Easy Tiramisu Cake

My hubby and I are not coffee drinkers (think of the money we save NOT going to Starbucks!), but he enjoys coffee flavored desserts.  Tiramisu is a favorite!

When my beloved asked me to make a cake for his customers this week, I wanted to try something simple yet different.   I whipped out my Cake Mix Doctor cookbook, and had all the ingredients on hand for this Easy Tiramisu Cake.

I love the scent of coffee beans.  I love the smell of coffee brewing.  I love the smell of Starbucks!   I love the *idea* of coffee.  I just cannot stand the taste of coffee.  Not brewed.  Not in cake.  Not even in ice cream.   

In other words, I cannot attest to the taste of this cake.....but the fact that 6 men ate two thirds of this 9 x 13 inch cake sure says something, right?

AND, my kids think I'm cool because I let them eat a piece for breakfast today.  Ha!  (I hope the minimal caffeine didn't affect them.....!)

 

Easy Tiramisu Cake

~*~  The Cake Mix Doctor ~*~

 

CAKE

1 (18 1/4 ounce) package plain white cake mix

1 1/3 cups water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (such as canola, corn, safflower, soybean, or sunflower)

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 

SYRUP

3/4 cup hot water

2 tablespoons instant coffee powder

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 cup Kahlua or 1/4 cup other coffee-flavored liqueur 

 

TOPPING

2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt or 2 cups nonfat vanilla yogurt

2 (16 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

 

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.  Lightly mist a 13- by 9-inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray. Set the pan aside.

 

Place the cake mix, water, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.  Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.  Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again, if needed.

 

The batter should look thick and well blended.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Bake the cake until it is golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 32 to 35 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool.

 

Meanwhile, prepare the syrup.  Place the hot water, coffee powder, and sugar in a small bowl and stir to combine until the coffee and sugar dissolve.  Stir in the coffee liqueur.  Poke holes in the cake with a chopstick or drinking straw and spoon the syrup over the cake so that the syrup can seep down into the holes. Set the cake aside.

 

Prepare the topping.  Place the yogurt, cream cheese, and confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl and blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes. The mixture should look well combined and thick. Spread the topping over the syrup-soaked cake, using the rubber spatula to spread the topping out to the edges of the cake.

 

No more than an hour before serving, sift the cocoa powder over the topping so that it covers the top of the cake.  Slice the cake into squares and serve. Store this cake, covered in aluminum foil, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

 

 

 

(The only modification I made was with the syrup.  Instead of Kahlua or other liqueur, I substituted the same amount of hot water with a little extra instant coffee.  The liquid was the same, in other words.)