Easy Tiramisu Chocolate Cake (Print Version)

A delectable no-fuss dessert featuring coffee-soaked chocolate cake topped with light mascarpone whipped cream and finished with a dusting of cocoa powder.

# Ingredients:

→ Chocolate Cake

01 - 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour (175g)
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar (210g)
03 - 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
04 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
05 - 1/2 tsp salt
06 - 1 egg
07 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil (100g)
08 - 2/3 cup buttermilk (160g) - or 2/3 cup milk mixed with 2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice
09 - 1 tsp instant coffee
10 - 1/3 cup boiling water (80g)
11 - 1/3 cup cocoa powder, ideally Dutch Processed (35g)

→ Mascarpone Whipped Cream

12 - 2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled (480g)
13 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar (75g)
14 - 1/2 tsp vanilla
15 - 6 oz good quality mascarpone cheese, slightly cooler than room temperature

→ Assembly

16 - 1/4 cup strong coffee or espresso (80g) - you won't use all
17 - 2 tbsp cocoa powder to dust on top

# Instructions:

01 - Pre-heat your oven to 350°F (conventional) and prepare a 9x9" square cake pan with parchment paper and butter or oil.
02 - If making your own buttermilk, mix 2/3 cup milk with 2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice, stir, and set aside.
03 - Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Sift the ingredients to make sure there are no lumps.
04 - Break in the egg, and add the vegetable oil and buttermilk. Use a whisk to gently mix until the ingredients come together.
05 - In a smaller bowl, mix boiling water with cocoa powder and instant coffee, and whisk until you get a shiny mix. This step blooms the cocoa powder and brings out its lovely chocolatey notes.
06 - Add the bloomed cocoa powder mix to the cake batter, and gently fold until just combined.
07 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350°F for about 23-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.
08 - Let the cake cool down for at least 20 minutes in the pan.
09 - Whisk the chilled heavy cream, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until the cream just becomes thick (do not overmix).
10 - Add the mascarpone cheese in 2 additions and mix on low speed until combined. Adjust the amount of mascarpone cheese or cream based on your preference of taste and thickness. Do not overmix, the mixture should be thick and fluffy. Overmixing will cause it to become grainy.
11 - Once the cake has cooled down, carefully remove it from the pan and trim off the crust (don't waste too much cake). You can eat the removed part.
12 - Clean the pan and place 2 sheets of parchment paper inside with their ends rising on the edges. Carefully transfer the cake back into the pan, leaving the exposed crumb side on top.
13 - Use a pastry brush to brush on the strong coffee/espresso. You want to go over each part of the cake once, but brush generously, to avoid oversoaking.
14 - Spread on the mascarpone whipped cream, using an offset spatula to spread it as evenly as possible.
15 - Transfer to the fridge and chill for ~6 hours, or ideally overnight.
16 - Once the cake has set, carefully remove it from the pan, using the edges of parchment paper to lift it up. Transfer immediately to your serving board.
17 - If you want, you can trim off the edges for a neat look. Use a sifter to dust with cocoa powder.
18 - Slice, serve and enjoy!

# Notes:

01 - For best results, let the cake chill overnight before serving.
02 - The mascarpone should be slightly cooler than room temperature to prevent the cream from becoming grainy.
03 - Dutch-processed cocoa powder gives the best chocolate flavor, but regular cocoa powder will work too.

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