Food blogger and writer Jane Dunn has shared the recipe for her next-level Tiramisu Layer Cake, promising it's 'even better' than the dessert you know and love.
Dunn is behind popular social media page Jane's Patisserie, where she shows followers how to whip up a range of sweet treats and the occasional savoury dish.
For her latest creation, she's taken inspiration from a popular Italian pud, giving it a unique twist by replacing sponge fingers with layers of sponge cake.
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“Tiramisu is one of the most iconic and classic desserts in the world, and my gosh, do I adore it!" Dunn said.
"Typically it has a layer of coffee-soaked sponge fingers, with a whipped mascarpone topping. Oh my. However, translating that idea into a layered sponge cake is EVEN BETTER."
The cake uses all the traditional flavours of a tiramisu, but levels it up into the perfect centrepiece cake.
Dunn explained: “I make a moist and light sponge cake, soak it with a coffee sugar syrup, then decorate it with a sweetened coffee soft cheese frosting, and it is so tasty. This cake is 100% the cake I would bring to a party and maybe just sit and eat myself, as I wouldn’t want to share.”
Tiramisu Layer Cake recipe
Ingredients
(Serves 15+)
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- 400g unsalted butter or baking spread, at room temperature
- 400g soft light brown sugar
- 400g self-raising flour
- 7 eggs
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- For the syrup
- 100ml water
- 100g soft light brown sugar
- 2tbsp instant coffee
- 75ml Kahlúa
- For the frosting
- 200g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 200g icing sugar
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 1tsp instant coffee, dissolved and cooled
- 400g full-fat soft cheese
- 1tsp cocoa powder
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan and line three 20cm round cake tins with parchment paper.
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2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until combined. Add the flour, eggs and vanilla extract to the bowl and beat again. Split the mixture between the three tins and bake for 30–35 minutes.
3. For the syrup: While the cakes bake, add the water, sugar, instant coffee and Kahlúa to a pan. Heat over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Soak into the baked cakes once they are out of the oven and leave them to cool fully in the tins.
4. For the frosting: Beat the butter in a large bowl on its own for a couple of minutes until smooth. Add the icing sugar, vanilla extract and cooled coffee and mix again until smooth. Add the soft cheese, and beat in fully. Layer the sponges with the frosting, until you reach the top layer – I like to pipe mine onto the top, but you can swirl it over and sprinkle it with cocoa powder.
Dunn adds you can make the recipe alcohol-free by leaving out the coffee liqueur and replacing it with more instant coffee dissolved in water, or just more water.
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You can also make the sponges chocolate-flavoured by replacing 75g of self-raising flour with 75g of cocoa powder.
Jane’s Patisserie: Classic by Jane Dunn is published in hardback by Ebury Press, priced £25. Photography by Ellis Parrinder.
Jess Hardiman