Tiramisu cake

Almost everyone loves tiramisu and there are thousands of different recipes out there on how to make it. Soooo.... I decided not to post my tiramisu recipe, but instead create a cake that is suitable not just for dessert but also for a 4 o'clock coffee/tea. It has all the flavors we love about tiramisu but looks a little more refined and sophisticated. The sponge cake you bake is not only great for this cake, but can also be a great base for adding whipped cream and strawberries.

Sponge Cake basic recipe:

6 eggs

3/4 cup of sugar

1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract

4 Tablespoons of warm water

1 1/3 cup of flour

4 teaspoons of baking powder

For this particular cake you need to add one more ingredient:

2 Tablespoons of baking cocoa

Now let's begin...

Preheat your oven to 350F/170C

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until nice and fluffy, on high speed.

Slowly add the sugar, the vanilla extract and the warm water. The warm water will help dissolve the sugar and will turn your egg mixture into a fluffy cream that is almost double in size and much lighter in color then when you started out.

Now add the baking powder while still mixing on high.

Turn off your mixer and fold sifted flour by hand under your egg/sugar mix.

Pour 2/3 of your dough into a spring form. When greasing your spring form, only grease the bottom as this will help your cake to rise nicely.

Bake between 20 to 25 minutes.

(you can check to see if it is done by poking the cake with a shishkabob stick. If it comes out without dough, then it is ready.)

With the remaining 1/3 of your dough, add the baking cocoa mixing well by hand. Place this into a seperate baking dish. Just like the other dish, only grease the bottom.

Bake between 10 to 15 minutes.

(you can check to see if it is done by poking the cake with a shishkabob stick. If it comes out without dough, then it is ready.) To remove the cakes from their baking dishes, use a knife and "cut" around the cake before you release the clamp of your spring form. Then place the cakes onto a cooling wrack and let them cool completely. Now let's work on the filling/frosting:

Filling:

Use your chocolate part of the cake, tear it into small pieces and soak it with the following mixture:

6 Tablespoons of strong coffee

6 Tablespoons Amaretto liqueur

Let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes, then add:

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened (NOT margarine)

Mix with your mixer on high speed to create the creamy delicious filling.

Now, let's cut the yellow cake horizontally into two equal layers.

Place the chocolate butter cream in the middle and put the cake together again.

Now it is time for the Mascarpone cream

1 tub Mascarpone cheese (if you can't get it, use 1 pack of Philadelphia cream cheese)

Make sure it is at ROOM TEMPERATURE!!!!!!!

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, cold

1 cup Confectioners sugar

A little more amaretto, you can even put some in the cream

Drizzle a bit of extra Amaretto over your cake before you make your white frosting. Don't overdo it, so it does not get too wet or soggy.

Whip your whipping cream in a large mixing bowl. When almost done, add the confectioners sugar slowly.

Add your mascarpone little by little, while stirring on medium speed. Spread all over the cake. You can garnish with coco powder, chocolate sprinkles or whatever you prefer.

Let it cool down in the fridge for at least an hour befor you serve.