Today, I feel like the most popular kid in school – because this week, I got to choose the recipe for TWD.
First and foremost, I’d like to thank Laurie (our illustrious leader) – because of her, we all get to participate in this awesome group. It has been quite a learning experience for me – and I’ve “met” some amazing people along the way.
I got to thinking the other day – what are we all going to do when we finish baking our way through the book? Seriously? Tuesdays will never be the same again!
While you ponder that thought – let’s get down to business. Let me say that this was a great cake and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did! I halved the cake recipe, which fit two 6″ round pans. I did not halve the filling/frosting because I wanted a nice thick layer between the cakes and it worked out perfectly.
Incidentally, did anyone attempt homemade mascarpone? Lindsay from Cafe Johnsonia was gracious enough to email to recipe to anyone that requested it, but I haven’t worked up the nerve to try it yet. I did find the mascarpone at Trader Joe’s for $3 per 8 oz container, which wasn’t a bad price at all.
The first Tiramisu I ever made was during a “weekend warrior” cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu here in Vegas. It was the traditional version with ladyfingers and lots of mascarpone cheese. I loved it then, and I love it now. I’d heard through the P’s & Q’s that some members were contemplating cupcakes – and I can’t wait to see them!
I’m posting the recipe backwards – meaning that the assembly directions (and my photos) are first, and the quantities are listed second. This way you can see what I did without having to scroll all the way down.
And for the record – Sabrina loved the cake, Alexander didn’t like it at all, and David ate a piece of lemon cake instead. My mom thought it was good, but my dad didn’t try it because coffee desserts give him agita (you know, indigestion).
And one more thing – (I sound like Columbo here) I’m going to be MIA for most of the morning, Sabrina is getting her braces today! But I plan on getting to everyone’s blog, it just will take me a day or two.
Here we go……………..
To assemble the cake: if the tops of the cake layers have crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even them. Place one layer right side up on a cardboard round or a cake plate protected with strips of wax or parchment paper.
Using a pastry brush or a small spoon, soak the layer with about one third of the espresso syrup.
Smooth some of the mascarpone cream over the layer – use about 1 ¼ cups – and gently press the chopped chocolate into the filling.
Put the second cake layer on the counter and soak the top of it with half the remaining espresso syrup:
Then turn the layer over and position it, soaked side down, over the filling. Soak the top of the cake with the remaining syrup.
For the frosting, whisk 1 to ½ tbs. of the remaining espresso extract into the remaining mascarpone filling. Taste the frosting as you go to decide how much extract you want to add. If the frosting looks like it might be a little too soft to spread over the cake, press a piece of plastic wrap against its surface and refrigerate it for 15 minutes or so. Refrigerate the cake, too.
With a long metal icing spatula, smooth the frosting around the sides of the cake and over the top.
If you want to decorate the cake with chocolate covered espresso beans, press them into the frosting, making concentric circles of beans or just putting some beans in the center of the cake.
Refrigerate the cake for at least 3 hours (or up to 1 day) before serving – the elements need time to meld.
Just before serving, dust the top of the cake with cocoa.
And serve:
Tiramisu Cake
For the cake:
2 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 ¼ sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
¾ cup buttermilk
For the espresso extract:
2 tbs. instant espresso powder
2 tbs. boiling water
For the espresso syrup:
½ cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbs. amaretto, Kahlua, or brandy
For the filling and frosting:
1 8-oz. container mascarpone cheese
½ cup confectioners sugar, sifted
1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbs. amaretto, Kahlua, or brandy
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 ½ oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped, or about ½ cup store bought mini chocolate chips
Chocolate covered espresso beans, for decoration (optional)
Cocoa powder, for dusting
Getting ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9 x 2 inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.
To make the cake: Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, and then the yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, adding the dry ingredients in three additions and the buttermilk in two (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.Bake for 28-30 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be golden and springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean. Transfer the cakes to a rack and cool then for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.
To make the extract: Stir the espresso powder and boiling water together in a small cup until blended. Set aside.
To make the syrup: Stir the water and sugar together in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil. Pour the syrup into a small heatproof bowl and stir 1 tablespoon of the espresso extract and the liqueur or brandy; set aside.
To make the filling and frosting: Put the mascarpone, sugar, vanilla and liqueur in a large bowl and whisk just until blended and smooth. Working with the stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, whip the heavy cream until it holds firm peaks. Switch to a rubber spatula and stir about one quarter of the whipped cream into the mascarpone. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream with a light touch.
Your cake looks fantastic!
By: Cristine on May 5, 2009
at 5:43 am
Great pick, Megan! LOL about your Dad’s agita!! We use that word quite a bit in our family, too. David’s lemon choice sounds pretty darn tasty!
Good luck to Sabrina with her braces!!! See you soon.
By: pamela on May 5, 2009
at 5:52 am
You did make a lot of bakers happy this week Megan. Your cake is so pretty and the step-by-steps are great. Thanks for the pick. That filling is my new favorite thing!
Nancy
By: Nancy/n.o.e on May 5, 2009
at 5:55 am
Your cake looks absolutely gorgeous! I really loved this one, thank you so much for picking the tiramisu cake!!
By: Marthe on May 5, 2009
at 6:00 am
Thank you Megan, for such a great pick this week! It was fun to make (can’t tell you yet if I liked it, for I haven’t tried it – still in the fridge macerating for more flavour!!!)
But if I take it from you (and because I’m a freak for coffee flavoured foods) …should have a great one tonight! lol
Beautiful!
By: vibi on May 5, 2009
at 6:09 am
Megan, you made my week w. your pick this week. Tiramisu is one of my fav desserts, so was very excited about making this cake. Thank goodness for Trader Joe’s – at $3 the mascarpone was a screamin’ deal.
Your cake looks so delicious….you did a fantastic job!
By: Linda @ Tender Crumb on May 5, 2009
at 6:11 am
your cake is beautiful, megan! thanks for choosing this recipe. i did make cupcakes, and they were so fun!
By: dharmagirl on May 5, 2009
at 6:17 am
Thanks for the pick! I had been wanting to make this for awhile now.
Yours looks great!
By: Amy on May 5, 2009
at 6:26 am
Awesome cake! Yeah, my “frosting” was not as thick as the others I’ve seen and would have slid off the sides. Guess I didn’t whisk the cream quite long enough?? (Should have just used Cool Whip-ha) It tasted good though.I had fun with this one, thanks, Megan!
You cake and instructions are great.
By: Katrina on May 5, 2009
at 6:29 am
looks just delicious! thanks for the pick–this was a fun one! hope the trip to the orthodontist goes well!!
By: steph (whisk/spoon) on May 5, 2009
at 6:30 am
Look at those sky-high layers! Your cake is gorgeous – thanks for picking this one. It’s such a large cake we’re still enjoying it 3 days later.
By: Jessica on May 5, 2009
at 6:36 am
That looks wonderful, Megan! I was going to try a 6-inch version as well, before my oven went on strike. I’ll have to remember not to halve the filling/frosting when I do get a chance to make this one.
By: Di on May 5, 2009
at 6:42 am
Great pick and I love that you halved the cake, but not the filling. This was a wonderful recipe and your pictures are gorgeous.
By: Mary on May 5, 2009
at 6:46 am
Great pick! I’m sad I didn’t have time to make it, but it’s definitely on my list to make up soon. Yours looks amazing
By: kim on May 5, 2009
at 6:51 am
You are most definitely the most popular kid in school…and at my house. I just loved this…thank you for picking it. Your cake looks much more like a proper layer cake than mine did…and it’s just making me wish I hadn’t share my leftovers!
Thanks again, Megan…and I’ll thank you again every time I make this!
By: audrey on May 5, 2009
at 6:58 am
I loved this recipe, and will be making it again soon! And once I finish the book, I’m going to go into serious sugar withdrawal, that’s for sure. Thank you!
By: macduff on May 5, 2009
at 7:21 am
Thanks for choosing this delicious cake! Yours looks wonderful. I also made a half batch, and I halved the filling/topping, too. Shouldn’t have done that. The filling was way too good for skimping.
Great choice!
By: Amy on May 5, 2009
at 7:27 am
Do you have all of the patience in the world!? Because seriously, that frosting job is AMAZING. Perfection! Looks like you picked a GREAT one this week! Thanks!
By: Teanna on May 5, 2009
at 7:43 am
This cake was so delish – thanks for choosing it! I also used half the cake, but all the frosting…yum!
By: Charli on May 5, 2009
at 7:44 am
Megan, Oh your cake looks so wonderful! I’m so sorry I skipped this week but I was away. But I am going to make this soon. It is just so pretty!
By: food librarian on May 5, 2009
at 7:45 am
Excellent choice, your cake looks BEAUTIFUL! Good luck with the braces this morning; I’m sure Sabrina will get a comforting treat later.
By: Margot on May 5, 2009
at 8:05 am
Megan, I am not an official Tuesdays with Dorie participant but I like to tag along on occasion — Tiramisu made for a great opportunity! This was delicious. I verified by looking at your photos that the icing was supposed to be a kind of blend of rough and fluffy, since that’s how mine came out too and I wasn’t sure if I had over-whipped the cream. Thanks!
By: KK Millet on May 5, 2009
at 8:06 am
Great photos, Megan! Your cake looks wonderful! And thanks so much for picking this recipe!! We’re all huge tiramisu fans at my house.
By: jayne on May 5, 2009
at 8:07 am
Beautiful job! Great choice, too. I have a feeling I’ll be making this again…
By: Joanna on May 5, 2009
at 8:21 am
Your cake looks so beautiful…..Really!! Nice job and the texture is fabulous. I enjoyed baking this weeks because it was easy to sample and share on the sly. he he Glad most of your family enjoyed too. Thank you for choosing tiramisu.
AmyRuth
By: AmyRuth on May 5, 2009
at 8:24 am
Megan, this was such a hit here with the guys…and I loved making it and making all the parts…mine looks a lot like yours, so that’s good! Thanks for the pick…it was a good one. You ARE the most popular kid in school today! Kudos to Megan!
By: Kayte on May 5, 2009
at 8:53 am
Thanks megan for choosing the recipe! it was favourite amongst my family and everyone loved it! pity I don’t have pictures to vouch for it. But making it in little cups made it almost similar to those dessert tiramisus! EXCELLENT choice!
By: Sihan on May 5, 2009
at 8:57 am
Looks fabulous! And great photos as well. Now I kind of wish I hadn’t sat this one out (but my waistline will thank me I’m sure).
By: Chris on May 5, 2009
at 9:04 am
Wow. What a pretty cake. Your frosting looks great. Great pick.
By: Kim on May 5, 2009
at 9:06 am
Oh man that looks so good… I can’t wait to try it.
By: Nic on May 5, 2009
at 9:33 am
This was a great pick Megan. I made mine into cupcakes and I had a fun time making them.
By: Sara on May 5, 2009
at 9:52 am
Thanks for the great pick! Your cake looks so good with all the filling and chocolate chips in the middle!
By: Jill on May 5, 2009
at 10:07 am
Megan, GREAT PICK! Thanks so much – as I may not have tried this on my own with all the assembly and different components – but now that I’ve made it once for TWD, I’m already wanting to make it again.
By: carmencooks on May 5, 2009
at 10:11 am
Beautiful cake, Megan! Thanks for the great pick this week!
By: LyB on May 5, 2009
at 10:45 am
Your cake is so tall!! Gorgeous! Thanks for the fun pick this week!
By: Karen on May 5, 2009
at 10:46 am
[...] this week, I got to choose the recipe for TWD.” And she’s right! This week, Megan chose Tiramisu Cake, which obviously from all the comments, was a very wise choice, indeed making her the most popular [...]
By: OSI: Megan of My Baking Adventures « Tuesdays with Dorie on May 5, 2009
at 11:11 am
Your cake looks perfect! Your frosting is perfect and how do you transfer it to the cake plate so neatly (is that parchment tucked under)? Thanks for the great pick!
I hope the braces go well!
By: Joy on May 5, 2009
at 11:36 am
I haven’t posted mine yet (coming…) but yours doesn’t even look like it came from the same recipe as mine. Mine – not so pretty. But very good. Great choice and enjoy your week in the spotlight!
By: Kelly D on May 5, 2009
at 11:51 am
Nice looking cake you made. How fun!
By: Michelle on May 5, 2009
at 11:52 am
Loved this recipe! Great pick and a beautiful cake
By: Spike on May 5, 2009
at 11:54 am
Thank you for choosing this! if my turn every came around and it hadn’t been chosen, I would have! LOL DELISH!
By: Amanda Formaro on May 5, 2009
at 11:56 am
THANK YOU so much for selecting this recipe. I really needed it this week. It is my favorite TWD recipe so far. It was incredible.
Your tiramisu looks wonderful! I love the cocoa powder on top.
By: pinkstripes on May 5, 2009
at 12:04 pm
A perfect choice for TWD! It was a lot of fun to take a traditional Tiramisu dessert and apply it to a cake. Loved it. Great post, too! Good luck with the braces.
By: Tammy on May 5, 2009
at 12:07 pm
Thanks for choosing this recipe! Yours came out beautifully!
By: Joelen on May 5, 2009
at 12:37 pm
Wow, that cake looks beautiful. I love following TWD, there are some awesome recipes! I’m glad I came across your blog, too, it looks like it’s I’ve got some great reading to catch up on!
By: Type A Mommy on May 5, 2009
at 12:44 pm
God Bless You for choosing this recipe this week! I LOVE LOVE LOVE tiramisu, and have honestly never made it. I am holding out til this weekend to make it for a function I am going to! Your cake looks fabulous! Thank you!!!!
By: Kimberly on May 5, 2009
at 12:47 pm
Your cake looks really fabulous! I found myself wishing for more syrup to soak the cake…
This was a very yummy recipe.
By: shortbreadsouth on May 5, 2009
at 12:48 pm
Thank you for picking this week.
Your cake looks great.
As for what we will do when we are through this book??? get another Dorie book!
By: chocolatechic on May 5, 2009
at 12:54 pm
Your cake looks beautiful!
Thank you for choosing the tiramisu.
I really enjoyed it!
By: isa on May 5, 2009
at 12:58 pm
What a great pick for this week! My friends thank you
By: Erin on May 5, 2009
at 1:57 pm
Your cake looks wonderful! I love the step by step photos! Thanks for your pick this week! I’ve had tiramisu a few times and never liked it, but Dorie’s version was delicious
By: Tracey on May 5, 2009
at 2:17 pm
This was delicious! I wished I had planned ahead enough to make mascapone. I took a class a few months ago to learn how and have yet to try it. I did manage to get to a brew supply store to buy tartaric acid so at least I have what I need to give it a try.
By: Carol Peterman on May 5, 2009
at 2:33 pm
That looks just amazing. I may have skipped the cake for this week, but it is certainly on my “to do” list. Great job!
By: Jules on May 5, 2009
at 2:54 pm
Your tiramisu looks so good…very elegant.
By: Juliana on May 5, 2009
at 2:56 pm
So glad you liked the cake. I love the way it looks in that 6-inch size.
By: dorie on May 5, 2009
at 3:30 pm
Thanks for hosting this week Megan! Your cake looks beautiful. Sorry to hear about your computer!! ugh! Thats just awful!
By: Courtney on May 5, 2009
at 4:02 pm
Yours looks awesome! Puts my little one to shame!
Thanks for hosting!
Good luck with the computer!
By: Tania on May 5, 2009
at 5:19 pm
Your cake looks fab Megan – so light and fluffy. Great pick this week.
By: Cakelaw on May 5, 2009
at 5:45 pm
Great pic! I love all the creamy filling
By: Amber Marie on May 5, 2009
at 5:58 pm
I am so sad I had to miss this week – I’ve heard so many rave reviews. It’s at the top of my rewind list! Yours looks incredible!
By: Cathy on May 5, 2009
at 7:11 pm
I was so excited about this weeks pick because it was yours!! It was very good.
I am sorry to hear about your computer. That really sucks.
Hope Sabrina’s braces went good today. I remember them….not fun.
By: Natalie on May 5, 2009
at 8:02 pm
Your cake looks lovely! Thank you for a fun pick. I loved the cake recipe for sure, even if I did change the rest quite a bit. Next time I may try making a tiramisu with hot cocoa syrups or something to try it that way.
By: Holly on May 5, 2009
at 8:15 pm
Great recipe choice! I just read about your computer! I am so sorry about that, but you are amazing to have back up’d everything. Your cake looks very tall and luscious. Thanks for choosing this dessert. It is a great one to know how to make!
By: Carolina on May 5, 2009
at 8:37 pm
Thanks for the best pick!! Actually, maybe I shouldn’t thank you because I ate so much of this cake..haha. I’m soo glad you chose this because i think I’m finally over my cake syrup aversion.
By: Steph on May 5, 2009
at 9:14 pm
You did a wonderful step by step job. And, it came out beautiful. Nice job.
By: Angela@spinachtiger on May 5, 2009
at 9:45 pm
Great recipe and great pick. I can’t wait to make this exactly as called for – soon, I promise! Glad you got this up before the computer disaster, that would have been so sad. And, your cake looks Awesome.
By: Mermaid Sweets on May 5, 2009
at 11:41 pm
It looks absolutely beautiful. Great pictures and a great choice. I used the same chocolate chips, so your middle picture looks almost identical to mine (good to know that I’m close to having the right cake).
Thanks for the pick!
By: Jennifer on May 6, 2009
at 12:09 am
It looks good but you lost me at the espresso syrup. We are not coffee fans at all here, bleh, hate the stuff. But the cake looks good.
By: Jenny on May 6, 2009
at 4:26 am
You ARE the most popular one today. Congrats! Nice cake, sorry about your computer
By: Jacque on May 6, 2009
at 5:21 am
Your cake came out so much bigger then mine I am jealous! It looks great! Thanks for this pick it was the best yet
By: Danielle on May 6, 2009
at 6:05 am
So beautiful! Thanks for picking this one for us, it was super!
By: Leslie on May 6, 2009
at 7:04 am
My goodness, this looks to die for!! Excuse me while I wipe the drool from my chin.
By: April on May 6, 2009
at 8:41 am
Thanks for the great pick!!
By: Jodie on May 6, 2009
at 9:49 am
Your cake looks high and light and beautiful. I enjoyed this recipe as well. Thanks!
By: Shari on May 6, 2009
at 1:21 pm
your cake looks amazing. thanks for such a great pick, we really liked this one!!
By: Karen on May 6, 2009
at 5:00 pm
Megan, thanks for the great pick! (I was so done with tarts for awhile)
Love your blog, too. So fun to read and the pictures are awesome.
Excellent job with your cake. It looks like a complete SUCCESS!
By: Sugar B on May 6, 2009
at 9:42 pm
Thank you for hosting! Your cake looks fantastic!
By: Michele on May 6, 2009
at 11:54 pm
Your cake looks awesome!
By: karen on May 7, 2009
at 9:57 am
Thank you so much for picking my second fav cake or desert wow the diet starts next week Haah You make the most beautiful cakes and you are such a beautiful lady You go girl and i hope you have a wonderful Mothers day. My best to you Cheers Love and Blessings to you and yours Cheyenne I live in Anthem in Henderson up on a high hill and when i bake or cook the coyotes get to smell the food we feed rabbits and now a little desert mouse yes they all stay out side but eat real well. My cats make sure they know there place but they do get to share the goodies All my best now to the cake Whooo Hoooo
By: Cheyenne Renard on May 8, 2009
at 10:44 am
Awesome pick! I absolutely love tiramisu, so this was just perfect. Yours looks like it turned out amazing!
By: Caitlin on May 9, 2009
at 2:24 pm
Just looking at your photos makes me wish I still had some of this cake in the fridge. I really looked forward to my little evening pick-me-up!
By: Judy on May 10, 2009
at 10:09 pm
I saw it in a portuguese blog and I couldn’t resist! After a lot of praises, I came here to see your cake. Looks fabulous! I loved the step-by-step!
By: Talita Gomes on June 26, 2009
at 2:50 pm
Sounds like a great pick for this week! Looks beautiful…
By: Kim on June 29, 2009
at 7:18 am