Tiramisu with sponge cake (Genoise) recipe

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This Tiramisu recipe uses a Genoise cake instead of ladyfingers. Genoise is a simple cake made with eggs, sugar, flour and butter. It also uses two layers of cream, one made with Mascarpone cheese and the other with whipped cream. For the coffee part, it uses a combination of Espresso coffee and Marsala wine or brandy. The recipe looks complicated but it is delicious and quite simple and easy to make.
Preparation time: 20 minutes, Cooking time: 40 minutes, Serves: 6 

Ingredients

For the sponge (Genoise) cake
3 whole eggs
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain flour, sifted
2 Tbsp butter, melted

For the coffee mixture
2/3 cup of strong Espresso coffee
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup Marsala wine or brandy

For the Mascarpone cream
1/2 pound Mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup superfine (icing) sugar
2 large egg yolks
3 Tbsp Marsala wine, Cognac or Brandy

For the whipped cream
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp powdered (icing) sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 ounce chilled dark chocolate, finely chopped (you can use a food processor)

Directions

To make the Genoise cake
Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 9 inch diameter round cake pan or 8 inch by 8 inch rectangular cake pan with vegetable oil and lightly dust with cake flour. Beat the eggs and 1/3 cup of sugar at medium speed in a double boiler over very hot water, until the mixture is smooth and pale yellow in color. Add the remaining 3 Tbsp of sugar and beat at high speed until the mixture reaches a consistency that forms ribbons when poured. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract, and slowly fold in the cake flour. Fold in the melted butter. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake at 350° F for 30 to 40 minutes

Remove from the oven and immediately turn the cake out of the pan onto a wire rack to cool.

To make the coffee mixture
Mix the sugar into the coffee. Evaporate down (by boiling) the coffee-sugar mixture until only 1/3 cup remains. Add the Marsala wine or brandy and stir.

To make the Mascarpone cream
In a bowl, beat the sugar into the Mascarpone cheese until well blended. Add the 2 egg yolks and Marsala, Cognac or brandy and beat more, until the mixture is smooth.

To prepare the whipped cream
In a bowl add the whipping cream, sugar and vanilla essence and stir until ingredients are blended. Beat the mixture with an electric mixer until glossy and stiff.

Tiramisu Assembly
Slice the Genoise cake in half, to make two cakes of half the original height.

Place the first slice of the Genoise cake at the bottom of a serving bowl or pan and sprinkle half of the coffee mixture over it. Spread half of the Mascarpone creme on the cake, using a spatula. Spread half of the whipped cream over the Mascarpone cream and sprinkle half of the chocolate gratings over the whipped cream.

Put the second slice of the Genoise cake on top and repeat the above procedure with the coffee mixture, Mascarpone, whipped cream and chocolate gratings to finish the Tiramisu.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
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Step by Step instructions for Tiramisu with sponge cake (Genoise)


Step 1

Sponge cake ingredients - Sugar, vanilla extract, butter
Prepare the ingredients for the sponge cake: Start with 3 Tbsp granulated sugar, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 Tbsp butter, melted

Step 2

Sifting the flour
Sift 1/2 cup plain flour

Step 3

Beating the eggs and sugar over a water bath
Add the eggs and 1/3 of the sugar into a bowl over a pot of boiling water. Make sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Beat with an electric mixer.

Step 4

The zabaglione
Beat until the mixture is pale yellow in color. Add the remaining sugar and continue beating.

Step 5

Tiramisu with Genoise (sponge) cake
Beat until the mixture increases in volume and becomes thick enough to form ribbons when poured.

Step 6

Tiramisu with Genoise (sponge) cake
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Step 7

Making the sponge cake
Slowly fold in the cake flour.

Step 8

Adding the melted butter to the sponge cake mix
Fold in the melted butter and stir until the ingredients are well blended.

Step 9

The sponge cake pan, buttered (or oiled) and floured
Butter and lightly flour a 10" pan.

Step 10

The finished Tiramisu sponge cake mix, in the pan
Pour the mixture into the pan and bake at 350° F for 30 to 40 minutes.

Step 11

The finished sponge cake
When the cake is ready, remove from the oven and immediately turn it out of the pan onto a wire rack to cool.

Step 12

The ingredients for the coffee mixture
While the cake is baking, prepare the coffee mixture. To do that, pour the coffee into a pot, add the sugar, bring to a boil, lower heat and cook until the coffee-sugar mixture is reduced to about 1/3 cup.

Step 13

Use Marsala wine, brandy or rum
Add the Marsala wine or brandy into the reduced coffee, stir and set aside.

Step 14

The mascarpone cream ingredients
Prepare the ingredients for the Mascarpone cream. What we will need is 1/2 pound of Mascarpone cheese, 1/2 cup of superfine (icing) sugar, 2 large egg yolks and 3 Tbsp Marsala wine, Cognac or Brandy.

Step 15

Whisking the mascarpone and sugar
Add the mascarpone cheese and icing sugar into a bowl and start whisking using a wire whisk.

Step 16

The mascarpone and sugar mixture
Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the sugar is fully incorporated into the cheese.

Step 17

Mascarpone and sugar, egg yolks, and the liqueur
Add the egg yolks, Marsala wine or Cognac or brandy and beat until the mixture is smooth.

Step 18

Beating the mascarpone cream mixture
Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and creamy - You can use an electric mixer.

Step 19

The ingredients for the whipped cream mixture
Prepare the ingredients for the whipped cream. You will need  1 pint heavy whipping cream, 1 Tbsp powdered (icing) sugar and 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Step 20

Mixing the cream, sugar and vanilla essence
In a bowl add the whipping cream, sugar and vanilla essence.

Step 21

The finished whipped cream, looking glossy and stiff
Beat the cream mixture with an electric mixer until glossy and stiff.

Step 22

Cutting the sponge cake in half
When the sponge cake has cooled down, cut it in half using a long knife.

Step 23

Spoon the coffee mixture over half the sponge cake
Place the bottom piece of the sponge cake onto a serving dish and spoon half of the coffee mixture onto it, making sure to cover the entire surface with it.

Step 24

Spreading the mascarpone mixture onto the sponge cake
Spread half of the Mascarpone creme on the sponge cake and smooth using a spatula.

Step 25

Spreading the whipped cream on top of the mascarpone cream
Spread half of the whipped cream over the Mascarpone cream and smooth.

Step 26

Cover the cream with the grated chocolate
Sprinkle half the chocolate gratings over the whipped cream.

Step 27

Place the second half of the sponge cake on top
Put the second slice of the Genoise cake on top of the first layer. Be careful not to break the cake - you can use the bottom of a pan with detachable sides or a similar flat surface to slide under the cake, lift it up and place it on top of the first layer.

Step 28

Repeat the layering procedure to finish the cake
Repeat the above procedure by spooning the remaining coffee mixture on the cake, spreading the remaining Mascarpone mixture and then the whipped cream mixture.

Step 29

Finish the tiramisu cake by spreading some of the cream around
Spread some of the cream around the cake, sprinkle with the remaining chocolate gratings and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. For best results refrigerate overnight.

Comments

Step 3 says to sift a half cup of plain flour.
Step 8 says to fold in the cake flour.
Which is it?
Posted by Susan on Nov 12, 2010, 08:21
Susan, you can use plain or cake flour for this recipe. The amount of flour used is so small that it does not make much difference.
Posted by admin on Nov 14, 2010, 01:39
what if I wanted to add lady fingers around the cake? when would I add those without the cookies going soggy?
Posted by mel su on Jan 19, 2011, 02:34
Great recipe fun to make!
Posted by Cindy on Dec 15, 2011, 09:49
The cake turned out half the size it was supposed to be and I followed the directions exactly, very disappointing the morning of an important birthday.
Posted by Smk on Jun 06, 2012, 08:28
Same problem as Smk.... my cake turned out half the size and not spongy at all (but I followed everything exactly). Trying again, but not too hopeful. Very disappointing since this is for my anniversary!
Posted by Jordan on Sep 28, 2012, 08:35
update to last post: I tried a second time and it still didn't work. After talking to my mom she suggested I change to cake flour (not listed in the ingredients). It still isn't working. This recipe is a flop! 3 attempts... he can't fault me for going to the grocery store and buying a cake, right?
Posted by Jordan on Sep 28, 2012, 10:41
Ok my cake worked out for me. Height wise it was fine but it did shrink in diameter. I completed the cake and stuck it in the fridge. After the mascarpone and whipped cream, the cake looked a lot larger.

Before serving I placed the ladyfingers around the outside, have to admit cake was pretty good!
Posted by Linda on May 21, 2013, 01:40
We tried this recipe and it turned out wonderful. Thank you SO much for posting it!!
Posted by Reia on Aug 09, 2014, 08:08
Fantastic recipe I’m a terrible baker but this went down a treat. The sponge was tricky but my partner absolutely loved this cake. Made a square shaped one which turned out perfect. Used chocolate buttons as a topping to make it look fun. Thanks for this recipe
Posted by Hannahh on Aug 06, 2018, 04:53

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