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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.
So sad, not sure what went wrong but after I garnished it and cut it, it did not have a cake consistency, it looked more like a pudding cake. I reviewed all the ingredients, used them all…hubby still liked it and loved the frosting.
Hey Madeline,
So sorry to hear this. It is hard to say what could have gone wrong without seeing the final result? Was there anything adjusted? A different baking method used? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
I made this last weekend – the flavors were very good but the cake was so dense that it ended up just not being good. I wondered if I baked it too long? I know the recipe said “until just set” but that’s hard to quantify and maybe that was it? Disappointing because it tasted good.
Hey Jeanne,
So sorry about this! Was there anything you may have adjusted in the recipe? Next time maybe bake a little less. I hope this helps! xTieghan
Divine! Mother in law said it was the best cake she’s ever tasted 🙂 We enjoyed every bite! And it was so simple. Thank you, Tieghan!
Hey Kim,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
This recipe is soooo good! I only made two mistakes. I almost, almost, over-whipped the cream, because I didn’t realize how fast it would be with the addition of the mascarpone. And I should have poked a few holes in the cake before painting on the drizzle so it would have soaked in a little further. Oh my. Now I need to make another one!
Hey Sera,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
So good! I don’t like coffee so I subbed the coffee for hot chocolate and it turned out delicious. Very easy recipe!
Hey Kiley,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Thanks! xTieghan
I don’t personally love tiramisu, but my mom loves it. So I tried making her this cake for her birthday. I found that the cake itself was really dense. And I don’t know if that’s because of soaking the coffee, or if I just did something wrong. But overall it ended up tasting pretty good!
Hey Adrienne,
So sorry to hear this, was there anything you may have adjusted? I am glad it still tasted okay:) xTieghan
I made this with Bob’s red mill cup for cup gluten free flour. Unfortunately it was not very good. Came out very dense and hard. I feel like it would be really good with regular flour, I would try again. I also added powder sugar to the frosting.
Hey Melissa,
So sorry to hear this, let me know if I can help in anyway! xTieghan
Made this last night and it was a huge hit! Used an 8 inch circle cake pan and cook time was closer to 35 mins. Absolutely delicious!
Hey Alanna,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Amazing recipe, tastes delicious! I’ve made this twice and my family and I have loved it both times. Not sure if I messed up a technique with the batter; both times my cake did not seem to rise much, and the texture of the cake was stodgy rather than fluffy. I used Greek yoghurt, not sure if that could have caused this.
Hey Hayley,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Was your baking powder fresh? Happy Valentine’s Day❤️ xTieghan
This was so easy and delicious!
Hey Ashley,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Happy Valentine’s Day❤️ xTieghan
Sadly this was a miss for me. The cake was super dense which gave it an unpleasant texture (I had suspicions when the batter was so thick).
The idea is great and the marscapone icing is delicious but for me, the cake itself is not a hit. Maybe will try it again with a different cake recipe.
Hey Maddie,
So sorry you did not enjoy the recipe, let me know if I can help in anyway! xTieghan
Was a big yummy in our tummies kinda thing! ?
Hey Andrea,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Happy Valentine’s Day❤️ xTieghan
Hello, Tiegan,
Made this cakes yesterday no problems with ingredients measurements
It is like you said lots of deliciousness. ??
Hey Lupe,
I am so glad that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
I made this for my daughter-in-laws birthday. Fabulous!
I was worried that it was only an 8″ one layer cake…no worries there.
It was a perfect special occasion cake!
Hey Elizabeth,
I am thrilled you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan
This was the most amazing cake I have ever baked. It was pretty easy to make, and I couldn’t believe how delicious it was! I added a little ground coffee sprinklers in addition to the shaved chocolate on top. SO good. It’s def my new favorite and I’ll make this over and over agin. Well, for special occasions! I used marscapone not cream cheese, and I used sour cream, not Greek yogurt. The frosting was outstanding! So much yum! Thank you!!
Hey Julie,
I am thrilled you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan