This tiramisu crepe cake is made with 15 layers of thin espresso-infused crepes layered with mascarpone cream and cocoa powder. It's a beautiful cake that takes a bit of patience but it's worth it for the delicious tiramisu flavour and unique crepe texture.
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Notes from the baker
I've dreamed of this tiramisu crepe cake for a while now and I had to finally make it a reality. I can't over the flavour combination of coffee crepes, mascarpone cream, and cocoa. It's in a different form but tastes like everything I love about tiramisu.
I don't make crepe cakes often because they require a bit of patience - mostly just waiting for all the crepes to cook and frosting each of the crepe layers. But the outcome is always worth it in the end when I do make them.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Thin and chewy crepe layers. These crepes are just like the kind you would enjoy on their own with whipped cream and fresh fruits with just the perfect amount of soft chewiness.
- Fragrant espresso flavour and aroma. Instead of an espresso soak, the espresso flavour is directly added to the crepes and they taste so good!
- Rich and dreamy mascarpone cream. The mascarpone cream truly makes this crepe cake taste like a creamy tiramisu.
- Impressive layered look. The 15 layers of crepes and cream looks incredible when you slice into it. People will be wondering how you made it.
- Great cake to make in advance. Since this cake should be chilled before serving, it's ideal to make it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge overnight or until you're ready to serve it.
Tools
- Whisk - Mixing the crepe batter is easy, you just need a whisk. Although since you will need a hand mixer for the mascarpone cream, you could also just use a hand mixer for both.
- Fine mesh sieve - For pouring the crepe batter through to remove any clumps of flour or egg for smooth and thin crepes.
- 10" frying pan - A 10" frying pan is a good size for making 6-8" crepes. The flat bottom of the pan will be the approximate size of your crepes depending on how far you swirl the batter.
- Electric hand mixer - I'd recommend using a hand mixer to make the mascarpone cream because the mascarpone can be a bit stiff. A hand mixer mixes it all quickly and easily and makes the cream smoother.
- Cake turntable - This is optional but a turntable makes spreading the cream on the crepe layers easier because you can spin them around which is especially helpful when frosting so many layers.
- Offset spatula - An offset spatula has the perfect ergonomic shape for frosting crepe layers.
- Piping bag - You'll need a piping bag if you want to pipe extra mascarpone cream on top of the crepe cake.
Ingredient notes
As always, the fullย recipe cardย with ingredient amounts and instructions is at the bottom of this post! Keep reading for more details on each ingredient or skip ahead to theย recipe.
- Eggs - These should be at room temperature before using them. If you forget to take them out in advance, you can submerge them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.
- Granulated sugar
- Cake flour
- Instant espresso powder - Use instant espresso powder or instant coffee that dissolves completely in water, not ground up espresso beans.
- Unsalted butter - This should be melted and cooled. The tiny droplets of butter evenly distributed throughout the crepe batter is what thickens it so that the crepes don't rip after being cooked.
- Milk - This should be at room temperature before adding it to the batter to prevent the melted butter from solidifying. I would recommend warming it up with the butter to make it easier.
- Vanilla extract
- Mascarpone cheese - This is a soft, light-tasting cheese used in classic tiramisu. You can usually find it in a tub in the dairy section or in Italian grocery stores.
- Whipping cream - When whipped into the mascarpone cheese, the whipping cream creates a lighter and airier cream that's perfect for frosting this crepe cake.
- Powdered sugar
- Cocoa powder - For dusting in between the crepe layers and on top of the cake like a classic tiramisu.
Tips for making the best tiramisu crepe cake
- Adjust the heat of the stovetop. Start at medium heat and turn it down if the crepes are cooking too fast (browning too much or becoming crispy) or if the batter doesn't have enough time to "run" around the pan. For my stovetop, slightly lower than medium is perfect.
- Experiment with the amount of batter and cooking time. Slightly less than ยผ cup of batter for each crepe is also perfect for my 7-8" crepes. Adjust accordingly if there isn't enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan or if the crepes are too thick. Cook the crepes for longer if they're ripping when you try to lift them off the pan.
- Jiggle the pan slightly as you swirl the batter around. Sometimes the batter needs a bit of help to coat the pan evenly especially if there isn't enough batter. If the crepe does have any bald spots, simply fill them with a few extra drops of batter.
- Organize your crepe layers before you use them. Save the best looking crepe for the top layer. Try to use a large crepe for the base, then the smaller crepes, and save the largest crepes closer to the top of the cake. As you build the cake, larger layers at the top will be able to drape downwards for a cleaner look.
- Chill the crepe cake in the fridge before slicing into it. The whipped cream layers need to set to prevent the crepe layers from sliding around. Always store crepe cakes in the fridge until ready to serve.
Storage
This tiramisu crepe cake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It can be served straight from the fridge or let it sit out at room temperature for 15 minutes if you don't want it to be fridge cold.
Leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before eating.
Frequently asked questions
Baking by weight is much more accurate than volume. When using US standard cups, ingredients like flour and sugar can easily be overpacked into the cup causing you to add too much of certain ingredients. Recipes with weight measurements are also easier to scale to smaller or bigger batches without dealing with weird fractions.ย To measure by weight, you simply need a kitchen scale which you can usually pick up for less than $20.
Small measurements are given in tablespoons and teaspoons because most kitchen scales are not accurate under about 10g. Tiny amounts like a ยผ teaspoon may not register accurately unless you have a drug scale. Mixing these measurements is a common practice among other recipe sites and commercial kitchens.
More crepe cake recipes to try
Recipe
Tiramisu Crepe Cake
Equipment
- 1 whisk
Ingredientsย ย
Crepes
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 80 g cake flour
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 40 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 400 g milk, room temperature or warmed with the butter
- ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract
Mascarpone Cream
- 500 g mascarpone cheese, cold
- 400 g whipping cream, cold
- 100 g powdered sugar
- 1 ยผ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, for dusting
Instructionsย
Crepes
- Mix: To a large mixing bowl, add the eggs and use a whisk to loosen them. Add the granulated sugar, cake flour, and espresso powder. Whisk to combine. Add the melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract and whisk to combine.
- Strain: Pour the batter through a fine mesh sieve into another bowl to break up any clumps of flour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 hour to allow the batter to thicken.
- Heat pan: Heat a small frying pan on medium heat for 5-10 minutes until the pan is evenly hot.
- Cook crepes: Use a ยผ cup measuring cup or ladle to pour a scoop of batter onto the middle of the pan. Immediately swirl the pan so that the batter coats the bottom of the pan until it stops "running". Replace the pan on the heat and cook the crepe for about 3 minutes or until the edges start to brown and the crepe lifts off the pan without breaking.
- Cool: Use a spatula to lift an edge of the crepe before lifting it off the pan and onto a sheet of parchment on a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining batter until you have about 15 crepes.
Mascarpone Cream
- Beat: In a large mixing bowl, add the mascarpone cheese. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the cheese until it becomes very smooth and creamy. Add the whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth and airy.
Assemble the cake
- Spread cream: On a cake turntable, lay down a cake board and place the first crepe in the middle. Add a scoop of mascarpone cream on top of the crepe (use a 4-tablespoon ice cream scoop for even amounts of cream in each layer). Use an offset spatula to spread the cream into an even layer, leaving a small edge on the outside of the crepe empty for a neater look.
- Sprinkle: Use a fine mesh sieve to sprinkle a light dusting of cocoa powder on top of the cream. Place another crepe on top. Repeat with the rest of the cream, cocoa powder, and crepes.
- Pipe topping: Transfer the remaining mascarpone cream to a piping bag and cut the tip off. Pipe dollops of cream on top of the cake. Sprinkle cocoa powder on top of the cream.
- Chill: Chill the crepe cake in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow the cream to set before slicing.
Frella says
Very good
Blah blah says
Umm you should do videos of the recipes. It would help others.
Thanh Luong says
Very delicious. Iโm married to Italian love tiramisu over 30 now I tried your recipes who family love it specially Nona thanks for sharing โค๏ธ