Tiramisu Cake

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350

Butter two 9×2 inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess, and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

To make the cake:

Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Working with a stand mixer beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy.

Add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes.

Add the eggs one by one, and then the yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled.

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. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans.

Bake for 28 to 30 minutes.

Transfer the cakes to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them, and peel off the paper liners. Cool right side up.

Meanwhile – Brew the coffee/espresso and add some sugar to it, allow for it to cool

Syrup:

1 cup Strong Espresso
Sugar

To Make the Filling/Frosting ( non-traditional Marscapone)

Ingredients:

1 pkg Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
1 tub Cool Whip, un-thawed
1/2 pkg vanilla pudding ( 4 servings )
1-2 tbs Milk
Vanilla

In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add Cool Whip slowly and mix until blended. Add Vanilla, about 2 tsp.

In separate bowl, stir Jell-O powder and 2 Tbs Milk until dissolved. Add mixture to the cream cheese and cool whip and continue to beat on medium until smooth. You can add more milk if needed.

Stir until desired consistency. Set aside.

To assemble the cake:

Place the first layer right-side up on cake plate. Using a pastry brush or a small spoon pour some of the espresso mixture over the layer. Smooth some of the frosting over the layer – user about 1 1/4 cups – Dust with Cocoa using a sifter.

Put the second cake layer on the counter and soak the top of it with half the remaining espresso syrup, then turn the layer over and position it, soaked side down, over the filling. Soak the top of the cake with the remaining coffee/espresso.

With a long metal icing spatula, smooth the frosting on top of the cake, and around the sides. Dust the top of the cake with cocoa using a sifter.

Last! Place lady fingers around the outside of the cake. Measure one and cut all of them the same size so they fit nicely against the cake.

Dust top with Cocoa Powder.

Refrigerate the cake for a couple of hours (or for up to 1 day) before serving!

Enjoy!