Cannoli Cake Recipe
This is a guest post by Jonathan Pack
Cannoli cakes are a traditional Sicilian dessert that has caught on in America in a big way. The blend of crispy fried pastry dough and creamy, custardy filling is an irresistible combo that makes this sweet treat a standby on the dessert menu of any Italian restaurant. However, the intricate process of forming the delicate tubes and piping them full of filling is a daunting process for the typical home cook. This cannoli cake solves that problem by evoking the classic cannoli flavors without the time consuming prep work.
You’ll want to start by baking the actual cake. This particular cake recipe is just as simple as a box mix, but much more tasty. With a stand or electric mixer, beat four eggs and 2/3 cup of granulated sugar until the mixture has a thick consistency. To this, gently fold in ½ cup melted butter and 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Grease and flour a round, 8-inch cake pan and pour the mixture inside. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes, until the cake is firm in the center. Let cool in pan for five minutes until turning onto a wire rack to cool the rest of the way. Be sure to bake the cake early enough that it has a few hours to cool completely before you attempt to frost it, or you will have a cannoli cake pile instead of a cannoli cake!
While the cake is cooling, you can go ahead and start preparing your ricotta filling. This is just as simple as the cake itself, and will be the basis for the evocative cannoli flavors. Simply beat 2 cups of part-skim ricotta cheese in a bowl with 3 tablespoons of butter and 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla on medium speed for about three minutes. Whip one cup of whipping cream and fold it into mixture along with one cup of semisweet mini chocolate chips.
Once the ricotta filling is done, you can turn your attention to the whipped cream frosting. Beat another 2 cups of whipping cream in a bowl on high speed until soft peaks form. Beat in two tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar and an additional ½ teaspoon of vanilla.
Once the cake has cooled carefully cut it in half horizontally using a serrated knife. Take the two halves and cut each of them horizontally as well, so that you have four individual cake layers. Place one layer on a serving platter, then spread a third of the ricotta filling across the top. Repeat layers, ending with a cake layer on top. Reserve one cup of frosting; use the rest to frost the sides and top of the cake. Use the remaining frosting to decorate the cake, along with ¼ cup of chopped semisweet chocolate and fresh berries for garnish. Refrigerate until serving, and serve within six hours.
The resulting cake will look so decadent and professional, no one will believe how simple it was to make. Use it for an elegant final course at a dinner party, and prepare to amaze your guests. But beware; they may not believe you when you say you didn’t get it from a bakery!
Cannoli cakes are a traditional Sicilian dessert that has caught on in America in a big way. The blend of crispy fried pastry dough and creamy, custardy filling is an irresistible combo that makes this sweet treat a standby on the dessert menu of any Italian restaurant. However, the intricate process of forming the delicate tubes and piping them full of filling is a daunting process for the typical home cook. This cannoli cake solves that problem by evoking the classic cannoli flavors without the time consuming prep work.
You’ll want to start by baking the actual cake. This particular cake recipe is just as simple as a box mix, but much more tasty. With a stand or electric mixer, beat four eggs and 2/3 cup of granulated sugar until the mixture has a thick consistency. To this, gently fold in ½ cup melted butter and 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Grease and flour a round, 8-inch cake pan and pour the mixture inside. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes, until the cake is firm in the center. Let cool in pan for five minutes until turning onto a wire rack to cool the rest of the way. Be sure to bake the cake early enough that it has a few hours to cool completely before you attempt to frost it, or you will have a cannoli cake pile instead of a cannoli cake!
While the cake is cooling, you can go ahead and start preparing your ricotta filling. This is just as simple as the cake itself, and will be the basis for the evocative cannoli flavors. Simply beat 2 cups of part-skim ricotta cheese in a bowl with 3 tablespoons of butter and 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla on medium speed for about three minutes. Whip one cup of whipping cream and fold it into mixture along with one cup of semisweet mini chocolate chips.
Once the ricotta filling is done, you can turn your attention to the whipped cream frosting. Beat another 2 cups of whipping cream in a bowl on high speed until soft peaks form. Beat in two tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar and an additional ½ teaspoon of vanilla.
Once the cake has cooled carefully cut it in half horizontally using a serrated knife. Take the two halves and cut each of them horizontally as well, so that you have four individual cake layers. Place one layer on a serving platter, then spread a third of the ricotta filling across the top. Repeat layers, ending with a cake layer on top. Reserve one cup of frosting; use the rest to frost the sides and top of the cake. Use the remaining frosting to decorate the cake, along with ¼ cup of chopped semisweet chocolate and fresh berries for garnish. Refrigerate until serving, and serve within six hours.
The resulting cake will look so decadent and professional, no one will believe how simple it was to make. Use it for an elegant final course at a dinner party, and prepare to amaze your guests. But beware; they may not believe you when you say you didn’t get it from a bakery!
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