Strawberry Tiramisu Cake

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Next up for your Valentine’s Day dessert options is my Strawberry Tiramisu Cake! This cake is the perfect dessert for those of you who like light, airy, mildly sweet, confections. It takes a bit of time to prepare, but it can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it. Plus, the best part of making this cake for just you and your partner, is that you will have plenty of leftovers!

So let’s get onto the ingredients. For the custard filling, you are going to need eggs, sugar, cornstarch, water, milk, butter, mascarpone cheese, and heavy cream. For the strawberry purée, you are going to need strawberries and sugar, and then to assemble the cake, you are going to need ladyfinger cookies (I prefer to use Forno Bonomi brand, but you can use whatever brand you prefer), diced strawberries, and sliced strawberries.

Begin by preparing a 9-inch springform pan by placing a parchment paper round in the bottom and setting it aside.

Custard Filling: Next, make your custard filling. Begin by preparing your custard first, as this will need to cool in the refrigerator completely before you can proceed any further with making your cake. To make your custard, heat your milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, until small bubbles form and your milk is steaming (do not let this come to a boil). While your milk is heating, make a slurry by combining your cornstarch and water in a small prep bowl, stirring until your cornstarch is completely incorporated into your water, and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together your egg yolks and sugar. Add in your slurry and whisk vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes or until the mixture is thick and pale in color. Temper your eggs by slowly pouring in your hot milk, whisking continuously to avoid letting your eggs scramble. 

Once your eggs are tempered, pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and takes on a pudding-like consistency. Remove from the heat and add in your butter, whisking until it is completely melted. Cover your custard by placing a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to avoid a skin from forming. Refrigerate to cool completely. It is important to note that you can accelerate the cooling time of your custard by spreading it into a thin layer on the bottom of a large, shallow, casserole dish.

Once your custard has cooled, finish preparing your filling. To do this, add your cooled custard and mascarpone cheese to a medium bowl, and beat on high with an electric hand mixer until completely incorporated. In a separate large bowl, add in your chilled heavy cream, and beat on high with an electric hand mixer for 4 to 5 minutes, or until your heavy cream is fluffy and forms stiff peaks. Fold your whipped cream into your custard mixture until it is well incorporated and set it aside.

Strawberry Purée: Next, make your strawberry purée. To do this, simply place your strawberries and sugar (to taste) into your food processor or blender and pulse them into a fine purée. Set this aside until you are ready to assemble your cake.

To Assemble (watch video below): When you are ready to assemble your cake, dip your ladyfingers into your strawberry purée on one side only (the side without the sugar coating), and create a layer on the bottom of your prepared springform pan, leaving enough space around the outer edge to slip a layer of ladyfingers around the entire outer circumference of your pan. You may need to cut some of your ladyfingers into smaller pieces to fill in any gaps. Next, dip your ladyfingers into your strawberry purée on one side only (the side without the sugar coating) and slide them into the reserved space around the outside circumference of your pan (make sure the sugar coated side is facing outward). Top your first layer of ladyfingers with one-third of your custard filling. Spread it out evenly, making sure to work it up against your ladyfingers on the outer circumference to firmly secure them in place. Top your custard filling with one-half of your diced strawberries.

For your next layer, dip your ladyfingers all the way into your strawberry purée, making sure to coat them completely and lay them out evenly over your custard filling and strawberries. Again, cut your ladyfingers into smaller pieces, if necessary, to fill in any gaps. Top your second layer of lady fingers with one-third of your custard filling. Spread it out evenly, making sure to work it up against your lady fingers on the outer circumference to firmly secure them in place. Top your custard filling with your remaining diced strawberries. Repeat these steps to create your final layer (DO NOT top your final layer of custard filling with any diced strawberries, as you will arrange your sliced strawberries on the top just prior to serving your cake). Reserve any leftover strawberry purée in your refrigerator until you are ready to serve your cake.

Refrigerate your cake for at least 8 hours, or overnight. When you are ready to serve, transfer your cake to a plate or cake stand. Secure a 3-inch wide ribbon around the base of your cake for presentation. I like to fit my ribbon around the bottom and use a hot glue gun to close the seam. The ribbon will help to keep your cake together if you plan on leaving it out of the refrigerator for a while prior to serving it.

Garnish: To finish your cake, arrange your sliced strawberries over the entire surface and drizzle with your reserved strawberry purée. Make sure to remove your ribbon (if using) to make it easier to cut your cake.