Tiramisu Layer Cake

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My Tiramisu Cake features moist espresso soaked cake with a creamy mascarpone frosting. It is is the ultimate mashup of two of my favorite desserts and people ask for the recipe before they've even finished their first bite!

a 3 layer slice of tiramisu cake with mascarpone frosting, a dusting of cocoa powder, and an espresso bean.

I love making unique cakes for family members birthdays. I always make my mom my Reese's Cake, my fiancé my banana cake, and myself this cookie dough cake. My coffee loving cousin always requests this Tiramisu cake.

What Makes Our Recipes Unique: A Sprinkle of Food Science

It Uses Milk: Using milk instead of the water called for on the box adds fat and sugar to make the super moist and tender.
It Uses Butter Instead of Oil: This adds a richer flavor.
Coffee Soak: This adds a note of bitterness to cut through the the sweetness and also helps keep it moist for days!
Mascarpone Frosting: Just like the classic dessert mascarpone adds that classic flavor and velvety texture.

Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips

ingredients including cake mix, milk, butter, eggs, espresso powder, mascarpone, cream cheese, and powdered sugar.

Butter: I like using unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt. Be sure butter is softened not melted. You should be able to make an indent by lightly touching it with your finger. Around one hour on the counter will do the trick, or slice it into smaller pieces to speed up the process.
Milk: Use whole milk for the best texture.
Cream Cheese: Grab brick style not tub style cream cheese. It also needs to be softened at room temp. for around an hour. You can also dunk the sealed foil pack in warm not hot water if you're short on time.
Cocoa Powder: Sift first to avoid large lumps. I like the darker color and milder flavor of Dutch Cocoa for dusting. Natural has a sharper flavor that can be too bitter here for my taste.
Instant Espresso: This will dissolve better than Instant Coffee. I like Delallo.
Eggs: Use room temperature eggs to help them mix in smoothly. Around 30 minutes on the counter or a few minutes in a glass of warm (not hot) water will do the trick.
Mascarpone: This is one ingredient I suggest using cold out of the fridge. Because of its high fat content is can loosen quickly if warm or overworked. I like the Galbani brand Trader Joe's store brand is also very good!
- If you cannot find it you can use more cream cheese just be aware the flavor will be tangier and the texture will be not be exactly the same.

a 4 image collage showing how to layer, soak, and frost a tiramisu cake.

Krystle's Tips: Steal My Culinary School Secrets

Weigh Batter: I'm terrible at eyeballing raw batter. I weight my batter in the pans to ensure the layers are even. This not only looks better, but also helps them bake evenly.
Level Your Cake: Cut off cake domes with a cake leveler or sharp knife to make stacking them easier. Bonus: This puts the soft interior in direct contact with the filling to help them absorb moisture and flavor!
Don't Overbake: Overbaking makes cake dry. Bake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. If you see raw batter keep baking a few minutes at a time. The goal isn't for the toothpick to be clean as that can be a sign of overbaking.
Smooth Frosting Trick: I frost my cakes on a turntable with an offset spatula for bakery smooth frosting every time.
Always Do a Crumb Coat: Apply a light coating of frosting and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. This "seals" in loose crumbs for a nicer finish. Please see the image below for what it should look like.