A very good friend of mine is celebrating a birthday next weekend at an Italian restaurant. This is a very special occasion as she is currently finishing up her final round of chemotherapy for multiple myeloma -- and we are hearing the word "remission." This birthday is certainly one to celebrate in a big way and I want this cake to be very special and fitting to the occasion.

I will be baking the tiramisu cake recipe from allrecipes.com, but need a filling and icing that will hold up to the Texas heat (will be driving the cake for two hours) and that will support some decorations (gumpaste flowers).

I'd really appreciate any ideas for a crusting buttercream that would be good, that is light in color (does not need to be white, but creamish would be just fine).

Thanks much!

If you take away the filling and whipped cream icing, then you are talking away a big chunk of what makes the cake tiramisu.

Having to travel that far, in Texas is asking alot. At Christmas I made a tiramisu cake roll. Since we had some left over my SIL put it in a tupperwear container and put it in an ice chest and took it with use to NM, about a 10 hour drive. I can't remember if she froze it first or not.

If you wanted to use an ice chest I would think it would make the two hours just fine. Another problem would be the gumpaste decorations. I wouldn't put those in the cold either, because you will risk them wilting.

Thanks for the thoughts. What would you think of doing the fillings with the marscapone cheese recipe only, and then using Indydeb's buttercream flavored with Kahlua?

To me the best part of the tiramisu is the lightness of the whipped cream on it and the filling. It isn't an overly sweet dessert.

You could do the buttercream on it, but it will change the taste of it up.