Chocolate Tiramisu Cake

It was my sister’s birthday on the  weekend and since she was with me this time I decided to make it special for her. I asked her to choose the cake and she wanted a chocolate cake which is soft like a pastry/dessert cake with some fresh cream or something similar. I brain stormed for a while and then came up with this Tiramisu cake which she happily approved. I have made Tiramisu as a  dessert several times with sponge fingers and that’s one of my favourite desserts and I knew if it’s a Tiramisu cake it will be even better and I was right. It was utterly delicious and she absolutely loved it and we all finished the cake even  before I could take a picture of the cut slice to show you all the beautiful thin layers which I was really proud of.To be honest  it was the first time my hands was so sturdy to cut such thin layers to make the 4 layered cake.

 Recipe source  for sponge- BBC good food

Recipe for fillling - My Tiramisu dessert and here

Ingredients  - serves ( 8-10)

For the chocolate sponge ( I use 200 ml cup)

Plain flour- 100 gm( 1 tbs less than I cup)

Sugar – 140gm ( ¾ cup)

Butter – 50 gm /1/4 cup (melted)

Cocoa powder – 25 gm

Eggs – 4 large

Baking powder – ½ tsp

Vanilla extract – 1 tsp

Salt – pinch

For the filling( cooked egg version)

Egg yolks – 3

Caster Sugar – 2 tbsp + 1 tbs

Icing sugar / powdered sugar – 8 tbs or as per your sweetness

Tia maria or any coffee liqueur – 4 tbsp( 2+2)

Coffee-  ½ cup( dissolve ½ tsp instant coffee in ½ cup of boiling water)

Whipping cream – 500 ml

Mascarpone cheese- 250gm

Grated chocolate – 1/3 cup

Vanilla extract – 1tsp

Method

Making the cake

• Measure flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt in a mixing bowl and keep it aside.
• Beat eggs with sugar and vanilla extract until its thick and trebled in volume for about 5-8 minutes.
• Sieve the dry ingredients from mixing bowl to the egg mixture and fold in gently.
• Add in the cooled melted butter and gently fold in.
• Divide and pour the batter into two 8 inch cake tins and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degree Celsius for about 10-12 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
• Cut  each layer horizontally into two and you will get 4 layers of cake.

Making the coffee

• Dissolve ½ tsp of instant coffee powder in ½ cup boiling water, add 2 tbs of coffee liqueur, 1 tbs of sugar, vanilla extract and keep it aside.

Preparing the filling

• In a heat proof bowl place three egg yolks, add 2 tbs of sugar and 2 tbs of coffee liqueur and place it over a barely simmering pan of water and beat with and electric beater for about 5-8 minutes or until its thick and volume has trebled.
• Remove from heat and let it come to room temperature and then add mascarpone cheese and beat.
• Whip double cream with icing sugar until soft peaks are formed.
• Fold the whipped cream to the cheese egg mixture.

Assembling the cake

• Place the first layer of cake on a cake board and brush it with prepared coffee, let the cake soak the coffee.
• Spread the filling on top of it and sprinkle some grated chocolate on top.
• Repeat the same for the other 3 layers.
• Decorate the cake as you like. I placed some sponge fingers on the side and did a small piping on the border and centre.
• Chill the cake until its ready to be served.