
Chocolate Tiramisu Cake
Serves 10-12
3 large eggs
3/4 cup (180ml) melted butter or oil
3/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
375ml (1 1/2 cups) cake flour
180ml (3/4 cup) cocoa powder
7,5ml (3/4 tsp) bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
410ml (1 2/3 cups) brown sugar
Espresso syrup
250ml sugar
250ml water
125ml espresso coffee, cooled
80ml coffee liqueur (optional)
Mascarpone frosting
250ml cream
1 tub (240g) mascarpone cheese
½ cup icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
Cocoa powder, for dusting
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line 2 x 22cm springform cake tins. Beat the eggs and oil for 3 minutes on high speed. Add the water and beat for 1 minute on high speed. Sift the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt together. Add the sugar and mix into the wet ingredients. Divide the batter between the tins and bake for 55 minutes or until cake is cooked when tested with a skewer. If the skewer comes out clean, the cake is cooked. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Remove from the tin and place on cooling rack, cool completely before cutting each cake in half horizontally with a sharp knife. To make the syrup, gently heat the sugar and water together and stir until melted then bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool slightly before adding the coffee and liqueur. Allow to cool completely. To make the frosting, whip the cream and mascarpone together until stiff peaks then whisk in the icing sugar and vanilla. Place in a piping bag with a fluted nozzle. To assemble the cake, place a cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand, soak the cake in the espresso syrup then pipe frosting on top. Repeat the layers with the cake, syrup and frosting finishing with a layer of frosting on top. Pipe dollops on top of the cake to decorate and dust with a little cocoa powder.