tiramisu cake

Tiramisu Cake
adapted from smitten kitchen

For the cake layers:
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk

For the espresso extract:
 8 tablespoons instant coffee powder
 1 cup boiling water

For the espresso syrup:
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons Kahlua

For the filling and frosting:
16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons (8 ml) pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Kahlua
1 cup cold heavy cream
1/2 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

Chocolate-covered espresso beans, for decoration (optional)
Cocoa powder, for dusting

Cake:

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350
2. Butter two 9×2 inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, and tap out the excess.
3. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes.
5. Add the eggs one by one, and then the yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition.
6. Beat in the vanilla; don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled.
7. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter.
8. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
9. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point.
10. Transfer the cakes to a rack and cool.

To make the extract:

1. Stir the espresso powder and boiling water together in a small cup until blended. Set aside.

To make the syrup:

1. Stir the water and sugar together in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil.
2. Pour the syrup into a small heatproof bowl and stir in 5 oz of the espresso extract and the liqueur or brandy; set aside.
3. Once cakes have cooled, soak cakes with syrup, dividing it evenly.

To make the filling and frosting:

1. Whip the cream cheese until light and fluffy.
2. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, remaining espresso extract, liqueur and cream; whip until light and fluffy.
3. Put frosting into fridge to stiffen.

To assemble the cake:

1. If the tops of the cake layers have crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even them.
2. Smooth some of the frosting over the layer and gently press the chocolate chips into the filling.
3. Put the second cake layer upside down on top of the chocolate chips.
4. With a long metal icing spatula, smooth the frosting around the sides of the cake and over the top.
5. If you want to decorate the cake with chocolate-covered espresso beans, press them into the filling, making concentric circles of beans or just putting some beans in the center of the cake.
6. Refrigerate the cake for at least 3 hours (or for up to 1 day) before serving – the elements need time to meld.
7. Just before serving, dust the top of the cake with cocoa.

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