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This Tiramisu Cake recipe uses an espresso-flavored sponge cake brushed with coffee and liqueur syrup. The cake is then filled with mascarpone cheese whipped cream, making this a fantastic tiramisu cake roll!
If you love tiramisu and cake, this one’s for you! This tiramisu cake recipe is made with a soft, espresso-flavored sponge cake brushed with a sweet coffee-liqueur syrup, then filled with fluffy mascarpone whipped cream. Rolled up and dusted with cocoa, this elegant dessert brings all the flavors of classic tiramisu in a fun, easy-to-slice cake roll.
The first time I made it, we had it for dessert… then breakfast… then dinner. I eventually handed it off to my neighbors before I could eat the whole thing myself. Fast forward to coat season? I made it again, and this time, I didn’t share a single slice. 😁
Why You Should Make This Tiramisu Cake
- All the tiramisu flavor – It’s got espresso, mascarpone, and cocoa, just like the classic Italian dessert.
- Light and airy sponge cake – Rolled up and brushed with coffee-liqueur syrup for the perfect soft texture.
- Make-ahead friendly – You can prep it in advance, and it actually tastes better the next day.
- Impressive but easy – Looks fancy, but it’s surprisingly simple to make (no layering required!).
- Perfect for holidays and celebrations – This tiramisu cake is elegant, delicious, and always a crowd-pleaser.
What You’ll Need
I first came across this tiramisu cake recipe last winter and have been making it on repeat ever since. My husband is completely obsessed with Italian food, so the second I saw it, I knew it had to happen. Below, I’ve listed all the ingredients with a few quick notes, but scroll down to the recipe card for the complete recipe!
For The Cake
- Cake Flour: Gives the sponge cake a soft, delicate texture. All-purpose flour can work in a pinch but may be slightly denser.
- Eggs: You’ll separate them—yolks for richness, whites for lift and volume.
- Sugar: Sweetens the batter and stabilizes the meringue.
- Cream of Tartar: Helps stabilize the egg whites for that perfect fluffy sponge.
- Salt: Just a pinch enhances flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds warm, aromatic notes to the cake base.
- Butter: A touch of melted butter adds richness without weighing down the cake.
- Powdered Sugar: Used for dusting to help with rolling and prevent sticking.
- Cocoa Powder: A finishing touch to dust over the top, just like in traditional tiramisu.
For The Coffee Syrup
- Brewed Espresso: Strong coffee gives the cake that signature tiramisu flavor. You can use instant espresso or very strong coffee if needed.
- Sugar: Sweetens the syrup and balances the bitterness of the espresso.
- Frangelico: A hazelnut liqueur that adds warm, nutty depth. You can swap it with Kahlua, Amaretto, or skip it for a non-alcoholic version.
Mascarpone Filling Ingredients
- Mascarpone Cheese: Creamy, rich, and slightly tangy—this is essential for that classic tiramisu flavor.
- Sugar: Sweetens the mascarpone mixture just enough.
- Cinnamon: Adds a subtle warmth to the filling that plays perfectly with the coffee notes.
- Frangelico: Again, for flavor—optional but delicious.
- Heavy Cream: Whipped and folded in to make the filling light and airy.
How to Make This Tiramisu Cake Roll
This cake recipe comes together in three parts: the sponge cake, the espresso syrup, and the whipped mascarpone filling.
Step 1. Make the Cake
Prep. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease and flour a jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper.
Batter. Whip the yolks with sugar and vanilla, fold in flour. Separately, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the yolk mixture.
Bake. Spread the batter in the pan and bake for about 10 minutes, until the top is springy.
Step 2. Roll & Cool
Flip. Dust the warm cake with powdered sugar, cover with a towel and a baking sheet, and flip it.
Roll. Gently roll the cake in the towel and let it cool completely, seam-side down.
Step 3. Make the Syrup
Boil. Simmer espresso with sugar until reduced.
Flavor. Stir in Frangelico and let cool.
Step 4. Make the Filling
Mix. Beat mascarpone with sugar, cinnamon, and Frangelico.
Fold. Whip the cream and fold it into the mascarpone until light and fluffy.
Step 5. Assemble the Cake
Unroll. Gently unroll the cooled cake.
Brush & Fill. Brush with espresso syrup and spread the mascarpone filling evenly over the top.
Roll. Roll it back up and place seam-side down.
Step 6. Finish & Serve
Dust. Sprinkle with cocoa powder.
Chill. Chill before slicing for cleaner cuts, then serve and enjoy!
Katerina’s Recipe Tips
- Use parchment paper + a kitchen towel. After baking, dust the cake with powdered sugar and flip it onto a clean kitchen towel. This helps prevent sticking and cracking.
- Roll it while it’s warm. Don’t wait! Roll the cake up in the towel while it’s still warm from the oven—this sets the shape and helps avoid cracks later when you fill it.
- Let it cool completely. After you roll it, let the cake cool fully (still wrapped in the towel). A warm cake will melt your filling, and we’re not about that life.
- Don’t overfill. Spread the mascarpone whipped cream evenly, but leave a border around the edges. Too much filling = a slippery, sliding situation.
- Chill before slicing. Once it’s filled and rolled back up, refrigerate the cake for at least an hour before slicing. This helps everything firm up and gives you those nice, clean swirls.
- Cut perfect slices. For picture-perfect slices, use unflavored dental floss instead of a knife. Slide it under the cake, cross the ends over the top, and pull tight for a clean cut—no squishing, no smearing!
Serving Suggestions
Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or need something fancy to go with your iced Americano or a warm cinnamon dolce latte, this tiramisu roll cake is guaranteed to impress!
ENJOY!
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Tiramisu Cake Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE
- ½ cup cake flour, plus more for dusting the pan.
- 5 eggs, room temperature, whites and yolks separated
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
FOR THE SYRUP
- ½ cup brewed espresso
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon Frangelico
FOR THE FILLING
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon Frangelico
- ½ cup chilled heavy cream
- cocoa powder, for dusting over the cake
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Lightly coat a jelly roll pan (18×13) with baking spray and line with parchment paper. Then, spray the parchment paper with baking spray and dust with flour; shake off any excess flour and set aside.
- Prepare the yolk mixture. In your mixer's bowl, beat together the egg yolks, vanilla, and 1/2 cup sugar at high speed until thick and pale yellow; about 10 minutes. Add half of the flour to the yolk-mixture and fold it in gently. Then, add the rest of the flour and fold in gently. Set aside.
- Prepare the egg whites. In a large mixing bowl combine egg whites, salt and cream of tartar; beat at medium speed until soft peaks form. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and continue to beat until whites just hold stiff peaks.
- Combine. Fold 1/4 of the egg whites mixture into the yolk mixture, then fold in the remaining whites until thoroughly combined.
- Finish the cake batter. Pour melted butter in a small mixing bowl. Stir 1/2 cup of the prepared cake batter into the melted butter. Gently fold the butter mixture back into the batter; fold until thoroughly combined.
- Bake. Spread the batter evenly in the previously prepared pan; rap the pan once on the counter to eliminate air bubbles. Bake the cake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the top of the cake springs back when you touch it. Remove it from the oven.
- Flip the cake. Sift powdered sugar over the cake; cover the cake with a kitchen towel and set a baking sheet over it. It helps if the baking sheet is the same size as the pan that the cake was baked on. Holding the baking sheet and the cake pan together, flip the cake onto the cloth on the baking sheet. Carefully peel off the parchment paper. I suggest using oven mitts, please.
- Roll it up. Using the towel, roll up the cake, jelly-roll style, keeping it wrapped in the towel. Place the cake seam-side down on a rack, still wrapped in the towel, and let it cool completely.
- In the meantime, prepare the syrup. Combine the espresso and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then boil it until the liquid is reduced to a 1/4 cup. Remove from heat and stir in Frangelico; let cool to room temperature.
Make the Filling
- Mix. Combine the softened mascarpone, sugar, cinnamon, and Frangelico in a large bowl; beat with a mixer until smooth and thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- Beat the heavy cream. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream until it just holds stiff peaks.
- Combine. Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until combined.
Assemble
- Unroll the cake. Gently unroll the cooled cake on a baking sheet, keeping it on the towel. Brush the cake with the espresso syrup.
- Add the filling. Using an offset spatula, spread the whipped cream filling evenly over the cake, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around.
- Roll it up. Starting from the long side nearest you, roll up the cake without the towel, leaving it seam-side down on the baking sheet.
- Finish and serve. Dust the tiramisu cake roll with cocoa powder. Cut and Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Absolutely! It actually tastes even better the next day once the flavors have melded.
Yes! Just replace it with more espresso or strong coffee.
You can use full-fat cream cheese, but mascarpone gives the most authentic tiramisu flavor.
More Cake Recipes
- Kahlua Chocolate Cake
- Blueberry Coffee Cake
- Black Magic Chocolate Cake
- Olive Oil Cake
- German Marble Cake
This was delicious! Made it for dessert on Easter. Everyone loved it. Thank you for sharing.
Wow, this has got to be the most perfect cake roll in existence, it looks incredible. It sounds incredible too, I think I could eat that like a burrito!!
What a lovely cake, I will have to give it a try. Love the awesome photos too.
Utterly GORGEOUS!!! I’d love to have a slice right now!
This cake is simply gorgeous! You’ve outdone yourself as usual ;).
This is seriously the most perfect roll cake I have ever seen.. your baking skills are incredible!
This cake roll is seriously a true beauty. It is literally perfect.
This looks amazing! I could eat the filling with a spoon! Pinned!
Ladyfriend, I ran over here from Facebook as soon as I saw the title of the cake! Tiramisu is Hubby’s most favorite cake in the world and I know he would LOVE this. I think I found his next birthday cake!
Regarding Halloween, I don’t dress up at all since we only have 3 kids come over, but Sophie has her outfit ready so I feel like a mom that’s got her act together for once. 🙂
I’ve got tiramisu on my cooking bucket list and this one looks like a lovely adaptation with all the great taste in a compact roll.