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
Elisabeth
Hi Dennis-An absolutely gorgeous cake. I used to make sponge cake with the cannoli filling, years ago, but they didn't have mascarpone cream back then in the seventies and eighties…but oh, what a treat!
A perfect holiday cake, so delicious, moist, and creamy.
Thank you for sharing!
Tes
This is my favourite cake now. It was so moist and creamy! WHat a perfect holiday bake 🙂
Luna's Recipes
This cake was beyond delicious!.. Thank you for sharing such a delicious recipe! All the best. Luna
denise @ quickies on the dinner table
Oh Cannoli!!!
Hi Dennis – sorry I've missed some of your posts. I have been really tied up lately and am now playing crazy catch up with my bloggie buddies 😛
I love the sound of this cake so much, I might make it for Christmas dinner, instead of my usual boozed up log cake! Thanks for sharing this lovely and easy recipe 🙂
Cristina - Teenie Cakes
Now that's a triple layered cake of deliciousness! I really like what you've sprinkled all over the top, not only for the flavors, but texture and aesthetics.
My mind is spinning about the cannoli cream…I'm going to borrow it for another confection 🙂
Chef: Thank you for your sweet comment on my post about "news to share" You are just about the nicest person.
savoringeverybite
If you're a happy boy, I am definitely a happy girl finding this recipe! I love it..and yes, it is fancy schmancy! Somehow this is getting on my baking list for the holidays!
Jackie
Can you believe I've never had a cannoli? I think I'd need to try one of those first before I tackle this cake!
Jax x
Daniela
La tua torta è splendida, e particolarmente adatta al periodo natalizio.
Ciao Daniela.
Marguerite
This cake was decadently delicious! Just love the cannoli cream! Thanks for the fabulous recipe!
Rumana Rawat
What a lovely cake and looks superb:)
Trish
Wow, great cake. I adore cannoli cream yet I've never made it at home. In New Jersey, I lived above an Italian bakery in Hoboken and I used to sneak down all the time for a cannoli. Yum. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Bookmarking now.
Monet
My Italian Uncle in-law introduced me to cannolis a few years ago, and I fell in love at first site! This cake looks like an even more delicious variation of what I can purchase at the Italian deli. I am drooling, Dennis, drooling! It looks so moist, dense and full of baked goodness. Thank you for sharing my friend. Hugs from Texas!
Hannah
I am so happy you found my blog, because yours is spectacular! Gorgeous photography, and I love that you work at a high school! Deciding to "teach them how to eat, instead of learning to cook school foods" is the smartest thing you could have done. If there is one thing kids need to learn how to do, it's eat! I applaud you, for your blog, and your everyday endeavors!
Elin
Piggy Chef Dennis,
I am sharing my Stylish Award with you. Please do drop by to collect it at Elinluv's Sweet Delights when you are free 🙂
Elin
Jess @ Bakericious
sound and looks delicious!