Tuesdays with Dorie #5: Megan of My Baking Adventures chose Tiramisu Cake on pages 266-268.
First of all .. although a reasonably simple recipe in technique, for me, this was the most difficult, time consuming, and messy TWD recipe I’ve made to date. I must admit that I brought some of it on myself. I have gotten comfortable enough with the recipes in the book to consider tweaking and making changes. Since I was going to take some of this to a get-together on Sunday afternoon, I decided to make cupcake cakes instead of one large cake. (I was also influenced by the fact that I don’t actually have 9″ cake pans and I didn’t want to go out and buy any.) So what would have been a relatively straightforward cake assembly became a huge project as I trimmed, split, moistened, filled, froze, and frosted a dozen large cupcakes. *phew* I shoulda just made the cake.
I started off sifting together the dry ingredients as the instructions call for.
Btw, this is my grandmother’s sifter. She used to keep it in a big bowl full of flour in her kitchen cabinet. It was always coming out to dust a counter top or sift flour directly into hot grease for gravy or into a bowl of butter and shortening for biscuits. It’s never been washed – now in my house it just goes into a ZipLoc bag in the cabinet.
I creamed the butter and the sugar. I read in an article recently that butter and sugar should be creamed for a minimum of 7 minutes. I tried it this time and it didn’t seem to look any different at 7 mins than it did after 3-4 minutes.
I made cupcakes instead of the 9″ cake and they came out nicely done after 22 mins. I did rotate the cupcake pan at the 8 minute mark.
I trimmed the cupcakes to make sure they’d be even and to get rid of the browned bits, and then sliced them in 1/2 so they could be doused with the syrup and filled.
I already had some simple syrup in the fridge, so I just used that to create the espresso/Kahlua syrup. I put the syrup in a pour bottle and used that to moisten each cupcake half.
Then the cupcakes went into the freezer on a cookie sheet for about an hour to make them easier to frost.
Finally, they were frosted with the remaining mascarpone/whipped cream mixture and sprinkled with the chopped chocolate. I have to admit they look a little bit like snowballs. They’re not terribly elegant, but they get the job done!
As I was making these, I was muttering “never again” to myself. Then I ate some of the parings from the cupcakes, dipped in the espresso syrup, and with a dollop of the mascarpone/cream topping. And after I stopped swooning over how incredibly delicious it was, I decided that I *will* make this again, but I’ll make it as a cake as called for and save myself a LOT of time and effort.
This was amazingly, incredibly, deliciously good – I took them to a dinner get together and they disappeared in record time to rave reviews. Tiramisu has always been one of my favorite desserts, and this managed to combine those flavors perfectly. I truly could have eaten every cupcake by myself, although I’d have regretted it later.
The recipe is available in Baking: From My Home to Yours
Enjoy!
Amanda Formaro
May 5th, 2009
Wow, I love the way that little cupcake looks at the end cut like a cake! I LOVED this cake. Like you I am a tiramisu fan and I agree, Dorie totally fit all the flavors of tiramisu into this fabulous recipe
Stop by my blog and read my interview with Dorie!
Jill
May 5th, 2009
Your cupcake version looks really great! I love how you frosted them on all sides.
Eunice
May 5th, 2009
I LOVE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very like Kim’s scrumptious photography! And I love your version!
Eunice
Beryl
May 5th, 2009
I trashed my kitchen making one mini cake so I can imagine the carnage wrought by these cupcakes. They look fabulous though!
Clivia
May 5th, 2009
For the benefit of your readers, I’m glad you went to all that trouble. Your tiramisu snowballs are adorable!
pamela
May 5th, 2009
How neat that you have your grandmothers sifter! I have my Mom’s, but I keep it hanging in the kitchen instead of using it. Nice job on the cupcakes, it certainly looks like you did a lot of work. And it sounds like it paid off, too. Glad you enjoyed them! Oh, about the mudslides…just smelling Kahlua brings me right back to that night.
)
Jennifer
May 5th, 2009
Your mini’s are stunning!!!!
Carmen
May 5th, 2009
Wow, I would not have had the patience to make cupcakes!! But they are sooo cute.
Lori Ann
May 5th, 2009
Wow, your photos are amazing! And your Tiramisu Cupcakes look absolutely yummy! I’m sure everyone at your get-together was happy that you went through all that trouble for their dessert. Love the connection with your grandmother!
Erin
May 5th, 2009
Your pictures are beautiful! I love the cupcake version- it looks great!
Bria
May 5th, 2009
Your mini cakes are so cute!!
Courtney
May 5th, 2009
Kara! These look SO good! I know…alot of work but….they look so gourmet!
Babette
May 5th, 2009
You overachiever, you. I have decided this is the dessert I’m making whenever anyone asks me to bring dessert! LOVELY as always, Kara.
Margot
May 5th, 2009
Those look absolutely incredible, and as usual, your photos are stunning. It took me longer than I anticipated just in cake form, too, but this recipe is well worth it.
Cakelaw
May 5th, 2009
These look wonderful Kara – and top marks for taking the time to make the cuppies – so cute!
Michele
May 6th, 2009
Well I think they are adorable! And I bet they were delicious!
Amber Marie
May 6th, 2009
This look scrumptious and oh-so-cute against the red table top
Leslie
May 6th, 2009
Using a squeeze bottle is BRILLIANT! I thought this was less dish-intensive than the chocolate tart, but I didn’t go the cupcake route. I love how you frosted all the sides, so everyone gets their own little mini cake!
Shari
May 6th, 2009
I love the story of your Grandmother’s flour sifter! And I love how you swooned at the wonderful taste — a true test of any dish. These look delightfully delicious as they obviously were! Great job!
AmyRuth
May 6th, 2009
Wow Kara, you’re magical!! Yep a little labor intensive but a loving one no doubt. I’m so glad everyone loved them. That’s awesome!! On another note: You have your grandmother’s sifter, I have my grandmothers nutmeg grater with a really old jar of nutmegs in this cute little “OLD” cardboard box. Who knew they had them THAT long ago. Anyway, I enjoy using it and thinking of her. I’m sure you smile too as you sift.
Thanks for stopping by and leaving kind words.
AmyRuth
Sara
May 7th, 2009
Wow, those are the miniest whole cakes I have seen in a while. So cute!
Jacque
May 10th, 2009
Wow, those look so cute! I’m sorry they were such a pain.
Making individual desserts is always so much more work.