This mini Tiramisu Cake Recipe is super cute and easy. It has a small batch Vanilla Cake, soaked with espresso and finished with an espresso mascarpone whipped cream frosting.
Table of contents
Mini Tiramisu Cake
Hi hi! I hope things are well with you. Just popping in to share this recipe for mini tiramisu cake! This is a rework of a super old recipe of mine. I small batched the vanilla snack cake and turned it into a mini sheet cake. Then I added a coffee soak, and an espresso mascarpone whipped cream frosting. This mini tiramisu cake is a super fun twist on a regular vanilla snack cake - I love it and I really hope you do too!
Components of Mini Tiramisu Cake
This mini tiramisu cake is super easy to make. I made it in an eighth sheet pan, but you can definitely also use a loaf pan - your cake will just be slightly different dimensions. There's only a few components and they all come together quickly.
- Small Batch Vanilla Cake. This small batch vanilla cake recipe is super similar to my funfetti cake recipe, except that I switched out buttermilk for the yoghurt and milk in the recipe. The buttermilk adds a super delicious tanginess to the cake.
- Coffee Soak. I just went for a super strong coffee soak, which is brushed over the slightly warm cake. You can add booze here if you want to.
- Espresso Mascarpone Frosting. Because you aren't layering the cake here and getting lots of coffee soak within each layer, I added some espresso to the frosting too. This added amazing flavour and went so well with the classic dusting of cocoa that tiramisu gets.
Espresso Mascarpone Frosting
I topped this mini tiramisu cake with an espresso mascarpone frosting. This frosting is essentially a mascarpone stabilised whipped cream that has been sweetened. It is super easy to make with either an electric handheld mixer, or you can use your stand mixer if you like. The technique may seem a little strange adding liquid cream to the frosting but I promise that it all comes together nicely!
- Whip together the mascarpone and the espresso powder. The espresso powder needs to mix in evenly so adding it in first gives it a good chance to do so.
- Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, and mix to incorporate.
- With the mixer going, stream in the cream. This step will feel very strange. The cream is going to make the mixture loose and sloppy, but just keep mixing, it will come together.
- Whip together the cream and mascarpone mixture. It will combine and then after a little more whipping, will thicken and turn into a smooth and silky mascarpone frosting.
- Transfer to a piping bag to pipe onto the cake, or smooth on with a spatula.
Baking in an Eighth Sheet Pan
I made this mini tiramisu cake in my favourite pan at the moment - an eighth sheet pan. The name comes from the size - they are an eighth of a full sheet pan (so quarter sheet pan, half sheet pan etc come from this too). Eighth sheet pans are a great size and are super handy for all sorts of things such as baking bake a single cookie, or they are great for toasting nuts. I also have them around my kitchen to use to keep things organised - I pop things I am defrosting onto them to keep them off the counter, and I have one by the stove to hold all my oil and things I use for cooking.
The eighth sheet pan is also used in my baking all the time - this funfetti snack cake was made in one, along with these small batch cheese buns. I have a bunch more recipes coming your way soon too which use this pan. They are super cute and a great investment.
However, if you don't have an eighth sheet pan then no worries at all - this recipe can be made in a loaf pan. Make sure you use a loaf pan that is on the larger side so that your vanilla cake doesn't end up too thick. I have this one which I tested and it worked great.
How to Substitute for Buttermilk in this recipe
If you don't have buttermilk on hand, for this recipe in particular (and often other baking recipes), lemon juice and milk isn't the best subsitute. This recipe from Serious Eats goes into a lot of detail on buttermilk subs and which is best in baking. I prefer to go for a yoghurt / sour cream and milk combination which I use in my other vanilla cake recipe - you can use 65g milk and 45g greek yoghurt or sour cream if you don't have buttermilk on hand.
FAQ for Mini Tiramisu Cake
You can see a full list of all the tools I use here
If you don't have access to espresso powder, you can use finely ground instant coffee.
I used an eighth sheet pan to make this cake.
Yes, you can make this ahead and store in the fridge. The coffee soak may make the cake a tiny bit more moist, but it will be just fine.
I used a french star tip - this one was an ateco 865.
If this happens to you, just add in a little more cream to the mixture and incorporate with a whisk. This should help to bring back a split frosting.
You can, but it won't taste as much like tiramisu. It's really worth tracking it down if you can!
For more Small Batch Cake Recipes:
- Mini Chocolate Layer Cake
- Mini Funfetti Cake
- Vanilla Malt Snack Cake
- Vanilla Buttermilk Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Made this recipe and love it?
If you made this recipe then I would LOVE for you to leave me a review below to let me know how you liked it! Also, please make sure to tag me on Instagram if you make it!
A note on salt and oven temperature
It is important to note the type of salt that is called for in a recipe. I use Diamond Crystal salt throughout my recipes - if you use a different sort of kosher salt or regular table salt you will need to adjust accordingly as some salt is 'saltier' than others. Morton's salt is twice as salty, so you will need half the quantity. Same goes for a regular table salt. I am working to get gram measurements throughout my recipes for salt but still getting there.
All oven temperatures are conventional unless otherwise stated. If you are baking on fan / convection, you will need to adjust the temperature. An oven thermometer is a great investment to ensure that your oven is the correct temperature.
Using the double / triple function in the recipe card
You will notice that there is a '1X' '2X' '3X' button in my recipe card. This can be used for doubling or tripling a recipe. However, please note that this only doubles the ingredient quantities in the ingredients list and NOT in the method. If there are quantities or pan sizes in the method of the recipe (for example weigh out 150g brown butter), you will need to scale this number manually. It will also not change the baking time in the recipe so you will need to adjust this yourself too. It is always a good idea to read through a recipe fully before doubling it just to check this. If you would like to scale this recipe or convert for another pan size, use my calculator!
Tools and equipment
For a list of my go-to tools and equipment, I have a post you can refer to here.
Why is this recipe in grams?
I post my recipes in grams as it is the most accurate way to bake. Cups are not only inaccurate but they vary in volume worldwide. There is no way for me to provide one cup measure that works for everyone. However, posting in weight fixes this issue. If you would like the recipe in cups you are welcome to convert it yourself via google, but please do not ask me to do it for you as I am not comfortable providing a recipe using a method that I have not tested. Baking with a scale is easy, accurate, and also makes cleanup super simple. Here is the scale that I use if you would like a recommendation! Here's to accurate baking!
Recipe For Tiramisu Cake
Print
Tiramisu Cake
- Author: Erin Clarkson
-
Prep Time: 1 hour -
Cook Time: 30 minutes
-
Total Time: 3 hours
-
Yield: 8 Servings -
Category: Cake -
Method: Baking -
Cuisine: American
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
This mini Tiramisu Cake Recipe is super cute and easy. It has a small batch Vanilla Cake, soaked with espresso and finished with an espresso mascarpone whipped cream frosting.
Ingredients
Vanilla Snack Cake
- 130g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 110g buttermilk, at room temperature
- ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
- 75g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 80g granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
Coffee Soak
- 25g strong coffee, cold.
Espresso Mascarpone Frosting
- 115g mascarpone, cold
- ¾ tsp espresso powder or fine instant coffee
- 55g powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ tsp vanilla bean paste
- pinch of salt
- 120g heavy cream, cold from the fridge
Cocoa powder to dust
Instructions
VANILLA MINI CAKE
- Preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c. Grease and line an eighth sheet pan or a 9”x5” loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and vanilla.
- In a medium bowl using an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add the egg and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl using a spatula.
- With the mixer on low, alternately add the wet and dry ingredients. Add a third of the dry ingredients, followed by half the wet ingredients, then another third of the dry ingredients, followed by the second half of the wet ingredients. Finally, add the remaining third of the dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and smooth down. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to ensure the mixture is settled.
- Bake the Snack Cake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown, springs back when lightly pressed, and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then transfer the cake to the serving plate. Brush liberally with the coffee and leave to cool completely.
ESPRESSO MASCARPONE FROSTING
- Place the mascarpone and espresso powder into a medium bowl. Whip with an electric hand mixer on high, until the mascarpone is smooth and the coffee is incorporated.
- Add the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla, and mix to combine.
- With the mixer still going, stream in the heavy cream until it is all added, then continue to whip. The cream will incorporate and the frosting will seem quite thin - keep mixing until it has the consistency of thick whipped cream. Be careful not to over whip. It will come together quickly.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag lined with a french star tip. Pipe blobs all over the surface of the snack cake. Alternatively you can smooth it on with an offset spatula.
- Dust the top of the cake with cocoa powder. Store in the fridge until you serve.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Keywords: Tiramisu, Snack Cake, Tiramisu Snack Cake, Cake, Mascarpone
The post Mini Tiramisu Cake appeared first on Cloudy Kitchen.
