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Tiramisu Cheesecake

posted by Liz Berg on September 9, 2019 (updated 10/1/22)

When you can’t decide between tiramisu and cheesecake for dessert, this exquisite Tiramisu Cheesecake is the best of both worlds.

Inspired by the Cheesecake Factory’s Tiramisu Cheesecake recipe, a creamy vanilla, and coffee cheesecake is baked over coffee-soaked ladyfingers before being topped with mascarpone whipped cream! Have I got your attention??

Slice of Tiramisu Cheesecake on a dessert plate with a red handled fork

Table of Contents hide

1 Why You Must Make

2 Tips for Making a Tiramisu Cheesecake

3 Ingredient Notes

4 Frequently Asked Questions

5 You May Also Like:

6 Tiramisu Cheesecake

Why You Must Make

If you love classic tiramisu, you’ll find the same flavors and creaminess in this cheesecake.
It has a slightly longer lifespan than traditional tiramisu.
This tiramisu dessert is rich, delicious, and will serve a crowd!

We’ve got a mixed bag of palates in our household. Some are coffee lovers, whereas the hubby does not drink coffee or enjoy coffee desserts. When tiramisu is on a restaurant menu, I can almost always count on two of our children ordering it. I’m on team coffee desserts and on team cheesecake, so this melding of desserts into a tiramisu cheesecake caught my attention.

This “mash-up” of two desserts gained fame when the Cheesecake Factory’s Tiramisu Cheesecake hit their menu. When one can’t decide between two favorite desserts, isn’t it perfect to find two in one???

Overhead view of Tiramisu Cheesecake on a white cake stand

Tips for Making a Tiramisu Cheesecake

There’s an art to making a cheesecake, especially if you want it super creamy. Here are my top tips for making the best cheesecakes and how to tweak this Tiramisu cheesecake recipe so it’s just right for you.

Let’s get down to cheesecake basics. PRO-Tip: First, have all your ingredients at room temperature. This means setting out your cream cheese and eggs a couple of hours before you plan to start mixing.
The cream cheese will blend more smoothly when the chill is off and it’s quite soft. Similarly, the eggs will incorporate best when not fresh out of the refrigerator.
PRO-Tip: Next, use the paddle attachment for blending. If you use the whisk attachment, air will be incorporated into the cheesecake, preventing it from being the classic, dense cheesecake consistency.
Third, add your eggs one at a time, and mix just until each is incorporated. Again, over mixing could add air to the batter.
PRO-Tip: Bake your cheesecake in a bain-marie, or water bath. The steamy environment helps minimize the possibility of the cheesecake cracking.
Wrap your cheesecake pan with a couple of layers of heavy-duty foil before placing it into the ban-marie (I use a roasting pan). This helps minimize any leakage of the water into the cheesecake.
Using 1 tablespoon espresso, instead of coffee, would impart a bit more coffee flavor. But I’m thinking some espresso powder dissolved in the cream would also give that extra coffee oomph.
There’s also the option to use a second layer of coffee-soaked ladyfingers right over the baked cheesecake before adding the mascarpone topping. This adds another coffee element to this cheesecake inspired by the Cheesecake Factory’s Tiramisu Cheesecake.

Ingredient Notes

Soft Ladyfingers – Look in the bakery department of major grocery store chains for these. The hard savoiardi ladyfingers will not work well.
Brewed Coffee – May use espresso for even more coffee intensity
Cream cheese – must be at room temperature. I recommend using Philadelphia brand.
Sugar
Eggs – Room temperature
Cornstarch – Helps minimize cracking and may even contribute to cutting cleaner slices.
Heavy Cream – Adds fat, making the cheesecake extra creamy. Should be at least 36% butterfat.
Instant Coffee or Espresso Powder – Adds the classic coffee element to this tiramisu recipe
Vanilla Extract – Use real vanilla extract, never imitation
Mascarpone Cheese
Cocoa Powder – Regular cocoa powder, not Dutch-process

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Tiramisu?

Translated into English, the Italian word tiramisu means “pick me up” or “cheer me up” referring to the joie de vivre every bite brings. An Italian layered dessert, the components include coffee-soaked ladyfingers, Italian zabaglione custard of eggs, sugar and alcohol, mascarpone cheese, and cocoa powder.

What Does Tiramisu Taste Like?

Tiramisu is sweet and creamy with a touch of bitterness from the cocoa powder and espresso, which balances the richness.

Is Tiramisu Bad for You?

Most tiramisu desserts are full of saturated fats from the eggs, mascarpone, cream cheese, and in this recipe, the heavy cream. These can contribute to higher bad cholesterol, or LDL, levels.
It can often contain raw eggs, which puts those who indulge at a small risk for salmonella, a foodborne illness that is linked to undercooked or raw eggs.

As an infrequent indulgence, it’s OK to have a slice of tiramisu or tiramisu cheesecake. Just don’t eat the whole batch yourself.

How Do You Store Tiramisu Cheesecake?

Keep it covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days. It also can be frozen for up to a month. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before serving.