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A Vanilla Tiramisu Cake…for your weekend baking. Vanilla-infused sour cream cake swirled with chocolate chunks and soaked in sweet coffee syrup. This cake is no fuss, easy to mix up, and SO DELICIOUS! Every bite is layered with chocolate and moist coffee-soaked vanilla cake crumbs. Finish the cake with the creamiest whipped mascarpone frosting and a heavy dusting of cocoa powder for that classic tiramisu finish. Bonus? It’s simpler to make than you’d think, and so very pretty…with very little effort.
Happy Friday guys! We made it to the end of the week, and are also to the end of January! It’s crazy that tomorrow is the last day of the month and that we’re already making our way through 2021.
I guess this could be looked at as a celebratory cake! Maybe you’ve stuck with your New Year’s resolutions…or maybe you’ve broken them all. Either way, we’re going to celebrate with tiramisu. Because really, why not?! These are odd times, with lots of downtime at home…so let’s eat cake!
The inspiration.
This recipe started out completely different. But then I remembered about the tiramisu cupcakes that I have in the very first HBH cookbook. And the sound of a cake made with the flavors of a classic Tiramisu was just too good. So I switched gears a bit and created this cake. Normally desserts take me a while to test and re-test, but this one was perfect the very first time around.
Love when that happens! It just means this dessert was really meant to be shared!
The funny thing is that I have yet to make a classic tiramisu, that will be next! For now, this cake is the perfect quick fix when craving something sweet and creamy like a classic Tiramisu. It might just be better! That coffee-soaked vanilla cake with that very generous layer of mascarpone cream.
So super simple. And so insanely delicious.
I cannot wait to tell you guys about it. This cake is SO GOOD.
(frosting on cake)
Here is how you make the cake.
Surprisingly, this Vanilla Tiramisu Cake is actually really simple to make. Cream some butter with a touch of sugar. Then add eggs and sour cream.
Now, the sour cream is KEY. You can also use Greek yogurt, but I’ve decided that sour cream will give you the best flavor and the most amount of moisture too. This is just my second time baking with sour cream and it is quickly becoming one of my favorite ingredients to bake with. It’s a game-changer and I’m just a little bit obsessed.
Once all the wet ingredients have been mixed. Simply beat in the flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Then stir in lots of chocolate chunks. You can use semi-sweet or dark chocolate here, but the key is to give the chunks a good chopping before adding to the batter. You want them to be lightly swirled throughout the cakes, so small pieces are best.
And now you bake this up in a good ole’ cake pan. Nothing too fancy. I am sure you could also do cupcakes too, which would be very cute!
Onto the coffee glaze.
The way tiramisu is made is by dipping ladyfingers in coffee. For this cake, I make a sweetened coffee glaze and brush it over the top of the cake after baking. The glaze slowly sinks into the cake, creating a creamy, moist, and delicious coffee-infused cake crumb.
It. Is. SO GOOD!
Now that frosting…
If you LOVE tiramisu, you know that a classic tiramisu is really all about that oh so creamy and thick layer of mascarpone. It’s essential to a GOOD tiramisu. So, to keep that flavor and texture, I made a simple whipped mascarpone frosting.
It’s just mascarpone cheese whipped with cream and a touch of vanilla. Seems so easy and simple, but do not let that fool you. It makes for the creamiest frosting, and is just perfect atop this cake.
Every bite of this cake is filled with sweet vanilla flavors. And the whipped mascarpone cream on top is that final extra special touch that really elevates this cake above others. Trust me, I know this is different, but it’s different in a very delicious way.
This cake is perfect for just about any occasion as well…like when you’re in need of a sweet cake to bake up over the weekend! It’s COLD out, so stay inside and do a little weekend baking. Trust me, you will be a happier person because of it.
Looking for more quick wintery desserts? Here are a few to try:
5 Minute Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Mug Cake
Lastly, if you make this Vanilla Tiramisu Cake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Vanilla Tiramisu Cake
Servings: 10
Calories Per Serving: 563 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup chopped semi-sweet or dark chocolate
- 1/3 cup brewed very strong coffee
- 1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)
- 1-2 tablespoons honey
Frosting
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) mascarpone or cream cheese, at room temperate
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1-2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease an 8 or 9 inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper. 2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until combined. Add the sour cream and 1 tablespoon vanilla, beating until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold in the chocolate chunks. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.3. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, until the center is just set. Let cool 5-10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert the cake onto a plate, flip it back over onto a serving plate. Let cool.4. In a small saucepan, combine the coffee, rum, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and honey. Bring to a boil over high heat, boil 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Let cool slightly. Brush the top of the cake with coffee syrup, repeating until all syrup has been used. Allow the cake to absorb the liquid for 30 minutes.5. Using an electric mixer, whip the mascarpone/cream cheese until smooth. Add the cream and whip until soft peaks form. Add the honey and vanilla. Whip once more until combined. Dollop frosting onto the cake. Dust generously with cocoa powder just before serving. Cake will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Notes
To Make Gluten Free: Use an equal amount of your favorite gluten free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour. I recommend Cup4Cup gluten free flour.
unfortunately it was slack baked and bitter 🙁
Hi there,
So sorry to hear this recipe was not enjoyed, please let me know how I can help! xx
This cake is amazing! Better than original tiramisu, I used 1/2 of the coffee syrup I was afraid it would be too much, but it could have taken it. The frosting is amazing too..
Hi Patti,
Happy Sunday!! I love to hear that this recipe was tasty, thanks a lot for making it! xxT
“There is a difference between US and Australian cup measures – a US cup is 240ml and an Australian cup is 250ml”
“The unit of measurement varies by region: a United States tablespoon is approximately 14.8 ml (0.50 US fl oz), a United Kingdom and Canadian tablespoon is exactly 15 ml (0.51 US fl oz), and an Australian tablespoon is 20 ml (0.68 US fl oz)”
Or would the ratio be the same? If needs be I can always just use grams etc.
Hi Billie,
I would probably just follow the metric measurements for best results. I hope this helps! xx
Hello,
Would this still work with Australian cups?
THX.
Hi Billie,
I would follow the metric measurements for this recipe! Let me know how it turns out! xx
Do you use 1/4 cup or 4 oz of Mascarpone cheese in the topping? 1/4 cup is only 2 oz ?
Hi Cheryl,
You will want to use 1/2 cup of mascarpone. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
So I tried this recipe for a friends birthday because he loves coffee! The cake turned out dry and I was pretty upset. I kept thinking I should have drenched it in the coffee syrup to give it more of the tiramisu flavor.
But, the next morning I had a slice, and it was delightful. Just like tiramisu, this cake also needs to rest for a good 24 hours! It has such a light coffee flavor almost like a sweet coffee drink. Only thing I would change is how I put the coffee syrup, I would probably put some syrup on the top and on the bottom (may be cut it into half and put some in between so it just reaches all the places).
Also, for everyone saying its dry, it is a tiramisu cake not a tiramisu, so it will have a different texture, but the best part is you can easily customize it by adding more coffee syrup!
Hey there,
Happy Sunday!! I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback!! I love to hear that it was enjoyed:) xxT
I’ve made this four times. Everyone loves it! I usually make a bit more frosting, as they all love it.
I’m wondering if you use covection bake when baking? I do, and try to adjust the timing. It usually works, not always. Any tricks to it with something like this?
Thanks for this wonderful recipe (making again tomorrow for a pre-Mother’s Day party) and look forward to it, as will the family!
Hey Wendy,
Thanks for your comment! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed:) Sorry, I always use conventional bake so I don’t really have the timing experience with convection. Have a great weekend! xxTieghan
I have to agree, this is very dry… wouldn’t make again 🙁
Hi Becky,
So sorry to hear the recipe was not enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan
I did this recipe for a birthday day party of a friend and it was a hit.
I took though in consideration the comments and I doubled the yoghurt, chocolate and the rum in the syrup.
It was delicious!
Hi Sofia,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed!! Have the best week:) xTieghan
Made this last year and as other reviews noted, I found it a bit dry/dense. Decided to make it again because I loved the flavors – this time I carefully measured the flour and was generous with the chocolate chunks, Greek yogurt, and honey in both components. I was also more patient brushing on the syrup and poked holes in the cake with a fork to help it absorb. It was moist, fluffy, and absolutely delicious, thank you so much for the recipe! Will definitely be making again.
Hey Liza,
Happy Sunday!! Love hearing that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it!! xxT
Hi Tieghan,
I made this today. Delicious. Not overly sweet. You continue to amaze me! Every recipe of yours that I have tried (almost every night for six months) has been yummy!
Thank you,
Heidi Lantagne
Repost with rating!
Hey Heidi,
Awesome!! Love to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for making it. Have the best week:) xT
Hi Tieghan,
I made this today. Delicious. Not overly sweet. You continue to amaze me! Every recipe of yours that I have tried (almost every night for six months) has been yummy!
Thank you,
Heidi Lantagne
Hey Heidi,
Awesome!! Love to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for making it. Have the best week:) xT
I wonder if there was an ingredient missing from the cake- the texture was so dense and had large holes in it when cut. I could not taste the chocolate pieces in the cake. Even the coffee blend wasn’t anywhere near enough to soften the cake once soaked in and could barely be tasted either.
Frosting was the best part. I would not make this cake again – so disappointed given the appetizing photo.
Hi Lisa,
So sorry to hear this recipe was not enjoyed, was there anything you may have adjusted? All of the ingredients and instructions are correct. Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
I enjoyed this because it is not so sweet.
Hey Debbie,
Fantastic!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
I made this today, and I thought it was missing something.
My cake was a little on the dry side and I would double the frosting.
Hi Holly,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, sorry it was not enjoyed. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xTieghan
I had to cook mine longer. It was still not done in the middle. Not sure if it was my oven or me living in California. Different altitudes change bake time. The cake was dry and I did everything the recipe called for. I’ll try it one more time and see what happens. I get not every recipe comes out the exact way you want it. Enjoyed the process.
Hey Eva,
So sorry to hear this! Was there anything you adjusted in the recipe? What did you bake the cake at? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan