Layered Tiramisu Sponge Cake
This Layered Tiramisu Cake is a light, airy sponge cake brushed with a coffee-rum and layered with a silky Italian Meringue Buttercream for a showstopper dessert!
Ingredients you’ll need:
- granulated cane sugar
- cream of tartar
- eggs – lots of them!
- fine salt
- baking powder
- all purpose flour
- unsalted butter
- strongly brewed coffee
- marsala wine, or rum
- vanilla extract
- heavy cream
Troubleshooting the Italian Meringue Buttercream:
Italian Meringue Buttercream is one the silkiest, most amazing in both texture and flavor cake frosting recipes! It seems intimidating but I promise you it’s so easy once you understand the overall concept:
- beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and smaller portion of sugar until stiff peaks
- boil the larger portion of sugar and water to make a sugar syrup
- gradually pour the sugar syrup into the stand mixer while beating (to create a meringue)
- once the meringue has cooled off, gradually add in the butter to beat until thick
- you’re done!
A HUGE tip when making Italian Meringue Buttercream is make sure your meringue has completely cooled off BEFORE adding the butter. Otherwise, your softened butter will melt rather than thicken up the frosting.
However, if this does happen – do not worry!! – just place it in the fridge until super chilled (about 20-40 minutes) and then beat with the paddle attachment until thickened like normal buttercream.
I made this Layered Tiramisu Cake for my beautiful friend’s engagement party, and decorated it with homemade sprinkles. You can find the homemade sprinkles recipe with nontoxic, all natural food coloring options on my blogpost here.
Bake with me!
Layered Tiramisu Sponge Cake
Ingredients
For the Sponge Cake:
- 12 large Eggs separated
- 1 1/2 cups Granulated Cane Sugar
- 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp. Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp. Fine Baking Salt
For the Espresso Mixture:
- 1 cup Strongly Brewed Coffee
- 1/4 cup Marsala Wine or 2-3 tbsp. Rum
For the Italian Meringue Buttercream:
- 1 1/2 cups + 1/3 cup Granulated Cane Sugar
- 1/2 cup Water
- 4 Egg Whites
- 1/4 tsp. Cream of Tartar
- 16 oz Softened Unsalted Butter cubed
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Cocoa Powder for decorating
(Optional) For the Coffee Pour Over:
- 1 cup Strongly Brewed Coffee
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream or whole milk
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- Marsala Wine or Rum to preference
Instructions
For the Sponge Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Butter four 9″ cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Separate the egg whites and egg yolks.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks, about 6-8 minutes.
- While whisking on Medium speed, gradually add the egg yolks.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Sift into the egg whites mixture and mix just until combined.
- Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
- You may need to bake in batches of two cake pans at a time. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until set in the center and golden on top.
- Let cool in the cake pans for 10 minutes, then flip upside down on a clean, non stick surface to cool completely.
For the Coffee Mixture:
- Mix all ingredients until well combined.
For the Italian Meringue Buttercream:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar, and 1/3 cup sugar. Beat on HIGH speed until stiff peaks, about 6-8 minutes.
- In the meantime, combine the water and remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Use a candy thermometer to heat up to 235F, stirring occasionally.
- While the stand mixer is on Medium speed, gradually pout in the sugar syrup. Beat until cool to touch, about 8-10 minutes.
- If the meringue is still warm, place in the fridge for 10-30 minutes to cool down.
- Switch out the whisk attachment for the paddle attachment. While on Medium speed, gradually add in the cubed softened butter. Beat until a thick and silky meringue buttercream.
- TIP: If the mixture seems to thin, place back in the fridge for 20-40 minutes, then beat again until thickened.
- Fold in the vanilla extract.
To Assemble the Tiramisu Cake:
- Generously brush each sponge cake layer with the coffee mixture on both sides.
- Frost each cake layer with the Italian Meringue buttercream, then dust with cocoa powder to serve.
To Serve:
- Store in a tall cake container at room temperature up the night before serving, then in the fridge up to 4-5 days.
- Mix together all the coffee pour over ingredients. Serve alongside the cake for an extra moist cake that resembles tiramisu!
I truly hope you all enjoy this treasured recipe that has nestled its way into our hearts here in the ABM kitchen! ’till next time… xxL
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
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how long do you think the cake would keep if I need to make it in advance? I know you were able to make the layers a day prior, but I would have to make it 3 days before my event this week and i would LOVE to have it homemade!!
Hi Kira! So I’m assuming you are trying to assemble it three days in advance? If so, I would get a tall (and preferably airtight) cake container on Amazon or at a baking store and then store in the fridge until the day of. I would let sit at room temperature for an hour or so to help soften the frosting a bit! The coffee-rum (or marsala wine) mixture can also be prepped way in advance! Actually, I found this cake gets better over time too!
can i substitute de cane sugar with regular sugar?? or brown sugar?
You could definitely substitute with regular sugar!
Those layers on this tiramisu sponge cake look insane—definitely trying this soon!
Awe yay! Hope you enjoy it!!
Making this for a Bridal Shower. Can I make the sponge cakes ahead and freeze them?
Yes, you can make the cake layers in advance and once they’re fully cooled, just wrap them in parchment paper then tightly in plastic wrap 🙂
Hi Lauren, this looks like an amazing recipe! I was wondering – I want to make this cake but golf themed – 1 can I add food colouring to the butter cream? and 2. Is it easy to pipe with if I put it through one of those grass pipe nozzles?
Oh em gee how FUN!! You could absolutely add green food coloring or matcha to the buttercream to get that green color. And yes, this frosting is super easy for piping. If it softens at any point, just place in the fridge to harden and re-mix for 30 seconds 😉
So delicious! I singled the recipe and made it into a two layered 9 x 13 cake for a grad party and it easily served 30 people. I loved that it was light and airy and not sickeningly sweet:)