The Ultimate Sheet Pan Tiramisu Cake Recipe
Indulge in the perfect tiramisu cake, ideal for gatherings and holiday celebrations! This recipe offers a unique twist on the classic Italian tiramisu dessert, baked in a sheet pan for easy multi-layer creation. Experience the lightest and most airy sponge cake layers, soaked in a non-alcoholic coffee liqueur, and topped with a rich mascarpone and cocoa cream frosting. This kid-friendly and utterly scrumptious dessert is guaranteed to be a hit!
While I adore a traditional tiramisu dessert made with ladyfingers, I occasionally crave a sponge cake version. This sheet pan tiramisu cake delivers that delightful flavor with an even easier preparation method.
This sponge cake version is surprisingly simpler to make than meticulously arranging dozens of ladyfingers. Plus, it boasts the lightest and airiest sponge cake layers you’ll ever taste!
The resulting cake is incredibly decadent and absolutely delicious. Imagine moist and fluffy sponge cake layers soaked in a non-alcoholic coffee syrup, crowned with a light and airy mascarpone-chocolate whipped cream, and generously dusted with cocoa powder. It’s a symphony of flavors and textures that will leave you craving more.
This tiramisu cake is truly phenomenal and a one-of-a-kind dessert that deserves a spot on your baking list. Trust me, you won’t regret making it!
Not only is it delicious, but it’s also incredibly easy to prepare. After countless renditions, I’ve practically memorized the recipe, just for you! I can honestly say that it’s the best cake I’ve baked this year!
Let me share what makes this particular tiramisu cake so amazing and how I developed this recipe.
The Best Tiramisu Cake Recipe You’ll Ever Try
There’s a local baker in my area who creates the most incredible tiramisu cake for special orders. Everyone raves about her creation!
She crafts a stunning four-layer sheet cake that’s perfect for large gatherings and even weddings. I’ll include a photo of her masterpiece below so you can compare it to my version, but the bottom line is, it’s truly exceptional.
Her party tiramisu cake features a delicate cocoa-based cream frosting and incredibly moist and airy homemade yellow cake layers.
To make a long story short, I meticulously analyzed her cake and developed my own unique rendition. I took my favorite light-and-airy sponge cake recipe, which is ideal for layered cakes, and transformed it into a delightful tiramisu cake.
I had to test and tweak this recipe numerous times before I felt it was absolutely perfect. Through this process, I inadvertently created what I consider to be the most amazing genoise sponge cake layers, enriched with sour cream and oil for unparalleled moisture and tenderness.
And it truly works wonders, especially with the addition of oil (a common ingredient in many boxed cake mixes).
I’m not sharing this to brag, but rather to emphasize that this is a completely original recipe, not something you’ll find readily available online.
More About This Irresistible Tiramisu Cake
Making a sheet pan cake is a popular technique employed by professional pastry chefs and home bakers alike because it’s more efficient than using multiple round cake pans. It’s an ideal approach when serving a larger crowd.
You might notice that the batter volume is quite substantial, but it’s perfectly suited for two half-sheet pans measuring 18×13 inches. If you prefer to make a smaller round tiramisu cake, simply halve the recipe and use two 9-inch round cake pans.
This sheet pan tiramisu cake yields four 9×7 rectangular layers, creating a wonderfully moist, fluffy, and tall rectangular cake.
Honestly, cakes freeze remarkably well, so don’t hesitate to make the entire sheet cake, even if you’re not serving a large group immediately.
And last but not least, you can serve this cake immediately after frosting. It’s that moist and tender! True story: I baked this cake the morning of an event, and received numerous compliments, including one questioning whether it was even homemade!
My final piece of advice is that this sheet pan tiramisu cake is incredibly easy to bake, decorate, slice, and transport. It’s a smart choice for both the baker and the guests, making serving a large number of people at a party incredibly convenient.
And be prepared to receive a flood of compliments!
Now, let’s dive into the baking process and all my essential recipe notes!
Mise en PlaceEverything you need! :
Essential Equipment:
- Two 18×13 sheet pans for baking the sponge cake layers evenly.
- Parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal of the baked layers.
- A heavy-duty mixer or a hand mixer for whipping the eggs and sugar to achieve the perfect airy texture.
- A large rectangular cake plate for displaying your beautiful tiramisu cake.
- A rubber spatula for gently folding the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, preserving the airiness of the batter.
- An icing spatula and mixing bowl for preparing and applying the luscious mascarpone cocoa cream frosting.
Key Tiramisu Ingredients:
- Sponge cake layers: The foundation of the cake, made with whipped whole eggs, granulated sugar, sour cream, oil, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and vanilla extract. Simple ingredients, exceptional results!
- Coffee liqueur syrup: The perfect non-alcoholic option for soaking the sponge cake layers. I’ve also tested this recipe with strong coffee, and it works beautifully as well.
- Cocoa cream frosting: A heavenly blend of mascarpone, cocoa powder, heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, and a pinch of salt. This frosting is incredibly luscious, melts in your mouth, and is perfect for tiramisu!
Pro-Chef Tip: A chocolate frosting made with cocoa powder complements the light and airy sponge cake layers in tiramisu, creating a semi-sweet and mellow flavor profile. It also allows the intense coffee flavor to shine as the star of the show. The combination is truly a match made in heaven!
From-Scratch Kahlua Substitute
You can easily create a non-alcoholic Kahlua substitute by brewing strong coffee (like espresso) and adding cream and your favorite syrups to replicate the distinct tiramisu flavor. I often use instant espresso for making a quick coffee substitute. For a caffeine-free option, consider using Dandy Blend.
Easy Steps to Make This Tiramisu Cake:
- Begin by preparing the sponge cake layers. In a heavy-duty mixer, combine the eggs and granulated sugar. Beat them together at high speed. This crucial step will take approximately 20 minutes. The mixture should significantly increase in volume and become thick and pale.
- While the eggs and sugar are whipping, take this time to measure out the sour cream, sunflower oil, all-purpose flour, and baking soda. Ensure these ingredients are readily available near the mixer, along with the vanilla extract, for easy addition to the whipped egg mixture later. Sift the flour and baking soda together to eliminate any lumps and ensure a smooth batter.