Creamy sugar-free mascarpone frosting covers layers of grain-free coffee-soaked cake. This low carb Tiramisu Layer Cake is the ultimate special occasion treat!
For people like me, people who love to bake, baking is not simply a means to an end. It’s not just about the end result, the delicious cake or pie or cookies that come out of the oven when the timer goes off. Sometimes it’s hardly about the end result at all. It’s so much more about the process, the burrowing into one’s kitchen, opening cupboards, banging around, searching for the right ingredients and pans and other important paraphernalia. It’s about the careful measuring and mixing and stirring, getting the timing just right, hearing the hum of the mixer and feeling the warmth of the preheated oven. And even before all of this, it’s about the mulling over one’s recipes and ideas, wondering just what glorious treat one feels like creating that day. Some people just bake to have something to eat. Others bake simply to have something to bake.
This is definitely one of those urge-to-bake cakes. It’s not a a difficult cake to make, but it is a multi-step process. And for me, when the urge to bake strikes, I don’t want no stinkin’ 5 minute projects. Keep your mug cakes and microwave brownies for another time, my friends. I want something takes at least 30 minutes in the oven, requires several layers of frosting, and has a glaze, a garnish or at least one other important step in between. Preferably two. And when I am done, I want it to taste like I put a lot of work into it. I want people to KNOW I put a lot of work into it.
So this cake requires baking a flat 9×13 cake, cutting it into 3 rectangles, soaking it in coffee syrup, whipping up a huge cloud of mascarpone frosting, carefully layering cake and frosting together, smearing frosting all over the sides, and then sprinkling with cocoa powder and shaved chocolate. Is that enough work for you diehard bakers out there?
Please see my low carb Tiramisu Layer Cake on Swerve Sweetener.
Nutritional Information: Serves 16 (this is an extremely rich cake, could even serve 20)
Food energy: 402kcal
Total fat: 37.17g
Calories from fat: 334
Cholesterol: 116mg
Carbohydrate 7.04g
Total dietary fiber: 3.20g
Protein: 9.96g
allison says
Just as usual you hit it out of the park! But this takes my breath away!!
Susan says
On my list of to do’s this weekend! Oh my gosh, I can’t wait to try this! Thank you so much Carolyn!
Melissa says
I so totally agree with your take on cake. Those mug cakes always seem like such a waste of time to me. If I’m getting out ingredients, measuring, being in the kitchen, why not do it up right? What if I want more than a mug’s worth? Or my husband wants some too? Eh, they just look better on paper.
Carolyn says
I like mug cakes in a craving moment or for quick breakfasts. Not for SERIOUS DESSERT!
Lauren Kelly Nutrition says
Oh this looks amazing! You seriously blow me away, going to check out the recipe now!
Julie says
How does this compare in taste to your Pound Cake Tiramisu, which has become a staple in our house? Didn’t have rum last time I made it and everyone picked up on it being less good, even though I had put in some rum extract into the coffee. Not sure I would make the rum optional in these recipes if consuming a little alcohol is not a problem for those eating it.
Carolyn says
Good to know about the rum, but some people do object to the alcohol, no matter how little. This cake is similar in flavour to my pound cake tiramisu but different execution. A little more work but it looks spectacular and impresses people! 🙂
Diedre says
Going to make this , this weekend for my daughters 18th birthday! ??
Carolyn says
Yay!
Doris Calvin says
Unbelievable! This cake is so scrumptious! And I don’t even miss the ladyfingers! It’s tricky stacking the layers and bits of cake fell off here and there. But luckily, it was not for company this time, so I didn’t bother to trim it to precision before icing. Not one morsel of this dreamy low carb dessert will escape us!
Carolyn says
So glad you liked it!
Kate says
Carolyn, what size & shape lifters do you use for the layers ?
Thanks !
Carolyn says
Here’s a comparable one from Amazon. I have two or three large flipping spatulas like this OXO one. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JPVCYE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000JPVCYE&linkCode=as2&tag=aldaidrabfo05-20&linkId=4DQ4JG4HZZ343ECA
Kate says
Thanks ! I have several this size. I think perhaps I initially misunderstood the directions. When you said “crosswise”, in my mind I saw three, 3x13in, thin pieces. I believe however they would be three, (approx) 4x9in pieces. I’m old, humor me 🙂
This will be great for my birthday this month !
Carolyn says
If it’s the long way, then it’s usually described as “lengthwise”. The shorter direction is “crosswise”. Hope that helps!
Chantale says
Printer friendly version please!
Carolyn says
Cut and paste. It’s not on my site so it’s not up to me.
Angie says
This looks amazing. If I may ask what is the purpose of the whey protein powder and can it be substituted with anything else. Thanks so much!
Carolyn says
In the absence of gluten, a dry protein powder helps low carb, grain-free cakes rise and hold their shape. Any dry protein will do, including egg white powder.
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
This cake is just breathtaking! Can’t wait to try it.
Tory says
Wow.
Just Wow.
Liz says
Heavenly! Truly a winner!
Lauren Gaskill | Making Life Sweet says
Swooon. This looks amazing Carolyn! And I can’t believe it’s gluten-free! YAY!
Christie says
Definitely making this for the hubby, he’s going to love it!
nicole @ I am a Honey Bee says
ooo I have to make this cake for my dad!
Denise says
What a beautiful cake recipe – thinking this would be great for our next dinner party!
sue|theviewfromgreatisland says
This looks incredible, I’m pinning and sharing it today!
Elizabeth Martin says
Carbs per serving above,are they effective or net carbs, or carbohydrates before the fiber is subtracted?
Carolyn says
Total carbs (not including erythritol). You can subtract the fiber for net carbs.
Gerri says
Gorgeously impressive!
Tora says
Hi
Can you advise which brand of protein powder you used? I tried a few in the past which did not turn out right.
Thanks
Carolyn says
I often use Tera’s Whey.
Jackie says
I just made this but made it smaller since I knew it was going to be rich and it was just for two. I used an 11″x7″ pan and scaled ingredients down to 66% (3/4) and it was perfect …I’m saving this recipe 🙂
Thank YOU!
Fariba says
Hi Carolyn. I have to use gluten free everything including Whey protein. Does gluten free Whey affect the ingredients?
Carolyn says
That shouldn’t be an issue at all.
Claire says
Hi Carolyn!
This looks divine. I noticed that for this recipe you combined almond flour, coconut flour and protein powder. What does the coconut flour do to the cake? Does it help the cake rise even more? I ask as I’ve baked cakes with almond flour and protein powder, and love the result, but wanted to know how the cake changes with the addition of coconut flour.
Many thanks!
Carolyn says
Just better overall texture. Almond flour is very moist, coconut flour is very dry…they offset each other.
Ashley says
This sounds yummy! What did you use to spread the frosting? I would imagine it may be hard to spread frosting on a wet cake.
Carolyn says
I just spread it as you would any frosting, with a knife or offset spatula. Not hard at all.
Katie says
What would you scale this recipe to make in a 9 inch round pans either two or three layers? I wonder if 1 recipe would do a two layer and three to 1.5 the recipe?
Carolyn says
For two layers, you’re going to be fine with this as is. If you want a bigger cake with 3 layers, you may need to increase it by 30 to 50%