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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.

overhead photo of Vanilla Tiramisu Cake

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!

prep photo of Vanilla Tiramisu Cake before baking

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.

prep photo of Vanilla Tiramisu Cake after baking with a dollop of frosting on top

(frosting on cake)

Vanilla Tiramisu Cake with frosting

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.

process photo of Vanilla Tiramisu Cake being dusted with cocoa

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!

overhead close up photo of Vanilla Tiramisu Cake

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!

side angled photo of Vanilla Tiramisu Cake slice

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.

Vanilla Tiramisu Cake | halfbakedharvest.com

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.

side photo of Vanilla Tiramisu Cake

Looking for more quick wintery desserts? Here are a few to try:

Hot Chocolate Lace Cookies

Salted Caramel Brûlée Latte

Homemade Vegan Twix Bars

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

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
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

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. 
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side angled photo of Vanilla Tiramisu Cake

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