Happy 2022 everyone and please enjoy my first blog recipe, Cannoli Cake. This cake is amazing and not exactly on a weight loss plan, but worth every bite. Nonetheless, ring in the new year with this moist cake version of a traditional Italian dessert.
A moist yellow cake layered with sweet ricotta filling. In addition, it is frosted with a whipped vanilla buttercream and decorated with those cute mini chocolate chips. It serves about 15 people and will not disappoint if made for any celebration.
Cannoli cake is an inspired Italian dessert modeled after the the traditional cannoli's. Fried pastry shells are filled with a ricotta filling and chocolate chips. Served at Christmas time and enjoyed by many.
However, I am little late to the game, but this Cannoli cake is ready for any party and can be served at any time of the year! I am by no means Italian and it was my first stab at making ricotta filling, but I am pretty sure my Sicilian brother in law would approve of my cake.
For the start of the new year, I wanted to challenge myself with a more lengthy recipe. This cannoli cake does take some time and there are several steps to make it perfect, so plan ahead.
Nevertheless, my time away from the blog was served well. Spending time with my kids and enjoying my Xmas was much needed to plan and focus on upcoming blog posts for 2022! Stayed tuned, it may be a fun filled ride!
Ingredients and substitutions
Many variations and substitutions have been used when making a cannoli cake, but ingredients below are the ones that I found to be delicious!
- Cake Flour: this flour is more dense and has a high protein content, which in turn has less gluten. However, all-purpose flour can be substituted if you dont' have any cake flour. Store bought cake can be used in a pinch as well.
- Ricotta cheese: This is the traditional filling in a cannoli recipe and the one I used for my cake. However, a cream cheese or even whipped pastry cream would work on the cake. My hummingbird cannoli's were made with a cream cheese filling.
- Mini semi sweet chocolate chips: Milk or dark chocolate chips can be used as well.
Tips and tricks
Please follow these tips and tricks below to make the perfect cannoli cake!
- Draining Ricotta cheese is a MUST. If not drained properly, it will make the cake watery and soggy.
- Make sure ingredients are at room temperature to allow for a better rise on the cake.
- Use good quality pans like Wilton.
- Add a chocolate ganache layer on the outside or even add real fried cannoli's to the top!
How to make yellow cake
Making the cake layers are relatively simple and only require a few steps.
- Preheat oven and prepare 3 cake pans with Baker's joy.
- Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In another bowl, using a stand mixer, cream together the butter on high until smooth. Add in sugar and mix until light and fluffy.
- On low, slowly add in the egg yolks and vanilla and beat until combined.
- Pour in dry ingredients to butter mixture, alternating milk with the dry ingredients. End with flour mixture.
- Evenly divide the cake batter into the three prepared pans and bake for 26-28 minutes or until tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes and transfer to wire rack to complete cooling.
Ricotta filling
This was my first time experimenting with Ricotta filling, but it isn't hard to make. It does take at least 24 hours to drain the whey from the cheese, so prepare ahead of time.
First, set a strainer on top of a large mixing bowl. Cut out a piece of cheesecloth and set on top of strainer. Add the ricotta cheese and spread evenly on top of the cheesecloth. Cover top of bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Remove ricotta filling from fridge and add it to another large mixing bowl. Mix in confectioner's sugar and beat until well combined. Pour in orange zest and vanilla and mix until completely incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips with spatula. Put in fridge until ready to layer cake.
Vanilla buttercream frosting
Vanilla buttercream frosting is so easy to make and it is my go to frosting for most of my desserts. However, I had to add a little more butter and powdered sugar to increase the amount of frosting I had to frost the cake.
In a large bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on high until smooth and creamy. Turn down mixer speed and slowly add in the powdered sugar until it is combined. Add in the rest of the ingredients and turn up mixer until frosting has become light and fluffy and desired whipped consistency has been reached. Set aside for frosting cake.
Assembly of cannoli cake
Cannoli cake is like any other layered cake. Place one cake layer on a cake plate. Add the ricotta filling on top of first layer and spread evenly. Repeat the same process for the second layer of cake. Add the third layer and crumb coat entire cake. Set in fridge for 15 minutes and then frost the rest of the cake. Add in the chocolate chips. Serve and enjoy!
FAQ's
Yes, due to the ingredients within the cake it should be stored in the refrigerator.
Cannoli cake
Equipment
- 1 Electric hand mixer
- 1 Stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment
- 3 8 inch cake pans
- 1 spatula
- 1 Offset spatula
- 1 large piping bag Fitted with desired piping tips
- 1 Cake Stand
Ingredients
Yellow cake
- 3¼ cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter Room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1½ cup 2% milk
Ricotta filling
- 32 oz ricotta cheese whole milk
- ¾ cup confectioner's sugar sifted
- 2 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips mini
Vanilla buttercream frosting
- 2 cups unsalted butter 4 sticks
- 6 cups confectioner's sugar sifted
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup heavy cream cold
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Yellow cake
- Preheat oven to 350°. Using Baker's joy spray, coat three 8 inch round cake pans and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter on medium until smooth and creamy. Add in the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes). Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
- With mixer speed on low, slowly add in the egg yolks and vanilla extract. Scrape down sides of bowl.
- Add in the flour mixture, alternating with the milk. Be sure to begin and end with the flour mixture. Mix on medium until no flour streaks are left.
- Evenly divide and transfer batter to the three prepared cake pans. Bake for 26-28 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes in the pans and then transfer to a wire rack to complete cooling.
Ricotta filling
- Top a bowl with a metal strainer and add cheesecloth in the strainer. Add the ricotta cheese on top of cheesecloth and press it evenly into the strainer. Put plastic wrap on top and let it drain in the fridge overnight. Next day, discard the whey at the bottom of the bowl.
- Transfer the drained ricotta to a large mixing bowl. Add in the confectioner's sugar and mix well with the hand mixer. Add in the orange zest and vanilla extract. Fold in the mini chocolate chips with a spatula.
Vanilla buttercream frosting
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream the butter until light and fluffy. Slowly add in the confectioner's sugar until combined. Pour in the heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium high until desired consistency is reached.
Assembly of the cake
- Add one cake layer to a cake plate. Top the first layer with the ricotta filling and spread evenly. Top with the second layer of cake and add more ricotta filling, spread evenly. Add third layer of cake and cover the outside of the cake with the vanilla buttercream frosting. Add chocolate chips around the cake as desired. Slice and serve!
Nutrition
Cake recipes
Fun fact of the day!
Blueberry jelly bellies were created for Ronald Reagan.
Wiadomości Interia
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