Tiramisu Cake with No Ladyfingers in a 9x13 Pan

This tiramisu cake with no ladyfingers uses a thin homemade sponge baked in the 9×13 pan itself, soaked with espresso and layered with a cooked-yolk mascarpone cream. Bake the sponge for 12 to 15 minutes at 350°F, cool, brush it with coffee, spread the cream over it and chill for at least 6 hours. It serves fifteen.

Ladyfingers can be hard to find and are often stale by the time you buy them. A quick sponge baked right in the pan gives the same soft, coffee-soaked layer, and because the whole thing is built in a 9×13 pan there is no assembly to fiddle with.

Why It Works in a 9×13 Pan

The sponge batter (4 eggs and 2/3 cup flour) bakes in a 9×13 pan to about 3/4 inch, the same thickness as a layer of ladyfingers. The cream on top is about 1 inch deep, so the finished cake is roughly 2 inches tall and cuts into fifteen neat squares. The egg yolks in the cream are cooked over simmering water to 160°F, so the dessert is safe to serve to children and older guests.

Ingredients

Sponge

4 large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Coffee soak

1 1/4 cups strong brewed espresso or coffee, cooled
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur or dark rum (optional)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Mascarpone cream

6 large egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup whole milk
16 ounces mascarpone, cold
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

Instructions

Bake the sponge. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment. Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla with a mixer on high for 5 to 6 minutes, until tripled in volume and pale. Sift the flour and salt over the top and fold in gently, then fold in the melted butter. Spread evenly in the pan and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until springy and lightly golden. Cool completely in the pan.
Make the soak. Stir the sugar and liqueur into the coffee.
Cook the yolks. Whisk the yolks, sugar and milk in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly for 8 to 10 minutes, until thick, pale and 160°F on a thermometer. Remove from the heat and cool for 15 minutes, whisking now and then.

Finish the cream. Whisk the mascarpone into the cooled yolk mixture until smooth. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream and vanilla to medium peaks, then fold it into the mascarpone mixture.
Soak and layer. Brush or spoon the coffee evenly over the cooled sponge, letting it soak in. Spread the mascarpone cream over the top and smooth it.
Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight, so the sponge softens and the cream sets.

Serve. Dust generously with cocoa just before serving and cut into fifteen squares.

Cook and Prep Times

Prep: 40 minutes
Bake: 12 to 15 minutes
Chilling: 6 hours to overnight
Serves fifteen

Swaps and Scaling

Two layers: bake two sponges and use 1 1/2 times the cream for a taller, layered version; the pan will be very full.
8×8 or 9×9 pan: halve everything (use 2 eggs in the sponge and 3 yolks in the cream) and bake the sponge for 10 to 12 minutes.

Store-bought sponge: a plain sheet cake or pound cake sliced 3/4 inch thick works in place of the homemade sponge.
Alcohol-free: leave out the liqueur; add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to the coffee instead.

Storage

Keep the tiramisu covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It can be frozen, well wrapped, for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the fridge and dust with cocoa after thawing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe without raw eggs? Yes. The yolks are cooked to 160°F over simmering water, and the sponge is baked, so there is no raw egg in the finished dessert.
Why is my cream runny? The yolk mixture was still warm when the mascarpone went in, or the mascarpone was over-mixed. Cool the yolks first and stir the mascarpone just until smooth.
Can I use instant coffee? Yes: dissolve 3 tablespoons instant espresso powder in 1 1/4 cups hot water and cool it.

Tiramisu Cake with No Ladyfingers in a 9×13 Pan