemble the cake…
21 Once the cake is completely cool, transfer the mascarpone frosting into a piping bag and pipe the frosting over the cake in your desired shape
22 Cover the cake and cool for a minimum of 4 hours before serving
23 Dust lightly with cocoa powder before serving
