One bite of this gluten free tiramisu and you will be hooked! The creamy rum-soaked sponge cake and egg custard flavors all combine in the most mouthwatering way. This cake is so easy to make with my homemade sponge cake or gluten free ladyfingers.
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I am so excited about this gluten free tiramisu recipe! It has been many years since I enjoyed tiramisu. Gluten free ladyfingers have been difficult to find, so I used my fluffy gluten free sponge cake recipe. This sponge cake has the same flavor and texture of ladyfingers.
I have a feeling you will fall in love with this cake too! It is a decadent cake that is made to impress. Nobody will know it is gluten free.
For this special gluten free Italian dessert, I used my homemade Gluten Free Sponge Cake recipe and added in the delicious filling from a New York Times Tiramisu recipe I found. It is by far the best filling. I modified it a bit by using dark rum instead of regular rum.
Why This Recipe Is Great:
- This homemade gluten free tiramisu recipe is special because it has all of the authentic Italian flavors.
- This cake tastes like you bought it in a fancy bakery. It tastes like the real thing!!
- It is easy to make in just a few simple steps!
If you love cake as much as I do, you will want to check out all of my delicious homemade gluten free cake recipes on the blog.
Ingredient Notes:
- Gluten Free Sponge Cake - For this recipe, you must make my gluten free sponge cake or use gluten free ladyfingers. Schar makes gluten free lady fingers, but I have yet to see them in stores here in my area.
- Sugar
- Eggs - Size large eggs.
- Heavy Cream - Do not use half and half.
- Mascarpone Cheese - If you can't find mascarpone cheese, you can use full-fat cream cheese.
- Cocoa Powder - Most brands are gluten free but always read the label to be sure! I like to use Ghirardelli, Hershey's, or Anthony's brands of cocoa powder.
- Coffee - Use coffee or a double espresso watered down to equal 1 cup of liquid.
- Rum - I used dark rum because I like the caramelized flavor more than regular rum. If you want your tiramisu to be alcohol-free, use rum extract.
- Vanilla Extract - I recommend using pure vanilla extract.
🔑 Sandi says: A note about egg safety. This recipe contains uncooked eggs because it is made in the traditional Italian way. The eggs are whipped for 10 minutes, and the quality of the eggs in the U.S. is very high. You can temper the eggs by whisking them over a hot water bath before adding them to the standing mixer.
Tips For Sucess:
- If you are making my gluten free sponge cake recipe, gently mix the wet and dry ingredients so your cake is fluffy.
- Be sure the cake is fully chilled before serving it.
For more tips and tricks, be sure to read my Gluten Free Cake Troubleshooting Guide too.
As a precaution, if you are pregnant or have young children (who probably wouldn't need the caffeine either!), you may want to try another dessert. I have tons of delicious gluten free dessert recipes on the blog!
Tiramisu is a delightful no-bake cake that is so easy to put together. If you love no-bake-style cakes, try my easy Gluten Free Icebox Cake recipe too!
Variations and Substitutions:
- If you do not have heavy cream, use the same quantity of evaporated milk with 1 tablespoon of tapioca or cornstarch.
- To substitute the mascarpone, mix full-fat cream cheese with butter and heavy cream.
- Add mini chocolate chips to the mascarpone layer.
- Drizzle with some melted chocolate.
Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:
Step 1: Make my gluten free sponge cake recipe and allow the cake to cool. If you have gluten free ladyfingers and plan to use those instead, skip steps 1 and 2.
Step 2: Slice the cake into strips. Now let's make the whipped custard filling!
Step 3: Add the egg yolks and sugar in a standing mixer. Whip for about 10 minutes. The mixture will become thick and pale yellow.
Step 4: Pull up the beater. The mixture will make a ribbon when you pull up the beater. Move the mixture to a bowl and clean the mixer/beater attachment.
HINT: Don't forget, you can temper the egg yolks if using raw eggs makes you nervous. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl over a hot water bath to do this. You will need to whisk constantly. After 5 minutes, add them to the standing mixer with the sugar and whip.
Step 5: In the mixer, add the heavy cream and whip it until it forms peaks. If you don't have heavy cream, you can substitute evaporated milk with 1 tablespoon of arrowroot, corn, or tapioca starch. Add in the mascarpone cheese and vanilla. Mix well.
Step 6: Pour the egg yolk mixture into the cheese mixture and gently fold the two together.
Hands down this non-stick spray is amazing. It is totally inexpensive and it will save your gluten free cakes and muffins from sticking!
Step 7: Spray oil in your 8x8 dish with a gluten free non-stick spray. Line the dish with a layer of sponge cake pieces.
Step 8: Mix your coffee and rum in a small bowl. Drizzle some over the sponge cake pieces.
Step 9: Take your cream-filling mixture and add it on top of the layer of sponge slices. Optional: dust this layer with cocoa powder.
Step 10: Add another layer of sponge cake and drizzle with the coffee rum mixture.
Step 11: Add the rest of the whipped custard and spread to coat the sponge cake evenly.
Step 12: Put the cocoa powder into a small sifter and sift the cocoa over the custard. Removing the lumps that always seem to be in cocoa powder is important.
Dust the top with cocoa powder, and enjoy! Remember to store this cake in the refrigerator.
Storage:
Tiramisu tends to spoil quickly because of the egg custard. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If it doesn't smell right after 2-3 days, don't eat it.
Recipe FAQ:
Yes, a real tiramisu contains rum. If you do not want to use alcohol, use rum extract.
I have only seen one brand of gluten free ladyfingers online by Schar, but I haven't found them in person yet. This is why I use my gluten free sponge cake recipe as a substitute.
Yes! Mascarpone cheese is gluten free. It is made with no gluten ingredients.
If you can't find mascarpone cheese, you could substitute whipped cream and some cream cheese or ricotta cheese. The texture will be slightly different, but the flavor will be good.
More Gluten Free Cake Recipe:
- Gluten Free Creamy Apple Cake
- Easy Gluten Free Tres Leches Cake
- Gluten Free Chocolate Trifle
- Gluten Free Bakewell Tart
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Tiramisu
Ingredients
- 1 gluten free sponge cake * see note
- 1 cup mascarpone * see note for substitute
- ¾ cup heavy cream do not use half and half
- 1 cup coffee * see note
- 2 tablespoons dark rum * see note for alcohol-free
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
Instructions
- Make my gluten free sponge cake recipe and allow the cake to cool. If you have gluten free ladyfingers and plan to use those instead, skip steps 1 and 2.
- Slice the cake into ¼ to ½ inch thick strips. Now let's make the whipped custard filling!
- In a standing mixer, add the egg yolks and sugar. Whip for about 10 minutes. The mixture will become thick and pale yellow.
- Pull up the beater. The mixture will make a ribbon when you pull up the beater. Move the mixture to a bowl and clean the mixer/beater attachment.
- HINT: Don't forget, you can temper the egg yolks if using raw egg makes you nervous. To do this, whisk the egg yolks in a bowl over a hot water bath. You will need to whisk constantly. After 5 minutes, adding them to the standing mixer with the sugar and whip.
- In the mixer, add the heavy cream and whip it until it forms peaks. If you don't have heavy cream, you can substitute evaporated milk with 1 tablespoon of arrowroot, corn, or tapioca starch. Add in the mascarpone cheese and vanilla. Mix well.
- Pour the egg yolk mixture into the cheese mixture and gently fold the two together.
- Spray oil in your 8x8 dish. Line the dish with a layer of sponge cake pieces.
- Mix your coffee and rum in a small bowl. Drizzle some over the sponge cake pieces.
- Take your cream filling mixture and add it on top of the layer of sponge slices. Optional: dust this layer with cocoa powder.
- Add another layer of sponge cake and drizzle with the coffee rum mixture.
- Add the rest of the whipped custard and spread to evenly coat the sponge cake.
- Put the cocoa powder into a small sifter and sift the cocoa over the custard. This is important to remove the lumps that always seem to be in cocoa powder.
- Chill the cake a miniumum of one hour before servin. 2-3 hours is even better as the flavors blend in together.
Notes
- You can make my easy gluten free sponge cake recipe, or look for Schar gluten free ladyfingers in stores. I haven't been able to find them so I use my cake.
- To substitute the mascarpone, mix full-fat cream cheese with butter and heavy cream.
- You can use one cup of coffee, or espresso watered down to the equal of one cup.
- I prefer dark rum over white rum in this recipe. If you do not want alcohol, use rum extract, which can be purchased at most grocery stores.
- Due to the nature of using the raw egg yolks, this cake will not keep long. I would recommend eating it within two days. This cake is not good for making ahead unless you just bake the gluten free sponge cake ahead.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
This post was updated from an older August 2021 post with more recipe details.
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Jennifer Galbreath
Excellent recipe! We used the Spongecake recipe with Bob's 1to1, and espresso flavored mascarpone for a bolder coffee flavor. It is a new family favorite.
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad you used my sponge recipe for this tiramisu. I have never seen espresso-flavored mascarpone, but it sounds like a great addition. Thank you!
Laura
How much vanilla?
Sandi Gaertner
This recipe has one teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Judy Anderson
I wanted to make a different dessert for Christmas. My daughter is Celiac. My husband and I love Tiramisu. Will be trying your recipe. Sounds really good, I found the Schar Gluten Free Fingers on Amazon. I will let you know how it all goes.
ThankYou.
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad you are going to make this. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions, Judy.
Jaki
This was so easy to make and came out delicious! I added a little extra rum, but I like the taste of the rum when I eat it, 🤣🙌🏻 If you’re looking for a gluten free dessert- this is IT!
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad you loved this tiramisu recipe Jaki! I love the added rum :-).
Leslie
Sandi, Your desserts all look so good but this tiramisu- oh my goodness! Not sure if I'd do it justice but I'm going to save this recipe for a special occasion.
Sandi Gaertner
You are quite the impressive cook, I have faith you would do a great job :-).