My Cannoli Cake is heaven on a plate! Three layers of moist, tender yellow cake stuffed with delicious homemade cannoli cream. Not too sweet and perfect any time of the year, and especially the holiday season!
Good cannoli cream is a wonderful thing; not too sweet, creamy and with just a hint of lemon. Over the years, I have made many flavors and varieties of cannoli but I always come back to the classic, time-honored filling.
Not only is this filling perfect for cannoli, but it also makes an excellent filling for a cake. Now it’s not going to be fancy, schmancy cake, but it’s going to be a wonderful dessert. And a dessert your guests will talk about for years to come.
Sometimes the simplest desserts are the best. Just give me a double espresso and a slice of this cake, and I’m a happy boy.
What ingredients do I need to make a Cannoli Cake?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make a Cannoli Cake. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
When possible, you want to use Impastata ricotta, it’s a drier and smoother ricotta that has been naturally drained of any excess moisture. My other choice is Galbani or Sorrento whole milk ricotta.
How do I make Cannoli Cream?
- Blend together ricotta and mascarpone in a mixing bowl
- Add in superfine sugar*(if you can’t find superfine, use your food processor to make regular sugar into superfine. Do not let it become powder, that will be 10x, and that makes the mixture too loose.)
The secret to keeping the cream thicker is superfine sugar. 10x sugar makes the mixture too loose. - Add in lemon zest and vanilla extract
- Add the mini chocolate chips
Can I make traditional cannoli with this cannoli cream filling recipe?
*You can use my cannoli recipe with your favorite cannoli shells. Cannoli are the perfect dessert when you want something light after dinner
Refrigerate for 2 hours, if possible, before using as filling for the cake.
*This can be made the day before
Do you love Cannoli filling? My Chocolate Mousse is another delicious filling recipe you can use for your dessert recipes.
How do I make a yellow cake?
Butter and flour the cake pans, and place a parchment circle in the bottom of each pan. Set the pans aside until needed.
- Add the softened butter and sugar to your mixer.
- Whip until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time.
- Mix well after each addition.
- Add the vanilla to the mixture and blend to combine.
- Add the flour, salt, and baking powder to a large bowl.
- Whisk until fully blended.
- Begin adding the flour mixture, one-third at a time.
- Add the milk, alternating with the flour mixture.
- Continue until all the ingredients have been added and incorporated.
- Divide the mixture into three floured 9″ cake pans and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center out clean.
- Allow cakes to cool completely before adding cannoli cream.
- Divide the cannoli filling into thirds and top each layer with one-third of the cream.
- Top the cannoli cake with mini chocolate chips.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours before slicing.
This is a cake that won’t make you crazy. It’s easy to make, and you can easily add your own touches. My Italian Cannoli Pound Cake is another delicious treat you might like.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, you can. Add ¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa to the mixture when you add the sugar.
Yes, you can. Add it in place of the vanilla.
Make a simple syrup and add in your favorite liqueur or extract as a flavoring. Brush the layers with the syrup as you assemble the cake, before adding the layer of cannoli cream.
Yes, you can. Add your favorite chips, or candied fruit to the cannoli cream.
Yes, it does. Take it out of refrigeration about 30 minutes before serving to let it come to room temperature.
Have fun with this simple cannoli cake; just make sure you have enough espresso (or milk) in the house to go along with my authentic Italian dessert!
More Cake Recipes You’ll Love!
Cannoli Cake
Ingredients
Yellow Layer Cake
- ⅔ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
Cannoli Cream
- 16 oz ricotta cheese if it is wet, drain in a cheesecloth to remove the excess water
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese
- 1 cup superfine sugar also known as caster sugar
- zest of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips more if desired
Instructions
Yellow Cake
- Butter and flour the cake pans, and place a parchment circle in the bottom of each pan. Set the pans aside until needed.
- In your mixer cream the softened butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each egg.
- Mix in the Vanilla
- In another bowl add the flour, salt and baking powder and blend together
- Add the ⅓ of the flour to the creamed mixture alternating with the milk, continue until all the ingredients have been added.
- Divide the mixture into three floured 9″ cake pans and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center out clean.
- Allow cakes to cool completely before adding cannoli cream.
Cannoli Filling
- Blend together ricotta and mascarpone
- Add in superfine sugar *(if you can't find superfine, use your food processor to make regular sugar into superfine. Do not let it become powder, that will be 10x and that makes the mixture too loose.) The secret to keeping the cream thicker is superfine sugar. 10x sugar makes the mixture too loose.
- Add in lemon zest, vanilla and the chocolate chips.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours if possible, before using as filling for the cake.*This can be made the day before
Assembly
- divide the cannoli filling into thirds and top each layer with one third of the cream.
- Top the cannoli cake with mini chocolate chips.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours before slicing
5 Star Foodie
Wow, a magnificent cake for sure! I love the Ghiradelli Peppermint Bark topping!
Mari
Looks very yummy and tempting!!! I love the recipe and I am sure I will try it.
Thanks for sharing it 🙂
Amy
Wow…this is so beautiful! Turning cannoli into a cake is a great idea! I too used to think ricotta was more of a savory item, but have since been taught that it makes wonderful desserts as well. Thanks for sharing this :)!
Nancy
Not fancy??? It sure looks that way to me!!! Hmm.. after seeing this, our traditional angel food cake may just get "booted" – this truly looks and sounds amazing!!!
Baking Barrister
Awesome cake. Love those little peppermint squares alone, but with cannoli cream and cake? I'd eat it ALL.
Lynn @ I'll Have What She's Having
All I have to say is I'm drooling.
Kristen
I can't believe it took me a day to get over here. I am so glad I did. What a magnificent cake! I have bookmarked it. Hopefully my family will get to enjoy this wonder soon, too!
Raina
This sounds like one of my family's favorite cakes, a cassata cake. For each of our birthdays, we travel about an hour away just to get this special cake at the only bakery that makes it the way we like it. I have been wanting to try and make it. Yours looks delicious. I will deinitely make this…thanks:)
lequan
This is a pretty fancy cake to me. The cannoli cream sounds fantastic. I just had dinner and would still gobble up two pieces of this yumminess.
Joy
Ohh that looks so good. I love cannoli. The cake looks wonderful.
Intuitive Eggplant
Ah, cannoli! I'm still remembering your divine stuffed squash blossoms stuffed with cannoli cream, and now you go and offer up this! A sweet treat indeed. Happy holidays!
Sandra
This really looks good chef and seems simple to make. I'll let you know how mine turns out.
Leanne
Oh my. I'm sitting in the library at school finalizing an essay, and am now completely distracted. I might have to make this tonight as a gift to myself for making it through the afternoon! Thank you for sharing 🙂
LaDivaCucina
Chef Dennis, I've been coming by your blog so much and commenting so little! Frankly, I'm still on that divine duck you roasted!
Growing up in an Eyetalian American family, I ate so many cannoli growing up! The holiday treat we really look forward to though is struffoli, little fried honey balls, piled up high, covered in honey, powdered sugar and chocolate shavings! Try and get your hands on some of that this season! Thanks for the tasty post!
Liana @ femme fraiche
**sighhh* If I had one wish I would chose to come and work with you in your classroom for a day (week). This looks amazing. Bookmarked, along with all the other recipes you've posted!