A slice of strawberry tiramisu on a white plate with a fork beside it.

This strawberry tiramisu is a lightened-up version of the traditional Italian dessert featuring fresh strawberries and chamomile syrup. It is perfect for the warmer months of the year since no baking is involved! Ladyfinger cookies are soaked in homemade chamomile syrup and then layered with lightly sweetened mascarpone whipped cream. Sliced strawberries keep it fresh and summery and pair perfectly with the chamomile.

A closeup of a white baking tray with strawberry tiramisu cake garnished with freshly sliced strawberries.

Hey there, and welcome back, friends.

You are in for a refreshing summer treat!

A closeup of a slice of strawberry tiramisu cake on a spatula.

Summer means lots of no-bake recipes with fresh flavors. This twist on a tiramisu delivers! It’s easy to put together and did I already mention it requires no baking?!

Two slices of strawberry tiramisu on a white plate with a fork beside it.

Instead of dipping the ladyfingers into coffee, they are dipped into chamomile syrup. It’s light and refreshing, perfect for summer, and the syrup is easy to make using chamomile tea.

A slice of strawberry tiramisu on a white plate with a fork beside it.

The chamomile syrup dipped ladyfingers have a light floral taste that isn’t overpowering. The whipped mascarpone is fluffy and lightly sweetened.

A slice of strawberry tiramisu on a white plate with a fork with a bite of the cake on it.

Biting into this cake is the best! The ladyfingers are tender and every crevice is filled with a creamy whipped mascarpone filling, then you get a bite of fresh strawberry! It’s a heavenly dessert.

A slice of strawberry tiramisu on a white plate.

This would be an excellent cake for weddings and baby showers. It’s elegant, and garnishing it with pretty chamomile flowers makes it look Instagram-worthy! You can find fresh chamomile flowers at your local grocery store in the herb section.

Two slices of strawberry tiramisu on white plates with a fork beside it.

Unfortunately, the leftovers of this cake don’t last long because the ladyfingers become too soft after a few days. If you need an excuse to indulge, here’s your excuse! I don’t feel you’ll have many leftovers because the flavors are too good.

A slice of strawberry tiramisu on a white plate.

Ingredients

The ingredients used to make strawberry tiramisu.
  • water
  • granulated sugar
  • dried chamomile & fresh chamomile flowers
  • mascarpone cheese
  • powdered sugar
  • the peel & juice from a small lemon
  • pure vanilla extract
  • heavy cream
  • fresh strawberries
  • ladyfingers
A slice of strawberry tiramisu on a white plate.

How to Make Strawberry Tiramisu

Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan.

A skillet with simple syrup and a spatula.

Bring this mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then add the lemon peel. Simmer for a few minutes, stirring to encourage the sugar to dissolve.

A skillet with simple syrup and lemon rinds.

Remove the syrup from the heat and stir in the dried chamomile. Cover the pan and steep the syrup for a few minutes.

A skillet with simple syrup and dried chamomile.

Strain the syrup into a small bowl, discarding the lemon peel and chamomile.

A bowl with simple syrup, lemon rind, and dried chamomile.

You’ll most likely see fine pieces of chamomile remaining in the syrup, which is completely fine. Before proceeding with the recipe, allow the syrup to cool completely to room temperature. This process can be sped up in the refrigerator or freezer if you prefer!

A glass bowl with strained simple syrup.

Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the mascarpone, powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and some of the cooled chamomile syrup until smooth and thick.

In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream until medium peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture using a rubber or silicone spatula.

A glass bowl with whipped mascarpone.

To assemble the tiramisu, dip both sides of a ladyfinger into the cooled syrup, then place it on the bottom of an 8 or 9-inch square baking dish.

Repeat until you have a single layer of ladyfingers covering the bottom of the dish. You might have to cut or break some ladyfingers to make them fit your dish.

A white baking tray with lady fingers.

Top the ladyfingers with half of the mascarpone and whipped cream mixture, smoothing out the surface.

A white baking tray with lady fingers covered with the mascarpone mixture.

Arrange half of the sliced strawberries on top of the cream.

A white baking tray with a layer of sliced strawberries.

Repeat the ladyfinger layer, dipping each in the chamomile syrup before arranging them on top of the strawberries.

A white baking tray with a layer of lady fingers.

Top the ladyfingers with the remaining mascarpone and whipped cream mixture, smoothing out the surface.

Cover the dish with plastic wrap and chill it for at least 4 hours or overnight.

A white baking tray with mascarpone spread over lady fingers.

Before serving, top the tiramisu with the remaining strawberries and edible flowers if desired.

A white baking dish with strawberry tiramisu garnished with freshly sliced strawberries.

How to Store

Store the tiramisu in the fridge covered in plastic wrap until ready to serve. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. After 3 days, the texture of the ladyfingers will be too soft.

Since this tiramisu requires at least 4 hours of chilling and setting up time before it can be enjoyed, it is perfect for making ahead of time! Strawberry tiramisu can be made up to 24 hours ahead.

A closeup of a slice of strawberry tiramisu cake.

More Summer Cake Recipes

A white baking tray with strawberry tiramisu and fresh strawberries scattered around it.

What do you think of this amazing strawberry tiramisu cake recipe? What would you serve with a slice of this cake? Let me know in the comment section below. 

If you share across social media, make sure to tag #aclassictwist, so I can see your beautiful creation come to life!

Happy summer baking, friends!

A slice of strawberry tiramisu on a white plate with a fork beside it.

Strawberry Tiramisu Recipe

A slice of strawberry tiramisu on a white plate with a fork beside it.
Yield: 6-8 servings

Strawberry Tiramisu

This strawberry tiramisu is a lightened-up version of the traditional Italian dessert featuring fresh strawberries and chamomile syrup. Ladyfinger cookies are soaked in homemade chamomile syrup and then layered with lightly sweetened mascarpone whipped cream.

Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Additional Time 4 hours
Total Time 5 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the chamomile syrup:

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • The peel from 1 small lemon
  • 2 tablespoons dried chamomile

For the tiramisu:

  • 12 ounces mascarpone cheese, cold
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • The juice from 1 small lemon
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup heavy cream, cold
  • 1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 1 7-ounce package ladyfingers
  • fresh chamomile flowers or edible flowers for garnish, optional

Instructions

  1. Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring this mixture to a simmer over medium heat then add the lemon peel. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring to encourage the sugar to dissolve. Remove the syrup from the heat and stir in the dried chamomile. Cover the pan and steep the syrup for 10 minutes.
  2. After 10 minutes, strain the syrup into a small bowl, discarding the lemon peel and chamomile. You’ll most likely see fine pieces of chamomile remaining in the syrup which is completely fine. Allow the syrup to cool completely to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe. This process can be sped up in the refrigerator or freezer if you prefer!
  3. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat together the mascarpone, powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and ¼ cup of the cooled chamomile syrup until smooth and thick, about 2 minutes.
  4. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream until medium peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture using a rubber or silicone spatula.
  5. To assemble the tiramisu, dip both sides of a ladyfinger into the cooled syrup then place it on the bottom of an 8 or 9-inch square baking dish. Repeat until you have a single layer of ladyfingers covering the bottom of the dish. You might have to cut or break some of the ladyfingers to make them fit your dish.
  6. Top the ladyfingers with half of the mascarpone and whipped cream mixture, smoothing out the surface. Arrange half of the sliced strawberries on top of the cream.
  7. Repeat the ladyfinger layer, dipping each in the chamomile syrup before arranging them on top of the strawberries. Top the ladyfingers with the remaining mascarpone and whipped cream mixture, smoothing out the surface. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and chill it for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  8. Before serving, top the tiramisu with the remaining strawberries and edible flowers if desired.

Notes

  1. For the recipe, you’ll need 1 small lemon. The peel is used in the syrup and the juice is whipped into the mascarpone filling.
  2. If you are using chamomile from a tea bag, make sure that chamomile is the only ingredient listed in the tea. You’ll need about 6-8 standard tea bags to yield 2 tablespoons of dried chamomile for this recipe.
  3. Cover any leftovers and keep them in the refrigerator. Make sure to enjoy them within 3 days.

Recipe Tips

  • Start with cold mascarpone and heavy cream! This is key in allowing them to whip and gain volume properly.
  • When whipping the cream, start your mixer on low so that the cream doesn’t spray everywhere. As the cream starts to thicken, gradually increase to medium speed. Stop the mixer when you reach medium peaks. This means that when you lift the beater up, the tip of the peak of cream on the end curls just slightly.
  • The chilling time is crucial in allowing the tiramisu to set up so don’t skip it! It allows the syrup to soak into and soften the ladyfingers and the cream layer to firm up. Make sure to chill the tiramisu for at least 4 hours. You can also let it set overnight.
  • The tiramisu can be made in either an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking dish. Just make sure your dish is at least 2 inches deep to allow room for all of the layers!
  • You can use other berries instead of strawberries. If you’re using a larger berry like a blackberry, I recommend cutting it in half before adding it to the tiramisu.



Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 526Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 146mgSodium: 232mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 2gSugar: 37gProtein: 6g

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