Tiramisu Sheet Cake
This Tiramisu Sheet Cake will have all coffee lovers drooling for more! The Tiramisu Sheet Cake starts off with a light vanilla and espresso infused sheet cake that is then brushed, several times over, with a super concentrated Coffee and Kahlua simple syrup, giving it that classic tiramisu taste and feel. The Tiramisu Sheet Cake is then slathered with a delicious helping of homemade mascarpone whipped cream, and then dusted with a generous amount of dutch-processed cocoa powder. The perfect combination of coffee, cream, and chocolate!
Making the Vanilla Sheet Cake
1.Beat eggs and sugar: Add the eggs, vanilla, and the sugar to your stand mixer, then beat the three together for about 3-4 minutes. By the end, it should be fluffy, and be tripled in volume.
2. Add oil: Turn the stand mixer down to medium speed, then slowly drizzle the oil into the stand mixer while it continues to beat. After all the oil has been added, beat the mixture for another 30 seconds.
3. Whisk together the dry ingredients: In a separate mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt, then whisk them together to combine.
4. Alternate add the dry & wet to stand mixer: First add the 1/3 of the dry ingredients, then beat until just combined. Add ½ of the whole milk, and beat until just combined. Continue adding the wet & dry in this order, until all of the ingredients have been added (you’ll finish with the dry).
5. Add to cupcake pan & bake: Pour the Tiramisu cake batter into a prepared 9X13” rectangular cake pan, then place into the oven to bake! When done, allow the Tiramisu sheet cake to cool completely before brushing with simple syrup.
Brushing with Simple Syrup
The way that that lovely and intense coffee flavor is added to this tiramisu sheet cake is through the use of a coffee and Kahlua simple syrup. Making the syrup is super simple – add all of the ingredients to a saucepan, heat until the sugar dissolves, then allow the syrup to cool completely before using it! After the syrup has cooled, take a bamboo skewer and poke several little holes across the cake. Then using a pastry brush, brush the syrup over the cake. You will want to ensure that you are applying an even coat of syrup across the cake – try not to soak one part while leaving others bare. Keep brushing on the layers of syrup until no more syrup remains. Now, place the cake into the fridge to allow the tiramisu sheet cake to fully absorb all of the coffee simple syrup.
What is Dutch Processed Cocoa?
This recipe calls for dutch processed cocoa to be dusted over top of the piped mascarpone whipped cream. Dutch processed cocoa is created by alkalizing regular cocoa powder to bring it up to a pH of 7. This process sort of strips the acidic properties out of the cocoa powder, leaving it with a much more mild, less astringent taste. By removing the astringency, the flavor of chocolate is able to shine through more, creating the illusion that it tastes more chocolatey! Definitely what we want in this tiramisu sheet cake recipe!
Keep Refrigerated
As a last little note, this cake must be kept in the fridge before it is served. The reasoning for this is because of the whipped cream. Whipped cream is essentially a foam, and as you know, foams have a tendency to melt pretty quickly. Although the whipped cream has been stabilized by the mascarpone, it will still melt if exposed to the heat for too long. That is why it is best if you keep the cake in the fridge until it is ready to be served, that way the piped mascarpone whipped cream will keep its shape!
Get the Recipe: Tiramisu Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Sheet Cake
- 2 ¾ cups All Purpose Flour,, measured correctly †
- 2 ½ tsp Espresso Powder
- 1 ½ tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 ½ cup Sugar
- 1 Large Eggs
- 3 Egg Whites
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 3/4 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 cup Whole Milk
Coffee Kahlua Simple Syrup
- 1/3 cup White Sugar
- 1/3 cup Water
- 2 tbsp Kahlua
- 1 tbsp Espresso Powder
Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- 2 cups Heavy Cream,, chilled
- 3/4 cup Confectioners Sugar,, sifted
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 13 oz (370g) Mascarpone
- 3-4 tbsp Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder, (for dusting on top)
Equipment
- Stand mixer
Instructions
Sheet Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F, and prepare a 9×13” cake pan with oil and parchment paper. In a medium to large sized mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt, then whisk together to combine.
- In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, add whole eggs, egg whites, sugar, and vanilla. Beat on high for around 5 minutes, the mixture should look thick, fluffy, and be tripled in volume. Then, slowly drizzle in the oil. After all the oil has been added, beat for an additional minute.
- On low, add the dry mixture to the stand mixer in 3 additions, alternating with the milk in between. Beat only until the batter becomes smooth. Add the batter to the prepared cake pan, then bake in the oven for around 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely before adding simple syrup and topping.
Coffee Kahlua Simple Syrup
- Add all ingredients to a small saucepan over high heat. Once the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and place into the fridge to cool completely.
- After the cake has cooled and the simple syrup is cooled, use a cake leveler or a knife to level the top of the cake. Then, using a pastry brush, brush the coffee Kahlua syrup over the top of the cake, repeating in layers until all the syrup is gone. Place the cake in the fridge to absorb the syrup for a few hours.
Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- Add heavy cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla to a large bowl, beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks have formed. Add mascarpone and continue to beat, just until smooth and well incorporated. Be careful not to overbeat.
- Spread the mascarpone whipped cream across the top of the cake (or alternatively, pipe little dots across the cake). Dust the cocoa powder and serve immediately or keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
Hello and thanks for sharing this delightful recipe! I juste made the sheet cake and was wondering if I can prepare the syrup, brush the cake tomorrow and also pipe the mascarpone cream tomorrow as I’ll be serving it to my guest later on that day? Thanks
Yes definitely!
Hi! This cake sounds wonderful! Could it be assembled the day before serving? I am worried about the whipped topping deflating.
Thanks!
Hi! I would recommend to just assemble before serving. You can make the whipped cream the day before and keep it in the fridge, then just quickly add it on top of the cake before serving!