This week’s TWD was chosen by Megan of My Baking Adventures: tiramisu cake! My experience with tiramisu is fairly limited. I’ve had it once or twice but, to be honest, I haven’t really enjoyed it. So, I knew this week would be interesting. I was curious whether I’d like Dorie’s recipe…the ingredient list didn’t scare me so I held out hope!
Speaking of Dorie’s recipe, it’s really quite simple. There are quite a few steps (and it took me FOREVER to put this cake together for some reason) but each step is super easy. Dorie uses a yellow cake as the base for the tiramisu instead of ladyfingers. Both layers of the cake are soaked with an espresso syrup and a mascarpone/whipped cream mixture is used for filling and frosting the cake. There are also pieces of chocolate in between the layers, which I thought added some textural contrast to the soft cake and frosting.
One thing is for sure this week. My cake won’t be winning any beauty contests! I was racing against the clock to get some pictures taken before it got dark so I didn’t have much time to decorate. I decided to “dust” the cake with cocoa powder and I think it ended up looking really messy. Oh well, in the end what matters is how it tastes and I’m really excited to say that I liked this tiramisu!! The yellow cake was amazing and I couldn’t stop eating the mascarpone/whipped cream mixture as I frosted the cake. I’m not knowledgeable enough about tiramisu to know how Dorie’s recipe differs from others I have tried in the past, but I know I’ll come back to this recipe again if I ever need to make tiramisu!
Many thanks for Megan for helping me find a tiramisu I actually like! Pick up a copy of Dorie’s book to find the recipe or head over to Megan’s site to give it a shot. You can also check out the other (much prettier!) tiramisu cakes over at the TWD site.
Wasn’t this one delicious? I bet yours was wonderful with the mascarpone cream and the cocoa (and I think it looks great!)
Yum! I think it still looks delicious!
I think your cake looks great! I haven’t made mine yet, and won’t be able to try it with the marscapone, but I have some eager testers. Glad you liked it.
Your cake looks great! I loved the base cake recipe… YUM!
That piece of cake looks delicious! I made the recipe into cupcakes and absolutely loved them!
I think your cake looks just lovely with the cocoa powder. It sounds absolutely delicious!
Oh I think it looks terrific just the way you did it!
I had trouble with lighting as well – and almost forgot to take a picture of the finished product!
I think that is the nicest cake i’ve seen so far!! Lovely job!!!!
What do you mean, it’s not winning any beauty contests?! That cake is GORGEOUS! The frosting is perfection and the layers are perfection! So glad you loved it!
LOL I did the same… couldn’t stop eating the frosting as I went! LOL
Yours is simply beautiful, perfectly done. Bravo, Tracey!
Looks wonderful! I loved this recipe, so delish! I did an interview with Dorie if you want to stop by my blog π
I think your cake gets the top Model award for being so pretty. I love it! I made cupcakes.
Oh, I don’t think it looks messy at all..it looks wonderfully tasty and so cute with all that dusting. Great job.
I’m glad you found one that you enjoyed! The cake looks really very pretty with the cocoa on top. I skipped that part, as you know! Great job.
It’s beautiful and I also really loved it. I actually completely forgot to dust mine with cocoa powder on top.
Oh…you were able to get your syrup to soak into the cake so nicely.
Mine…not so much.
YOur cake looks gorgeous. I loved this recipe. It’s my #1 TWD.
Great looking tiramisu…very yummie.
It looks great! You did just fine with the lighting!
I think your pictures look great! Your cake looks so yummy!
It looks like it turned out great. Glad that you liked it so much!
This is also one of the first tiramisus I’ve liked. Tasty! π
Very pretty! Your cake looks wonderful!
Wow, this looks beautiful! For some reason, I don’t even remember this one, even though I’ve read through the book a million times :).
I think it looks beautiful! I had never used mascarpone and I agree that it makes irrestible icing.
What? This totally wins a beauty contest! It looks fantastic!
Wow. Wow. Wow. I love your cake, Tracey. Look at that Italian layered goodness! I want to climb in and grab a slice.
Fab-tastic job!
Oh I think your cake is lovely and pretty too. What a perfect slice!
Your cake is beautiful! It looks delicious! I really liked this one, too π
Messy is exactly how tiramisu is supposed to look. Yours looks the most like what I imaged. Glad you enjoyed!
your cake looks perfect. i think it would take home the crown in any beauty contest! π
Oh, yours is pretty! Nice job!
MMM I need some Tiramisu now!!
Your cake looks great! I’ve read a bunch of great comments about the yellow cake; I’m definitely going to have to try it.
Your pictures turned out great. I’m not a big expert on Tiramisu either but I too liked this one.
you cake looks yummy and LOVE your cupcakes with bacon, we need to bake those in my house!! thanks for stopping by my blog too
Nice photos…nice slice. I always take this tiny little slice bec. I know I’ll be eating it…no willpower. Hmm. Especially with this cake.
I’m glad you turned a corner on tiramisu. This was a delicious cake. Great job!
Your cake turned out wonderful! Great job.
Thumbs up all around here at work! I loved the fact that it wasn’t 100% Tiramisu, but had the layers like a regular cake. The flavor was incredible! There was 1 piece left after lunch and that was only because nobody wanted to take the last piece. I forgot to bring it home, so the next day it was halved, then halved again until it finally disappeared altogether.
I’m pretty sure all tiramisu looks like that – tasty! I’m glad you finally found a tiramisu you liked!
Your cake looks great with the cocoa powder dusting. It’s traditional and rustic not messy! I thought this was delicious too.
I missed your post last week. But holy cow, I think your cake looks awesome and SO tasty! Can’t wait to see your Lemon Tart tomorrow!
one of the nicest cakes i’ve seen so far for this pick – great job