Tiramisu Cake for Dessert

A serving of tiramisu cake on a plate with a fork.

5 from 1 vote

This easy Tiramisu Cake is made with a boxed vanilla cake mix and has all the flavors of the classic dessert but without the alcohol. It's a simple, family-friendly dessert that’s perfect for holidays, birthdays or any time you're craving a cozy, coffee-flavored treat. Make Chocolate Zucchini Cake for another recipe that uses cocoa powder!

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Chilling Time1

Total Time1 50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings:

Calories: 413kcal

Author: Melinda O'Malley Keckler

Ingredients

1 13.25 ounce box of vanilla cake mix plus the ingredients to make the cake
¼ cup water hot
2 tablespoons instant espresso
½ cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
16 ounces mascarpone cheese softened
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cocoa powder for dusting on top

Instructions

Bake the cake, according to the directions on the box, in a 9” x 13” baking dish. After baking, set the cake aside on a cooling rack to cool.
1 13.25 ounce box of vanilla cake mix
While the cake is cooling, in a glass measuring cup or small bowl, mix the hot water and instant espresso.
Stir in ½ cup heavy whipping cream and the sweetened condensed milk.
¼ cup water, 2 tablespoons instant espresso, ½ cup heavy whipping cream, ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
After the cake has cooled, use a chopstick or similarly sized item to poke holes evenly spaced across the cake, and insert the chopstick all the way to the bottom of the pan.
Slowly pour the espresso liquid mixture across the top of the cake, pouring the liquid into the small holes and soaking it into the cake.
Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
While the cake chills, place the mascarpone and one cup of heavy cream in a medium-sized mixing bowl and use a hand mixer to beat until smooth and creamy.
Add the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
16 ounces mascarpone cheese, 2 cups heavy whipping cream, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Remove the chilled cake from the fridge and uncover.
Place large spoonfuls of the frosting on the top of the cake, then use the back of the spoon to carefully spread the frosting to the edges of the pan, covering the entire top of the cake.
Use a small strainer to lightly dust the top of the cake with the cocoa powder.
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Cover lightly and chill until serving. For the best flavor and peak texture, serve the cake and any leftovers within 3 days.

Notes

My favorite boxed cake mix for this recipe is (affiliate link) Betty Crocker Super Moist, French Vanilla cake mix. It's very close to the delicate, sweet vanilla flavor found in ladyfingers, which are often used to make tiramisu.

Tiramisu Cake is best served chilled. Store it in the refrigerator until right before serving. This ensures the mascarpone cheese frosting stays ice cold on top of the cake.

Nutrition