Every special occasion needs a signature dessert, so treat yourself this holiday season with these Eggless Tiramisu Trifle Cups! Layers of espresso-infused cake, topped with rich mascarpone cheese, finished off with whipped cream, and a dusting of cocoa make quite a statement at any party.
Plus, the Tiramisu trifle served in individual cups is a delicious new take on the classic tiramisu and an absolutely delicious way to satisfy your tiramisu cravings on the go!
If you are looking for an impressive dessert for the weekend, I have just one for you. These eggless Tiramisu trifle cups are not only super easy-to-make, but they are also insanely delicious and jaw-droppingly gorgeous.
I have made these trifle cups at a few of my get together, and it gets rave reviews from all our guests every time I serve these beauties.
So, are you ready to create your delicious cups of happiness?
Reasons You’ll ♡ eggless Tiramisu trifle cups
This luscious and superbly delicious mini tiramisu trifle recipe is a winner with its fabulous taste and presentation. You will love this recipe for —
- Portion controlled and so much fun to eat.
- Highly addictive and indeed hits the spot – the hard part is the self-restraint of not eating the trifle all by yourself in one sitting.
- Packed with tons of flavor and is an absolute crowd-pleaser.
- Taste way better the next day – as the flavors mature overnight, you can savor the sheer bliss of a decadent dessert in a trifle.
It’s THE perfect dessert to share on special occasions – whether it be a potluck, summer gathering, or a reunion, these tiramisu trifle cups make a show-stopping dessert.
What is Tiramisu?
Tiramisu, often pronounced as ti-ra-mi-su, translates to ‘pick-me-up’ in English. Tiramisu is a sweet Italian dessert where expresso-dipped savoiardi/ladyfinger cookies (oval-shaped long cookies) are nestled between mascarpone cheese layers.
The top layer is finished with whipped cream and dusted with cocoa powder. Tiramisu is one of the renowned cakes and a classic dessert that never fails to impress.
The traditional tiramisu recipe is made with eggs and mascarpone cheese.
Today, I am sharing my tiramisu trifle cup which is a fun twist on the classic, using eggless cake slices instead of ladyfingers and the lukewarm espresso soaking liquid to soften the cake layers instead of the chilled liquid.
Trust me, it is equally good, classy, and downright delicious!
Eggless tiramisu trifle cups Ingredient list
For a full detailed recipe with instructions, please scroll to the bottom of the page. We start with the cake layer.
Cake — The soft and moderately sweet cake layer is made with flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, yogurt, sugar, vanilla extract, oil, milk powder, and milk. The softness of this cake does wonders for this trifle; it soaks in all the incredible flavors, and every bite you take is infused with the aroma and flavor of the coffee.
MASCARPONE CHEESE LAYER
Heavy whipping cream — use heavy cream that contains a fat content of at least 35% or higher.
Sugar — Confectioners’ sugar works the best as this will lend our mascarpone cream a smooth grain-free texture.
Mascarpone Cheese — The star ingredient. It’s a must-have if you are making a tiramisu. It adds a creamy and rich touch to our trifle.
Coffee liqueur — Oh, yes! It’s a rum-based coffee liqueur that lends a recognizable flavor and just the right kick to our trifle.
Espresso soaking liquid — made up of lukewarm water, instant coffee powder, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract.
How to make the best Eggless Tiramisu Trifle Cups
Here comes a step-by-step tutorial for Eggless Tiramisu Trifle Cups that will delight you and your family.
Prep-up — Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease and line a baking sheet with oil. Set aside.
Combine dry ingredients — Combine flour, milk powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Sift the dry ingredients together, so there are no lumps of flour/baking powder left behind. Set it aside.
Mix wet ingredients — Combine sugar and oil in a stand mixer bowl. Beat this mixture at high speed until they are thoroughly combined.
Combine wet and dry ingredients — Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add yogurt and vanilla essence. Mix it well. Pour in milk and mix.
Bake the cake — Spread the batter into the greased and lined baking sheet and bake until the toothpick comes out clean.
When done, remove the cake from the oven and set it on the counter. Allow the cake to cool comfortably.
PROTIP — You can bake the cake layer a day in advance.
Make the Mascarpone Cheese topping — Combine the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and cream of tartar into a large mixing bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form. Set it in the refrigerator.
Combine powdered sugar, mascarpone cheese, and coffee liqueur in a separate bowl. Beat the mascarpone cheese mixture until smooth and creamy. This mascarpone mixture will be quite thick.
PROTIP — Do not over-whisk the mascarpone batter, as it can break down easily and curdle if overmixed.
Remove the whipped cream from the fridge and add it to this mix. Fold the two gently until well blended. The addition of whipped cream will lighten the mascarpone cheese. Set aside.
Assemble Tiramisu Trifle cups — Depending on the size of your cup, cut the cooled cake into rounds. Prepare the coffee mixture. Now, dip each cake slice in the coffee mixture on both sides and start the layering.
Place a layer of coffee-dipped cake slice at the bottom of your cup.
Top the cake layer with a mascarpone cheese layer. Cover the mascarpone cheese layer with another coffee-infused cake slice.
Repeat the process by creating 3 layers of each. Finish off with the whipped cream frosting.
Dust it with some cocoa powder and refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours or overnight before serving.
Recipe Tips and Variations
Instead of cake, use ladyfingers — Since I didn’t have the traditional ladyfinger cookies ( crispy sweet tiramisu cookies). I have baked an eggless cake from scratch. But feel free to use ladyfingers as a substitute.
Sweetness — The cake layer used in this trifle is moderately sweet to balance out the recipe’s overall sweetness. However, you can customize the sweetness in your recipe just the way you want. Adjust the amount of sugar to suit your likability.
If using ladyfingers — use chilled water for the espresso mix. Since it’s a cake and a thick layer, I have dipped it in lukewarm water.
Cream of Tatar — This is added to the whipped cream as it renders a firm peak to it by stabilizing it, hence do not skip this.
Room temperature — Before you proceed with cream filling, make sure the mascarpone cheese is at room temperature as this will ensure a smooth textured cream.
Avoid a soggy cake layer — Do not dip the cake for long in the espresso mix. It should be soft but not saturated.
Kid-friendly version — Are you planning to make this eggless tiramisu trifle for kids? Omit the alcohol and double the coffee mixture to 1.5 cups. Kahlua liqueur is naturally sweet; therefore, increase the sugar in the espresso to balance the coffee’s bitter taste.
Cake slices — Do not dip the cake slices up until you begin layering. Dip the cake slices into the espresso mixture right before you start layering your cups as they will become soggy and it will be a challenge to handle them.
Substitute for liqueur — Don’t have Kahlua on hand; substitute it with any other coffee-flavored liqueur. The most commonly used are sweet Marsala wine, Madeira wine, dark rum, or Baileys liqueur. Feel free to whatever liquor your heart desires.
To speed up the process — Homemade works the best, but if you are on a time crunch, store-bought whipped cream works great as well.
Serving cup — You may need more or fewer layers depending on your serving cup size.
Chill the cups before serving — Chilling in the refrigerator does wonders as it helps bring together all the flavors.
Variation — Instead of the traditional Savoiardi ladyfinger cookies, you can layer your tiramisu trifle cups with a cookie layer or you can use a store-bought pound cake too. Both work great.
Let me know what you think!
So, if you are a fan of classic Italian tiramisu, you will surely love this super-easy and creamy, dreamy dessert. It is undoubtedly a heavenly dessert, deserving grand applause.
Create these show-stopping tiramisu cups for the upcoming holidays, dig right into this marvelous creation and let the wait end.
Should you make these Eggless Tiramisu Trifle cups, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below.
And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.
CRAVING FOR MORE, you should also check out my OTHER RECIPES–
Eggless Tiramisu Trifle Cups
INGREDIENTS
CAKE LAYER
- 1½ cups All purpose flour
- ¼ cup Milk Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Yogurt
- ¾ cup Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup Oil
- ½ cup Milk + 2 tablespoons extra
MASCARPONE CHEESE LAYER
- 1 cup Heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon Cream of tartar
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar
- 16 oz Mascarpone Cheese
- ¼ cup Powdered Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Coffee liqueur I have used Kahlua liqueur
EXPRESSO SOAKING LIQUID
- ¾ cup Lukewarm water
- 3 tablespoons Instant Coffee powder
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
GARNISH
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease and line a baking sheet with oil. Set aside.
BAKE THE CAKE
- Next, sift together flour, milk powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk sugar and oil until well blended.
- Add yogurt and vanilla essence. Mix it well. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients alternating dry ingredients with milk. Whisk until just combined.
- Spread the batter into the greased and lined baking sheet and bake until the toothpick comes out clean. When done, remove the cake from the oven and set it on the counter. Allow the cake to cool comfortably.
- Depending on the size of your cup, cut the cooled cake into rounds. Set aside.
MAKE THE MASCARPONE CHEESE TOPPING
- Before you begin, chill the bowl and the beater in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.
- Start with homemade whipped cream – add heavy cream and powdered sugar to a bowl. Beat the cream on low speed for 1-2 minutes.
- As the cream starts to thicken slightly, add cream of tartar to it. Beat until stiff peaks form. Set it in the refrigerator.
- Combine powdered sugar, mascarpone cheese, and coffee liqueur in a separate bowl. Beat the mascarpone cheese mixture until smooth and creamy. This mascarpone mixture will be thick. Remove the whipped cream from the fridge and add it to this mix. Fold the two gently until well blended. The addition of whipped cream will lighten the mascarpone cheese. Set aside.
ASSEMBLING TIRAMISU TRIFLE CUPS
- Combine the coffee powder, sugar, vanilla extract, and lukewarm water in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Now, dip each cake slice in the coffee mixture on both sides and start the layering. Place a layer of coffee-dipped cake slice at the bottom of your cup. Be gentle as the infused cake layer can break easily.
- Top the cake layer with a mascarpone cheese layer. Cover the mascarpone cheese layer with another coffee-infused cake slice.Repeat the process by creating 3 layers of each ( cake layer followed by a mascarpone cheese layer – then a cake layer – a mascarpone cheese layer. Keep repeating the layers until you reach the top).
- Finish off with the whipped cream frosting. Dust it with some cocoa powder and refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours or overnight before serving.
- Taste best when served chilled.
