Growing up in Wisconsin, Sofia Auricchio, second-generation family owner of BelGioioso® Cheese, dreamed of traditional Italian cannoli, with their crispy shell delicately lined with dark chocolate and filled with fresh ricotta cream. Inspired by those flavors, she crafted this cake with a light and airy homemade vanilla batter. After baking, she sandwiches the layers with nostalgic ricotta-mascarpone cream and drapes the entire creation in a luscious dark chocolate ganache. For years, this cannoli cream cake has been a beloved centerpiece at birthday celebrations for her daughters, Anna and Nina. It beautifully marries the best of cake with the delightful flavors of Italian ricotta and mascarpone and chocolate, sure to please any crowd.
Sofia’s Birthday Ricotta Cannoli Cake
Makes 1 (9-inch) cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for coating pans
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs (200 grams), room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (120 grams) whole milk, room temperature
- Creamy Ricotta-Mascarpone Filling (recipe follows)
- Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Generously butter 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, about 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture in two additions alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating until just combined after each addition. Scrape sides of bowl, and fold in any ingredients that are not fully incorporated. Divide batter between prepared pans (about 2 cups or 492 grams each), and spread evenly with an offset spatula.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely in pans.
- Remove cooled cake layers from pans. Place 1 cake layer on a cake plate, and spread Creamy Ricotta-Mascarpone Filling on top. Place remaining cake layer on filling. Pour half of Chocolate Ganache on top of cake, and using an offset spatula, spread and push ganache over top of cake and onto sides of cake and filling. Add remaining ganache in sparse areas, and spread, smooth, and texture as desired. Serve immediately while ganache is shiny and slightly warm. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
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Creamy Ricotta-Mascarpone Filling
Makes about 3 cups
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) container (453 grams) cold BelGioioso® Ricotta con Latte® Cheese
- 1 (8-ounce) container (226 grams) cold BelGioioso® Mascarpone Cheese
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (57 grams) chopped dark chocolate
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) cognac (optional)
- 2 teaspoons (4 grams) orange zest
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat ricotta and mascarpone at medium-high speed until thick and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add sugar, and beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Fold in chocolate, cognac (if using), and orange zest. Use immediately.
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Chocolate Ganache
Makes about 1½ cups
Ingredients
- 6 ounces (172 grams) dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 ounces (57 grams) milk chocolate, finely chopped
- ½ cup (120 grams) heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- In a small heatproof bowl, place chocolates.
- In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium heat until steaming. (Do not boil.) Pour warm cream onto chocolates, and let stand for 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk until melted and smooth. Use immediately.
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Wondering about the 1/2 cup of room temperature whole milk. When does it go in?
Hi Bobbie,
Thank you for reaching out. You add the milk in step 3 of the recipe: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture in two additions alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating until just combined after each addition.
This looks so good! What a great combination of flavors!