Irresistible Cannoli Cake: The Ultimate Recipe for a Fluffy, Ricotta-Filled Masterpiece
Transport your taste buds straight to Italy with this incredible Cannoli Cake! Imagine all the rich, creamy, and delightful flavors of the classic Italian cannoli, but reimagined in an easy-to-make, show-stopping cake form. This dessert takes the traditional, beloved handheld treat and transforms it into a moist, airy, and utterly decadent sheet cake that’s perfect for any gathering or special occasion. Forget the fuss of frying individual shells; this recipe brings you the essence of cannoli in a much simpler, yet equally impressive, presentation.
Our Cannoli Cake boasts a wonderfully fluffy and rich texture, largely thanks to the generous inclusion of high-quality ricotta cheese directly in the batter. This special ingredient not only imparts an authentic, subtle tang but also ensures an unparalleled moistness that sets this cake apart. Every slice is a delightful journey, speckled throughout with delicate shards of semi-sweet chocolate, adding tiny bursts of cocoa flavor and a pleasing textural contrast. The cake is then generously crowned with a luxurious Whipped Ricotta Frosting – a creamy concoction made from ricotta, smooth cream cheese, and light whipped cream, delivering that unmistakable, authentic cannoli filling flavor profile. To complete this masterpiece, a final flourish of more chocolate shavings and crunchy crushed pistachios is sprinkled over the top, adding both beauty and an extra layer of flavor and texture.
Why This Cannoli Cake Recipe is a Must-Try
If you’re a fan of Italian desserts, especially the iconic cannoli, prepare to be captivated by this cake. It offers all the complex flavors you adore without the laborious process of deep-frying shells. This sheet cake is incredibly versatile, making it ideal for everything from casual family dinners to elegant holiday celebrations. Its balanced sweetness, combined with the creamy ricotta and a hint of cinnamon, creates a flavor profile that is both comforting and sophisticated.
Beyond its incredible taste, the texture of this Cannoli Cake is truly exceptional. The ricotta in the batter ensures a cake that is remarkably moist and tender, defying the often-dry reputation of many homemade cakes. The little pockets of melted chocolate throughout add an element of surprise and decadence, while the airy, not-too-sweet ricotta frosting perfectly complements the cake’s richness. It’s a harmonious blend of classic flavors and textures, promising a delightful experience with every forkful.
Crafting the Perfect Cannoli Cake Batter
Making the Cannoli Cake batter is a straightforward process that yields incredibly delicious results. Follow these detailed steps to ensure a fluffy and flavorful cake:
Step-by-Step Cake Instructions:
1. Prepare Your Oven and Pan: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9×13-inch cake pan by spraying it thoroughly with cooking spray and lining it with parchment paper. This ensures your beautiful cake releases easily after baking.
2. Aerate Eggs and Sugars: In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the large eggs, white sugar, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat these ingredients together on high speed for approximately 5 minutes. During this time, the mixture will transform – it should become noticeably thick, fluffy, and expand significantly, tripling in volume. This aeration step is crucial for creating a light and airy cake structure.
3. Introduce the Oil: Reduce your stand mixer speed to medium-low. While the mixer continues to run, slowly and steadily drizzle in the vegetable oil. This gradual addition allows the oil to emulsify properly with the egg mixture, contributing to the cake’s moistness and tender crumb. Once all the oil has been incorporated, continue beating for an additional minute to ensure everything is well combined.
4. Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium to large mixing bowl, add the all-purpose flour (measured correctly, see notes for tips!), baking powder, table salt, and cinnamon. Whisk these dry ingredients together thoroughly until they are uniformly combined. This prevents pockets of leavening agents or salt in your final cake.
5. Alternate Wet and Dry Additions: With your stand mixer set to its lowest speed, begin adding the dry mixture to the wet ingredients in three separate additions. Alternate these additions with the full-fat ricotta cheese, also added in two parts between the dry ingredients. Beat only until the batter is just combined and smooth after each addition. It’s vital not to overmix the batter at this stage, as overmixing can lead to a tough cake by developing too much gluten.
6. Fold in Chocolate: Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Add the roughly chopped semi-sweet chocolate (or mini chocolate chips) to the batter. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the chocolate into the batter. This ensures even distribution without deflating the airy batter you’ve worked hard to create.
7. Bake to Golden Perfection: Pour the prepared Cannoli Cake batter into your lined 9×13-inch cake pan. Place the pan into your preheated oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. This indicates it’s fully baked. Once done, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack before attempting to frost it. A cooled cake prevents the frosting from melting!
The Dreamy Whipped Ricotta Frosting
The Whipped Ricotta Frosting is the crown jewel of this Cannoli Cake, bringing that signature cannoli flavor to the forefront. This frosting is incredibly easy to prepare and creates a light, airy, and creamy topping that beautifully complements the rich cake. Here’s how to create this delightful frosting:
Secrets to a Fluffy Frosting:
1. Whip the Cream Cheese: In your stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, add the cream cheese. Beat the cream cheese on high speed for about 3 minutes, or until it becomes wonderfully fluffy and light. This initial whipping step is key to achieving a smooth, lump-free base for your frosting.
2. Combine Remaining Ingredients: Next, add the quality full-fat ricotta cheese, heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract to the stand mixer. Continue to whip the mixture on high speed for about 4-5 minutes. During this time, the frosting will thicken considerably and develop soft peaks, indicating it’s ready. The combination of these ingredients creates a frosting that is rich yet remarkably light, echoing the authentic taste of cannoli filling.
3. Frost and Garnish: Once your cake has cooled completely, generously dollop the Whipped Ricotta Frosting onto the cake. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it evenly across the top. Finish by sprinkling a generous amount of finely chopped pistachios and additional chopped chocolate or mini chocolate chips over the frosted cake. This adds a beautiful presentation, extra texture, and an intensified cannoli flavor. Serve your magnificent Cannoli Cake immediately, or if preparing in advance, ensure it is kept cold and covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to indulge. Due to its high dairy content, refrigeration is essential for freshness and food safety.
Oil vs. Butter: The Secret to an Incredibly Moist Cake
You might notice a distinct choice in this Cannoli Cake recipe: the use of oil instead of butter as the primary fat. This decision is intentional and plays a significant role in the cake’s superior texture and ease of preparation. While butter is a classic choice in baking, oil offers several distinct advantages, especially for cakes where moisture and tenderness are paramount.
Firstly, oil simplifies the baking process. There’s no need to remember to pull butter out of the fridge in advance to soften it to room temperature. You also bypass the step of properly creaming butter and sugar together, a technique that, if not done correctly, can impact the cake’s rise and texture. Oil is simply drizzled in, making the preparation quicker and more foolproof.
Beyond convenience, the primary reason for choosing oil over butter lies in its profound impact on the cake’s final texture. Oil-based cakes are consistently more moist and tender than their butter-based counterparts. Butter, containing both fat and water, solidifies when cooled, which can sometimes lead to a denser, firmer cake. Oil, being 100% fat and liquid at room temperature, remains fluid, permeating the cake’s structure more thoroughly and locking in moisture more effectively. This results in a cake that stays moist for longer, boasting a fine, delicate crumb.
Furthermore, oil is lighter in weight by volume compared to butter. This characteristic contributes to a less dense cake. Oil also excels at encapsulating flour molecules more effectively than butter. This superior encapsulation leads to better lubrication within the batter and, crucially, less gluten formation. Less gluten development translates directly to a more tender, less chewy cake – exactly what you want in a fluffy, delicate dessert like our Cannoli Cake. So, while it might seem unconventional to some, the choice of oil is a deliberate culinary decision that elevates this cake to new heights of moistness and tenderness.
Expert Tips for Cannoli Cake Success
Achieving a perfect Cannoli Cake is simple with a few key considerations:
- Measure Flour Correctly: For the most accurate results and a tender cake, use the spoon-and-level method for measuring flour. Gently spoon the flour into your measuring cup until overflowing, then level it off with the back of a straight knife or spatula. Avoid scooping directly from the bag or container, as this compacts the flour and can add too much, resulting in a dense cake. Alternatively, weighing your flour (1 cup = 120g or 4oz) is the most precise method.
- Quality Ricotta Matters: Invest in a good quality, full-fat ricotta cheese. The better the ricotta, the better the flavor and texture of both your cake and frosting. If your ricotta seems particularly watery, you might want to drain it briefly in a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth to remove excess moisture, though this recipe is quite forgiving.
- Do Not Overmix: Once you start adding the dry ingredients, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make your cake tough and chewy instead of light and tender.
- Cool Completely: Patience is a virtue, especially when it comes to frosting. Ensure your cake is completely cool before applying the Whipped Ricotta Frosting. Frosting a warm cake will cause the frosting to melt and slide off, creating a mess.
- Proper Storage: Due to the fresh dairy in the frosting, this cake must be refrigerated. Store it in an airtight container to maintain freshness and prevent it from drying out. It’s best enjoyed within 3-4 days.
Customizing Your Cannoli Cake
While this recipe delivers a classic, perfect Cannoli Cake, don’t hesitate to experiment with variations to suit your taste:
- Citrus Zest: A touch of orange or lemon zest (1-2 teaspoons) can brighten the flavor of both the cake batter and the frosting, complementing the ricotta beautifully.
- Different Nuts: If pistachios aren’t your favorite, feel free to substitute them with finely chopped almonds, walnuts, or pecans for a different crunch.
- Spiced Up: A pinch of nutmeg or a little more cinnamon in the batter can enhance the warm spice notes.
- Candied Fruit: For a more traditional Sicilian cannoli touch, fold in a small amount of finely chopped candied orange peel or mixed candied fruit into the frosting.
- Chocolate Varieties: Experiment with dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or even white chocolate chips in the batter and for garnish.
Get the Recipe:
Cannoli Cake with Whipped Ricotta Frosting
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Ingredients
Cannoli Cake
- 2 ¼ cups (260g) All Purpose Flour,, measured correctly †
- 1 ½ tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Table Salt
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 cup White Sugar
- 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1 ½ tsp Vanilla
- 3/4 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 cup Quality Full Fat Ricotta
- 1 cup Roughly Chopped Semi Sweet Chocolate or Mini Chocolate Chips
Whipped Ricotta Frosting
- 1/4 cup Cream Cheese
- 1 cup Quality Full-Fat Ricotta
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/2 cup Confectioners Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla
- 1/2 cup Unshelled Pistachios,, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup Finely Chopped Semi-Sweet Chocolate or Mini Chocolate Chips
Equipment
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Stand mixer
Instructions
Cannoli Cake
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Preheat oven to 350°F, and prepare a 9×13” cake pan with cooking spray and parchment. In a medium to large sized mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, then whisk together to combine.
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In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add eggs, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Beat on high for around 5 minutes, the mixture should look thick, fluffy, and be tripled in volume. Then, slowly drizzle in the oil. After all the oil has been added, beat for an additional minute.
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On low, add the dry mixture to the stand mixer in 3 additions, alternating with the ricotta in between. Beat only until the batter is completely combined and smooth. Add the chocolate to the batter, then fold it in using a rubber spatula.
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Add the batter to the prepared pan, then bake in the oven for around 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely before frosting.
Whipped Ricotta Frosting
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Add cream cheese to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high until fluffy looking, about 3 minutes.
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Add the ricotta, heavy cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla, to the stand mixer, then beat on high until the mixture looks thick and holds soft peaks, abut 4-5 minutes.
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Dollop Whipped Ricotta Frosting onto cooled cake and spread out with a spatula, then top with chopped pistachios and chocolate. Serve immediately, or keep cold and covered until serving.
Notes
Conclusion
This Cannoli Cake is more than just a dessert; it’s a celebration of classic Italian flavors presented in a convenient, crowd-pleasing format. With its incredibly moist, ricotta-infused cake, studded with chocolate, and topped with a light, creamy whipped ricotta frosting and crunchy pistachios, it truly delivers an authentic cannoli experience in every bite. Whether you’re an experienced baker or just starting, this recipe is designed to be accessible and rewarding, promising a delicious outcome that will impress family and friends alike. Don’t hesitate to dive into this delightful baking adventure and enjoy a slice of Italian tradition reimagined!