Cannoli Cake

This homemade Cannoli Cake is a moist layer cake with all the classic cannoli flavors you love!

A light cinnamon cake with delicious ricotta and mascarpone cheese cannoli filling is a delicious treat ideal for special occasions and the dessert table. With a coating of mini chocolate chips and cute mini cannoli on top, this is going to be your most popular dessert cake!

Why you'll love this recipe

If you love Italian cannoli, you've come to the right place. This Cannoli cake recipe is a delectable dessert that highlights all of the wonderful flavors of that Italian classic. This is undoubtedly the BEST Cannoli cake I have ever eaten!

This made from scratch cake uses basic ingredients that you will find in any supermarket to create a dessert that is deceptively light. Bake and assemble the Cannoli Cake the day before for an impressive, make ahead dessert. Then decorate with store bought, mini cannoli and lots of mini chocolate chips so there is no doubt of the flavor within!

Traditional Sicilian cannoli are filled with sweetened whipped ricotta. Usual additions are chocolate, cinnamon, candied fruit or orange zest. For extra creaminess which you'll love, the cannoli cream frosting also uses mascarpone.

Don't be scared off by the length. This Cannoli cake recipe, like my Chocolate Cake with caramel and my Raspberry Torte, has a few steps but just follow my instructions carefully for complete success!

Just like more simple desserts such as my easy vanilla cake, poached red wine pears or budino al cioccolato, this Cannoli Cake will become a firm favorite that your family and friends will ask for time and time again!

For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card bottom of the page.

Ingredients for Cake

Firstly the cake must be baked and cooled before assembly of this dessert.

This layers for this Cannoli Cake are rather light and definitely moist. The ingredients make all the difference. You'll find all the usual cake ingredients here but some may require an explanation.

• all purpose flour for structure and moisture
• cake flour for lightness and fine texture
• buttermilk combined with baking soda creates air to give your cake good volume and tenderness
• butter for flavor
• oil for moisture

Variations

• if you are in a hurry use store bought cake. I suggest you purchase a vanilla pound cake or sponge
• for a buttermilk substitute - to a measuring cup, add 1 tablespoons  white vinegar or lemon juice. Add milk to the 1 ½ cup mark, stir. Wait 5 minutes before using
• use a teaspoon of almond extract instead of cinnamon for something different
  

Instructions for cake

Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC and grease two 8-inch round deep cake pans and line the base with non stick paper then flour the sides.

1. Whisk or sift together flours, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
2. Beat butter, sugar and oil.
3. Add eggs one at a time followed by vanilla.
4. Mix in dry ingredients until just moist then add buttermilk.
5. Divide amongst prepared pans.
6. Bake until cooked through and golden brown.

Ingredients for frosting and assembly

• Ricotta cheese - use only full fat ricotta cheese. This recipe is not a low fat cake. It's a special occasion cake which deserves using full fat, quality ingredients.
• Mascarpone cheese - this is a thick creamy Italian cheese that is found in many supermarkets. If you can't find it, you could substitute cream cheese though the flavor will be different.
• Powdered sugar - Also known as icing sugar or confectioners sugar, it dissolves and blends quickly and easily into the ricotta cheese.
• Orange - You'll only need the orange zest. Reserve the orange for juice or cut it up for a fruit salad.
• Dark rum - I like to use rum but if you'd rather have an alcohol free cake, use orange juice.
• Cinnamon - powdered cinnamon is the perfect sweet spice to complement the cannoli cream filling.
• Cannoli shells - these are optional but add to the appeal of the cake. Fill them with reserved cannoli filling.
• Chocolate Chips - mini chocolate chips are complete adornment of this Cannoli cake.

Instructions for frosting and assembly

Next prepare the cannoli cream frosting, syrup and cake for assembly.

1. In a food processor, combine ricotta, ¾ cup powdered sugar, orange zest, and cinnamon until creamy.
2. Fold in mascarpone. Refrigerate until needed.
3. Combine ½ cup powdered sugar with dark rum. Stir to dissolve sugar.
4. Cut and level off tops of cakes and cut each cake in half horizontally making four cake layers.

Finally assemble the cannoli cake.

1. Brush one cut side of each layer with rum syrup.
2. Place one layer on a cake plate and spread some ricotta filling over.
3. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
4. Continue layering and filling with ricotta cream and chocolate chips.

Spread the rest of the cream all over the cake and decorate with chocolate chips and filled cannoli shells.

Tips for success

Be sure to follow these important points for success.

• Use whole milk ricotta cheese and if it's not as dry and crumbly as indicated in the photo, you MUST to strain it overnight.
• Mascarpone should also be full fat and strained if not thick and creamy.
• Finely chopped candied fruit can be used in place of the orange zest.
• Cannoli shells are optional but nice and can be purchased at good Italian food stores or online.
• Have ingredients at cool room temperature. This will ensure the butter creams well and the eggs incorporate thoroughly.
• If measuring the flour with cups, stir the flour first then spoon into the cup so that it is not overpacked.
• When making the cannoli cream frosting, fold in the mascarpone because over beating will cause it to split.
• Cakes must be cold before frosting.

Frequently asked questions

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Italian Peach Cookies

Made this recipe?
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