Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). While that’s heating up, grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper so the cakes don’t stick.

In a big bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture turns pale and a little fluffy. Stir in the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract. Once that’s smooth, gently fold in the dry ingredients. Don’t over mix just until it all comes together.

In a clean bowl, use a mixer to beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Take your time folding them into the cake batter in three parts this keeps the cake light and airy. Go slow so you don’t knock the air out.

Pour the batter evenly into your two prepared pans. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean. Let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then flip them out and let them cool completely on wire racks.

In a bowl, beat the mascarpone (or cream cheese if you’re swapping) until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, cooled espresso, and a splash of vanilla. Mix until it’s all combined. In another bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold that whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. It should be creamy and fluffy when you’re done.

Put one cake layer on your serving plate. Spread a nice layer of chocolate pastry cream on top. Place the second cake layer over that. Then frost the whole cake with your mascarpone frosting, smoothing it out with a spatula.

Dust the top with cocoa powder using a fine sieve for that classic tiramisu touch. Pop the cake in the fridge for at least an hour before serving so all the flavours come together nicely.