Cannoli Cake Recipe

4.93 from 185 votes

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A light cinnamon cake layered and coated with a delicious cannoli cake filling, the sides are covered with mini choc chips and 6 cute mini cannoli on top. An ideal dessert cake with classic and true Sicilian cannoli flavors!

Prep Time50

Cook Time35

Cooling Time10

Total Time1 35

Servings: generous servings

Author: Marcellina

Equipment

stand mixer
food processor
2 x 8 inch (20 cm) round deep cake pan
measuring cups and spoons (or scales)
off set spatula
serrated knife

Ingredients

Cake

6 ounces (1 ½ sticks or 170 grams) unsalted butter (softened)
1⅔ cup (340 grams) superfine (castor) sugar
¼ cup (60mls) oil (see notes)
4 eggs (room temperature)
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ cups (185 grams) all purpose flour
1½ cups (185 grams) cake flour
2½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ cup (300mls) buttermilk

Cannoli Cake Filling

3¾ cups (2 pounds/ 900 grams) fresh ricotta (use dry ricotta or must be strained overnight - see notes)
¾ cup (90 grams) powdered (icing) sugar
3 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (approx 250 grams) mascarpone cheese

Rum Syrup

½ cup (62 grams) powdered (icing) sugar
¼ cup dark rum

To assemble and decorate

2 cups mini chocolate chips
6 small cannoli shells (optional)

Instructions

Before beginning this Cannoli Cake, please read the recipe fully including all the all the tips for success. Be sure to use dry ricotta! Be prepared that this cake will take some time and effort. Baking the cake component a day or so beforehand will make it easier. The unfilled cake can be wrapped well in plastic and frozen until needed.

Cake

Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Grease two 8-inch/20cm round deep cake pans and line the base with non stick paper. Then flour the sides.
Whisk or sift together flours, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Set aside
In an electric mixer, beat together butter, sugar and oil for 2 minutes on medium speed.
Scrape sides of the bowl then add eggs, one at a time until well combined. Stir in vanilla.
Add dry ingredients. Then combine on low speed until just moistened. Add buttermilk and beat for 1 minute on medium until well combined and smooth.
Pour evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Check at 30 minutes.
When done the cake will come away from the side and settle down a little on the edges. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out to cool on a wire rack.
Cool completely before filling and decorating.

Cannoli cake filling

In a food processor, combine ricotta, ¾ cup powdered sugar, orange zest, and cinnamon until creamy.
Fold in mascarpone. Refrigerate until needed.

Rum syrup

Combine ½ cup powdered sugar with dark rum. Stir to dissolve sugar. Set aside.

To assemble and decorate

Cut and level off tops of cakes and cut each cake in half horizontally.
Brush one cut side of each layer with rum syrup.
Place one layer on a cake plate and spread approximately 1 cup of the filling evenly over the cake. Judge how much filling you have. You may want to use a little less than one cup to ensure you have plenty for the decoration and cannoli.
Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips.
Continue with the remaining cake layers, alternating between brushing each layer with rum syrup, spreading with filling, and sprinkling with chocolate chips, finishing with the fourth and final layer of cake.
If you are using mini cannoli, fill with a teaspoon or a piping bag and press chocolate chips onto the ends. Keep refrigerated until needed.
Reserve ⅓ cup of ricotta cream. Spread the remaining cannoli filling over the cake, starting with a very thin layer on the sides, then covering the top more generously.
Press more chocolate chips onto the side of the cake. This will take time and patience and can be left off if preferred. Arrange filled cannoli shells on top spacing apart evenly.
Fill a piping bag fitted with a star tube with remaining ricotta cream and pipe 6 stars in between the cannoli on top of the cake.
Serve immediately or refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving. See notes for preparing ahead.

Notes

The cake recipe has been adapted from this Vanilla Cake.

This cake isn't created to duplicate a store-bought cake. It's a homemade cake with the flavors of cannoli.

Tips for Success

Use the BEST quality ingredients - this is very important! Particularly the ricotta and mascarpone cheeses.

For the cake:-

Have ingredients at cool room temperature. This will ensure the butter combines well and the eggs incorporate thoroughly.
Use light-flavored oil like sunflower or grapeseed.
If measuring the flour with cups, stir the flour first then spoon into the cup so it is not overpacked.

For the Filling:-

Ricotta cheese and mascarpone cheese vary greatly from brand to brand, country to country. Both cheeses must be thick, almost like cream cheese otherwise the filling will be runny. I can't stress this enough. If you doubt, drain both cheeses overnight in a muslin-lined sieve. Keep them separated so that you can measure them correctly when drained.
When making the filling, fold in the mascarpone because over-beating will cause it to split.
Taste the filling and add more powdered sugar if you prefer it sweeter.
Cinnamon and orange zest can be omitted if not to your taste.
Cool the cakes thoroughly before filling.

Variations

Use orange juice instead of rum to make it alcohol-free.
Substitute 1/4 cup finely chopped candied fruit for the orange zest.
If you have no buttermilk try this - to a measuring cup, add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Add milk to the 1 1/2 mark, and stir. Wait 5 minutes before using.
Use store-bought vanilla pound cake or sponge for a quick cannoli cake.

Nutrition