Tiramisu Cheesecake

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Tiramisu Cheesecake with a ladyfinger crust and a creamy layer of mascarpone, Kahlúa tastes just like the classic Italian dessert!

When I shared the recipe for Easy Tiramisu a little while back, I was reminded of the fact that way back in 2009 as a part of the Daring Bakers Challenge, I made a Tiramisu Cheesecake. Daring Bakers was one of my first intros into the blogging world and was a fun way for bloggers to connect and all bake the same recipes together.

After the reminder I went back and remade the recipe and it was every bit as delicious as it was the first time I made it all those years ago. So I took new pictures and today I’m re-sharing the recipe with you. If you love tiramisu as much as I do you are going to fall head over heels in love with this cheesecake too.

It’s creamy and decadent. Everything a good cheesecake should be. Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make it.

Tiramisu Cheesecake Ingredients:

This Tiramisu Cheesecake is essentially broken up into two recipes: the crust and the cake.

For the crust you will need:

• LADYFINGERS: Ladyfingers are dry egg based cookies and essential when making Tiramisu. You should be able to find them in the cookie aisle at the grocery store. I used the DeLallo brand.
• BUTTER
• VANILLA EXTRACT
• KAHLÚA: or other coffee flavored liqueur. You can also use strong coffee or espresso if you don’t want to use alcohol.

For the cheesecake you will need:

• CREAM CHEESE: It is important that the cream cheese is at room temperature. This will help the cheese blend well and prevent your cheesecake from having lumps.
• MASCARPONE CHEESE: An Italian style cream cheese that is a bit sweeter than American cream cheese. Like the cream cheese, it must also be at room temperature.
• SUGAR
• EGGS
• HEAVY CREAM
• LEMON JUICE: Lemon juice will help cheesecake from clumping and adds a bit of acidity to balance out the flavors.
• VANILLA EXTRACT
• KAHLÚA: Or other coffee flavored liqueur. You can also use strong coffee if you don’t want to use the alcohol.
• COCOA POWDER: Unsweetened cocoa powder is optional but a traditional garnish for Tiramisu.

Step by Step Photos and Instructions:

Making a cheesecake can seem like a daunting task, but once you get the technique down you’ll find they are actually really easy to make. Follow along with these step by step photos and instructions that will help guide you.

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STEP #1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap a 9″ springform pan with aluminum foil. Begin to boil a large pot of water for the water bath.

STEP #2: Mix together the crust ingredients and press into your prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes then cool.

STEP #3: Combine cream cheese, mascarpone and sugar in the bowl of a stand-mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand-mixer) and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time. Add heavy cream, vanilla, lemon juice, and Kahlúa and blend until smooth and creamy.

STEP #4: Pour batter into prepared crust and tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the surface. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan.

STEP #5: Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until set but jiggly in center. Close the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for one hour. This lets the cake finish cooking and cool down gently enough so that it won’t crack on the top. After one hour, remove cheesecake from oven and lift carefully out of water bath. Let it finish cooling on the counter, and then cover and put in the fridge to chill. Once fully chilled, it is ready to serve.

Storage and Leftovers:

Cheesecake must be stored in the refrigerator. For the best flavor and texture eat within a few days.

Recipe FAQ:

Looking for more cheesecake recipes? Try these:

If you like caramel apples and cheesecake then you’ll love this Caramel Apple Cheesecake!

Bailey’s Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache is pure decadence.

Eggnog Cheesecake Bars are a great treat to have around during the holiday season!

Note: Originally published in 2009. Updated in 2024 with new photos, step by step photos and nutrition information.