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Clearly tiramisu is an Italian dessert. I’d call this the Russian adaptation. What makes it so? Instead of ladyfingers, I’m using a basic biskvit cake recipe (you may know it as biscuit). Biskvit is an excellent European sponge cake and it doesn’t get mushy or soggy.
The ingredients are so easy and practical (a non-mascarpone version) and it turns out delicious. The frosting is light and fabulous. This version actually tastes good for a couple of days after it’s made. Hope you enjoy it, my family loves it!
Ingredients for Biskvit Tiramisu Cake:
6 large eggs, room temp
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted *measured correctly
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Ingredients for Tiramisu Frosting:
1.5 cups heavy whipping cream, very cold
1 (8oz) stick cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Ingredients for Tiramisu Coffee Syrup & Topping:
1 1/2 cups Strong coffee, room temperature or cold
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp rum
1 Tbsp unsweetened Cocoa Powder for dusting the finished cake
Watch How to Make Tiramisu Cake:
Here’s what the previous tiramisu looked like before I updated pictures:
And now, the new and improved:
If you bake this cake, please do tag me on Facebook or Instagram so I can see your beautiful creations! Happy Baking and I hope you enjoyed the video!
Russian Tiramisu Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for Biskvit Cake:
- 6 large eggs, room temp
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Ingredients for Tiramisu Frosting:
- 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream, very cold
- 1 8oz stick cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Ingredients for Tiramisu Coffee Syrup & Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups Strong coffee, room temperature or cold
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp rum
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened Cocoa Powder for dusting the finished cake
Instructions
How to Make the Biskvit Cake:
- Preheat the Oven to 350˚F. .
- Butter a 9" springform mold and line the bottom with parchment paper (note: you can use two 9" cake pans, but keep in mind 2 pans will take less time to bake). Sift your flour
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, add 6 eggs and beat on high speed wit the whisk attachment for 1 min. With the mixer on, add the sugar in a steady stream and continue to beat on the highest speed for 8 min. The egg mixture should be thick, pale yellow and tripled in volume.
- Add 1 tsp vanilla and sift the flour into your batter. Fold the flour in with a spatula just until all of the flour is incorporated. Scrape from the bottom of the bowl to make sure you don't have pockets of flour trapped on the bottom. Be careful not to over-mix since you are relying on the fluffiness of the eggs for volume. Transfer the batter to your prepared pans.
- Bake 30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool down 10 minutes, then remove cake from the pan and let cool on a wire rack. Once the cake is at room temperature, you can cut it in half to make two cake layers then remove the parchment paper. It should peel back easily.
How to Make Tiramisu Frosting:
- Beat 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream on high speed until stiff (mine took about 2 minutes with the whisk attachment). Don't over-beat it or it will be buttery.
- Transfer whipped cream to a medium bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
- In the same bowl (no need to do the dishes yet), beat softened cream cheese and sugar on medium/high speed until smooth and creamy, scraping down the bowl as necessary to prevent rebel clumps of cream cheese.
- Use a spatula to fold whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until well blended and refrigerate the frosting until ready to use. Fold until you no longer see streaks of cream cheese.
How to Make Coffee Syrup:
- Mix 1 1/2 cups strong coffee with 2 Tbsp sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Stir in the rum.
Assembling the Tiramisu Cake:
- Place one of the cakes on a cake platter (note: use the prettiest, flattest side for the top of the cake)
- Brush half of the coffee syrup over the bottom layer (a brush provides for the most even distribution of syrup).
- Spread 1/3 of the frosting over the first cake layer. At this point, you can sift 1 Tbsp cocoa powder over the frosting
- Center the second cake layer over the frosting and brush the remaining half of the syrup over the second cake layer.
- Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
Decorating Your Cake:
- Decorate to your hearts delight. I used the Wilton Open Star 1M frosting tip for the remaining forsting and piped little designs all over the top then dusted generously with a good quality unsweetened cocoa. You could just dust the top with cocoa powder and add chocolate shavings. Chocolate coffee beans would be amazing as well.
Notes
Thank you for this lovely recipe ! Just a doubt, the heavy cream that I have is already a sweetened one so what amount of sugar do I need to add to the filling ?
HI, I have never purchased a sweetened heavy whipping cream so I can’t say for sure. Double-check that it is heavy whipping cream.
Made this cake for a friend birthday yesterday and it came out absolutely delicious. The texture was very moist and it tested like authentic tiramisu from Italy. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, I highly recommend This cake to everyone to try.
Fantastic! Thank you so much for your great feedback and recommendation. I hope you love every recipe that you try!
Sooooo yummy! The best part was that I was able to convert it into gluten-free which made my whole family happy! I substituted the rum with Vanilla essence and it was divine.
That is awesome! I’m so glad that you were able to convert it into gluten-free. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Natasha, this recipe is absolutely amazing! I’m 14, and I made this 2 times. My whole family loves it and they always ask me to make it. It really is a delicious dessert, and everyone should try it. Thank you!
Wow, great job! Keep up the good work and I hope your family will love every recipe that you will try for them.
This is the simplest Tiramisu recipe I have come across and I was very pleased with the results…
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hello,
Can you add white rum instead of gold rum?
Thank you
Viktoriya
Hi Viktoriya, I haven’t tried that but I think it should work with a white rum.
Hi Natasha,
I watched your video countless times on the Frosting but mine always comes out much softer (though not completely runny but far from your frosting consistency. And my cream cheese always turns out yellowish. How can I achieve that almost white Frosting of yours with that consistency?
Hi, it sounds like you might be over softening the cream cheese. If it’s too soft, it will change the consistency.
Thanks Natasha. Can I know by over softening does that mean over whipping it? Or leaving it out too long in the room to soften? I do leave the cream cheese out to soften before I whip it. Does this affect the consistency?
Over softening is leaving the cream cheese at room temperature for too long.
Hi, I had this problem of soft cream cheese whipped cream mixture. I realized my mistake, I used to whip it after mixing the two. You are just supposed to mix the two with a spatula. Hope this helps, thanks.
Precise measurements, time accuracy, a little too much leftover coffee ( maybe divide the measurements there by half to avoid waste and cost )
Great execution from start to finish.
I’ve sold four your cakes and the only tweaking I could recommend is figuring out the proper ratio for “strong coffee”. I’ve personally chosen to use ground espresso with a ratio of 1/2 heaping cup and 48 ounces (the 6 line on your coffee maker ) of water.
It is important to have your coffee cold before you add the liquor.
Sorry about the banter but this is a really good recipe and thank you for sharing it
Thank you for sharing that feedback with us Carmen!
Hi
Can I bake rhe biskvit in a sheet pan instead of the round pans?
Hi Terry, here is an example of where we did that with a sponge cake.
Can your base sponge cake recipe be used to make a Tres Leches cake?
Hi Susie, I haven’t tried that yet to advise. But here’s another post about sponge cakes.
Hi Natasha,
Your recipes are super easy to follow and superb in taste. The Russian Tiramisu is an all time favourite and beautiful in texture and taste..Thank you for sharing..
So great to hear that Flavia. I hope you love every recipe that you will try!
Hi Natasha! Can i make this cake into a 9×13 cake ?
Hi Tanya, That would work but you will need to double this recipe to fit a 9×13. I would recommend making the batter in 2 separate batches and baking them separately.
Hi Tanya, it would need modification. I would suggest trying our classic Tiramisu which is a 9×13.
Hi Tanya, I made this cake in a 9×13 pan, but the layers were not thick as in this video. However I managed to make a 2 layer cake without any modifications with an average thickness which I am happy of.
Also I replaced cream cheese with 3oz of hung curd and the cake was absolutely delicious.
It tasted exactly like authentic tiramisu and everyone kept asking for more ..
Hi
You have not used butter or oil for the cake. Would it still be moist ?
Yes, this cake is definitely still moist.
Hey Natasha ! I measured my pans just to make sure they’re right size and they’re 10″ by 10″… would that still work or will it affect the level..?
Hi Angie, a 9×13 pan is about 17% larger than a 10×10 and I would be concerned that the 10×10 would be too small. You might have leftover frosting since it fills a 9×13 pretty much to the top.
Hello Natasha, as I loved to try your recipe and I strongly trust on your tips, I tried your Tiramisu today.. Taste wise it was obviously HIT but I faced one problem (this is the 1st time I faced this problem). Middle of the cake was sank during baking. It wasn’t inflated enough. Side of the cake was ok. I’m sure you can explain that.
As I’m BIG FAN of your apple cake. So is the tiramisu will be spongy like apple cake? If YES then my tiramisu wasn’t that much spongy like apple cake. Could you please give me your valuable suggestions and tips?
Your cream was FANTASTIC with light feelings.
Thanks a lot.
Hi Lisa, Did you use a standard sized oven in bake mode? (not convection?). And you baked in the center of the oven? I’m happy to troubleshoot.
Hi Natasha! Mine sank as well. I went back to look at your tutorial video for sponge cake and I noticed you added a 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder which is not included in this tiramisu recipe. Also, you didn’t add the vanilla in the tutorial. I am crazy about this recipe and make it when I have guests over, but would love to know if maybe it sinks because of lack of baking powder in this recipe? Or putting the vanilla in and trying incorporate that makes it sink with the extra fluid?
Hi Holly, This traditional sponge cake will still work without it but we have recently started adding 1/2 tsp of baking powder whisked into the flour and then sifted into the egg/sugar batter for more level results. This cake really relies on the eggs and sugar to rise so it will still work great so long as you beat the eggs and sugar adequately.
Hi Natasha, thanks! I have always assumed it is something on my end that I haven’t been doing correctly. I mix it on high speed for about 8 minutes – until it triples in size. I have been wondering if it is the vanilla – in that I am not mixing it in enough causing the center to sink a bit. It doesn’t sink a real lot, but it does a little.
Thanks for your recipes, Natasha! Some of my husband’s favorite meals/desserts I got from you site! He also requested this tiramisu recipe for his b-day a few days ago!
Natasha, can I use 100% colombian instant coffee? what is the ratio? when you say strongest coffee are those brewed coffee?
I have used several kinds – my favorite is freshly brewed espresso but I have used strong drip coffee (made according the the package instructions usually produces a fairly strong coffee) and I have also tried with instant coffee.
Cake was absolute disaster. Looked beautiful and spongy on the top and outside but when I flipped it out it was thick and stodgy in the middle.
Hi Caroline, I’m so sorry to hear that. I am always happy to help troubleshoot. This is a classic European sponge cake base and since it relies on the volume of the eggs and sugar for leavening, it is critical to beat adequately with a high powered mixer. If this is your first time with making a sponge cake, I would highly recommend reviewing our post on how to make a sponge cake which includes a video tutorial. I hope that helps.
Can’t wait to try the Tiramisu! I have 3 questions: 1. Would it come just fine also if I use mascarpone instead of cream cheese? 2. Why did you use cream chesses instead? 3. The recipe for the sponge cake in this case does not have baking powder but vanilla instead. Is that correct or a typo? Tia.
Hi Cherie, I haven’t tried with mascarpone but I’ve had some readers make this with mascarpone instead and reported great results. Mascarpone is a more expensive cheese and it’s not required in this recipe but I think it would work. This traditional sponge cake will still work without it but we have recently started adding 1/2 tsp of baking powder whisked into the flour and then sifted into the egg/sugar batter for more level results. This cake really relies on the eggs and sugar to rise so it will still work great so long as you beat the eggs and sugar adequately.
The recipe is good, but something is off on the biskvit recipe here on this page. It needs a little bit of a leavening agent, about a tsp of baking soda or baking powder. And if you are confused as to whether to beat the eggs or whisk them, go with the latter especially if you are using attachments to a mixer. Also, the finer your sugar, the better. Caster sugar works best if you can find it. Also, don’t test the cake with a toothpick after baking it in the oven for 25 min. If the top looks right, trust it is cooked. Testing with a toothpick will likely deflate the cake.
I had to toss three cakes aka 18 eggs and 3 cups of sugar before figuring this out. Natasha’s linked recipe for Biskvit is far more accurate and helpful than the one here. Just use that one plus adding vanilla extract to the eggs.
How long do I have to wait before eating ? Or can I ate it after is done ?:)
Hi Mariana, You can either refrigerate overnight or serve it directly (right away). It will taste great both ways.
Will this be enough frosting for a bag of ladyfingers (about 48 of them)?
Hi Tanya, I haven’t tested this with Ladyfingers so I cannot advise. If you experiment please let me know how you like that recipe!