In this Italian pastry-inspired cake, a sweet ricotta cheese filling separates three luscious yellow cake layers. It’s topped with six delectable tiny cannoli and a mascarpone buttercream and luscious chocolate ganache duo.
Ingredients
Yellow butter cake
- 3 1/4 cups 425g all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 226g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups 400g granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
Ricotta filling and cannoli
- 32 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2/3 cup 3 oz. confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups 8 oz. mini semisweet chocolate chips, divided
- 6 ready-made mini cannoli shells
Mascarpone buttercream
- 3/4 cup 6 oz. unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 cups 365g confectioners’ sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 oz. mascarpone cheese softened
- 1/4 teaspoon fine grain salt
- Heavy cream if needed
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- 2 cups 12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup 240 ml heavy cream
- 1/2 cup 43g sliced almonds
Instructions
Yellow butter cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Set aside three 8-inch cake pans that have been coated with flour-based baking spray (or greased and floured).
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing basin. On medium speed, beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth and creamy. 3 to 5 minutes on medium-high, add the sugar and whisk until the butter is light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl clean.
- Add the vanilla and egg yolks one at a time, using the mixer on low speed. Scrape the bowl clean.
- While mixing on low speed, add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk; begin and end with flour. On medium speed, mix briefly until no flour streaks remain.
- Distribute the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake the cakes for 25-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow 10 minutes for the cakes to cool in their pans before removing them from the pans. Allow to cool on wire racks.
Ricotta filling and cannoli
- In a cheese cloth-lined strainer, place the ricotta cheese. Place the sieve in a big bowl and tie the loose ends of the cheesecloth together with kitchen twine. Refrigerate the bowl overnight after wrapping it in plastic wrap. The liquid (whey) in the bottom of the dish should be discarded the next day.
- Drain the ricotta and place it in a large mixing bowl. With a hand mixer, blend in the powdered sugar well. Combine the orange zest and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, fold in 1 cup of the tiny chips; set aside the remaining 1/2 cup of chips in a small dish.
- 1 cup ricotta ricotta ricotta ricotta ricotta ricotta ricotta ricotta ricotta ricotta ricotta ricotta ricotta ricott Fill the cannoli shells with the filling. Each end of the cannoli should be dipped into the tiny chip dish. Squeeze any remaining filling from the piping bag back into the bowl. Keep the filled cannoli refrigerated while you finish the remainder of the cake.
Mascarpone buttercream
- Beat the butter on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment until creamy. Add the powdered sugar a bit at a time until the mixture is thick. Combine the vanilla, mascarpone cheese, and salt in a mixing bowl. For about 30 seconds, beat at high speed until everything is properly blended. Don’t beat yourself up too much. If the mixture is too thick to spread, add a spoonful of heavy cream at a time. Refrigerate until it tightens up if it’s too loose.
- Place a cake layer on a cake board or serving plate to fill and frost. Half of the ricotta filling should be distributed equally on top. Cover with a second cake layer and equally spread the remaining ricotta filling. Place the third cake layer on top. Spread the mascarpone buttercream around the exterior of the cake. While you’re making the ganache, keep it refrigerated.
Chocolate ganache frosting
- Combine the semisweet chips and heavy cream in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the mixture on high for 1:00 to 1:30 seconds, or until the cream is warmed but not boiling. Allow 1 minute for the mixture to rest before whisking until a smooth, shining ganache is created. Refrigerate until the mixture is thick and buttercream-like in consistency. Fill a piping bag halfway with ganache and a 1/2-inch plain round piping tip.
- Decorate by piping chocolate ganache in an undulating pattern across the bottom half of the cake, giving a smooth rising and falling shape (almost like drawing the outline of a mountain range). More ganache should be used to fill in the outline, which should be smoothed out using a bench scraper or offset spatula. Apply sliced almonds to the ganache right away.
- Place the six filled cannoli on top of the cake in a circle radiating from the center, so that the edges of each cannoli contact at the top center (a cannoli flower!). Fill a piping bag with the remaining ganache and a big star tip. On top of the cake, pipe ganache swirls between the cannoli. On top of the piped ganache, scatter remaining sliced almonds and tiny chips. Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Slices can be served refrigerated or at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers by wrapping them in plastic wrap.
Note: The ricotta cheese for the filling needs to drain overnight before using, so plan ahead.
Source: Sprinkle Bakes
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