Tender sponge cake layers are brushed with a chocolate liqueur syrup and then spread with a luscious cannoli frosting, perfectly creamy and fluffy.
Cannoli cake is a take on the beloved Italian cannoli pastry. I personally think it's even better in cake form. The fluffy, tender sponge cake layers are infused with a chocolate liqueur syrup and the frosting inside the cake is made with the trifecta of Italian cheeses - cream cheese, mascarpone, and ricotta. Doesn't that sound heavenly? Smooth and creamy, this filling is so luscious and isn't too sweet.
From all the cakes that our family makes, this is definitely in the top 5. And between all my sisters, mom and myself, there's a lot of cake baking happening. Elina was the first one who started making this cake and it has become our go-to for many parties, special events and just when we crave some good cake.
After making this cake for almost ten years, I've been adjusting the recipe until I got it "just right". I use the base sponge cake for many of the cakes that I make and the cannoli cream is great to use not only in cakes but also for pastries and cupcakes too.
Instructions:
Sponge Cake Layers:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the bottom of 2 round (9 inch) cake pans with parchment paper.
Separate the eggs, putting the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another.
Beat the whites using a whisk attachment on a standing mixer or a hand held mixer until foamy. Gradually pour in half of the sugar. Mix the whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
In the other bowl with the yolks, add the remaining sugar and use the same whisk attachment to beat the yolks until they are pale and fluffy.
Combine the milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a bowl or cup. Set aside.
Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the egg yolks, being careful not to deflate the batter as much as possible. 
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt over the folded eggs and gently fold in the batter.
When there are still some remaining streaks of flour, pour in the milk and butter mixture into the batter by the side of the bowl.
Continue gently folding until evenly distributed.
Divide the batter in half, pouring into the prepared cake pans.
Bake in the preheated oven until they are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. 
Cool on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate liqueur syrup, the cannoli filling, and the frosting.
Chocolate Liqueur Syrup:
Make a simple sugar by heating the sugar and water in a small pot until sugar dissolves and add the chocolate liqueur. Set aside to cool.
Filling and Frosting:
In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, cream the cream cheese and powdered sugar. 
Add the mascarpone cheese and vanilla. You can just fold in the mascarpone cheese with a rubber spatula, since it's soft enough or mix with the mixer just until combined, about 30 seconds. 
Pour in the cold heavy cream and starting mixing the mixture on low speed, gradually increasing to high speed. 
Mix until the heavy cream is incorporated into the frosting, becomes thick and fluffy.
Set aside half of the mixture in a medium bowl. This will be the frosting. Set aside.
Add the ricotta cheese to the second part. This is the cannoli filling. Set aside as well.
Assembling the Cake:
Cut each cake in half horizontally.
Using a serrated knife, make a small cut all around the outside of the cake. This will keep your knife on the same level as you are cutting across. Continue cutting deeper into the cake until you have cut all the way through.
Another trick I use when decorating cakes is to line the serving plate all around the edge with aluminum foil so that the edge of the cake is overlapping the aluminum foil by about ½ inch. This will catch all the drips and crumbs, leaving your serving plate neat and clean. When you're done decorating just carefully pull the aluminum foil out.
Using a pastry brush, brush the top and bottom of each layer with the chocolate liqueur syrup.
Spread ⅓ of the Cannoli filling over the cake layer.
Repeat with the rest of the cake layers, brushing the chocolate liqueur syrup over both sides of the cake layer and spreading the cannoli filling over the other two cake layers. You can sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the filling. I only sprinkled chocolate chips over the middle layer, leaving them out of the first and third layers, but it's completely up to you.
Use the frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.
Cover the sides of the cake with cake crumbs, any nuts that you like or chocolate chips. I used some leftover scraps from another cake that I was making, putting the cake scraps into a food processor to get fine crumbs. Cup a handful of crumbs or nuts in your palm with one hand and holding the cake with the other hand, slightly turn it, press the crumbs/nuts all around the sides of the cake.
I piped some buttercream frosting around the top of the cake and sprinkled the decorative dollops with mini chocolate chips. Adding some mini cannolis to the top of the cake gives everyone a hint of what kind of cake this is. For best results, refrigerate the cake for 2-4 hours so that the cake has time to meld together and the filling and frosting soak into the cake. I prefer to do this overnight. Store the cake in the refrigerator, but let it come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving it, so that the cannoli filling softens and becomes so velvety and smooth.
Cannoli Cake
Tender sponge cake layers are brushed with a chocolate liqueur syrup and then spread with a luscious cannoli frosting, perfectly creamy and fluffy.
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 2 hours 25 mins
- Yield: 1 (9 inch) round cake 1x
- Category: Sweets
Ingredients
Sponge Cake Layers: (makes 2 (9 inch) sponge cake layers)
- 8 eggs, separated, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- ½ cup milk and melted butter, total (¼ cup each)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Syrup:
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup chocolate liqueur
Filling and Frosting:
- 2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (or to taste)
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese
- 1 ¼ cups ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup heavy cream, chilled
- Mini chocolate chips, for decorating
Instructions
Sponge Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the bottom of 2 round (9 inch round) cake pans with parchment paper.
- Separate the eggs, putting the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another.
- Beat the whites using a whisk attachment on a standing mixer or a hand-held mixer until foamy. Gradually pour in half of the sugar. Mix the whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In the other bowl with the yolks, add the remaining sugar and use the same whisk attachment to beat the yolks until they are pale and fluffy.
- Combine the milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a bowl or cup. Set aside.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the egg yolks, being careful not to deflate the batter as much as possible.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt over the folded eggs and gently fold in the batter.
- When there are still some remaining streaks of flour, pour in the milk and butter mixture into the batter by the side of the bowl.
- Continue gently folding until evenly distributed.
- Divide the batter in half, pouring into the prepared cake pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven until they are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 20-25 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack.
- Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate liqueur syrup, the cannoli filling, and the frosting.
Chocolate Liqueur Syrup:
- Make a simple sugar by heating the sugar and water in a small pot until sugar dissolves and add the chocolate liqueur. Set aside to cool.
Filling and Frosting:
- In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, cream the cream cheese and powdered sugar.
- Add the mascarpone cheese and vanilla. You can just fold in the mascarpone cheese with a rubber spatula, since it's soft enough or mix with the mixer just until combined, about 30 seconds.
- Pour in the cold heavy cream and starting mixing the mixture on low speed, gradually increasing to high speed.
- Mix until the heavy cream is incorporated into the frosting, becomes thick and fluffy.
- Set aside half of the mixture in a medium bowl. This will be the frosting. Set aside.
- Add the ricotta cheese to the second part. This is the cannoli filling. Set aside as well.
Assembling the Cake:
- Cut each cake in half horizontally.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the top and bottom of each layer with the chocolate liqueur syrup.
- Spread ⅓ of the Cannoli filling over the cake layer.
- Repeat with the rest of the cake layers, brushing the chocolate liqueur syrup over both sides of the cake layer and spreading the cannoli filling over the other two cake layers. You can sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the filling. I only sprinkled chocolate chips over the middle layer, leaving them out of the first and third layers, but it's completely up to you.
- Use the frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.
- Cover the sides of the cake with cake crumbs, any nuts that you like or chocolate chips. I used some leftover scraps from another cake that I was making, putting the cake scraps into a food processor to get fine crumbs. Cup a handful of crumbs or nuts in your palm with one hand and holding the cake with the other hand, slightly turn it, press the crumbs/nuts all around the sides of the cake.
- I piped some buttercream frosting around the top of the cake and sprinkled the decorative dollops with mini chocolate chips. Adding some mini cannolis to the top of the cake gives everyone a hint of what kind of cake this is.
- For best results, refrigerate the cake for 2-4 hours so that the cake has time to meld together and the filling and frosting soak into the cake. I prefer to do this overnight.
- Store the cake in the refrigerator, but let it come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving it, so that the cannoli filling softens and becomes so velvety and smooth.
What does it mean your comment is awaiting moderation? I posted a question and don't know if it went through?
I am going to make your recipe for cannoli cake for Christmas. I have been baking for many years. May I ask do you have to wipe each layer with the chocolate liqueur mixture? Would there be a big difference in the taste of the cake if it is not done? The liqueur is expensive for the amount needed. If it is definitely needed can I replace the 1/4 cup of the liqueur with coffee? What is the purpose of doing this? I would do it lightly but hate a soggy cake since the layers are so thin. Thank you so much.
I am about to make your cannoli cake for the first time for Christmas. I have been baking for many years. May I ask do you have to wipe each layer with the chocolate liqueur mixture? Would there be a big difference in the taste of the cake if it is not done? The liqueur is expensive for the amount needed. If it is definitely needed can I replace the 1/4 cup of liqueur with coffee?
Thank you for this recipe. I made it for my mom's birthday and we all really enjoyed it.
http://whatthedogate.blogspot.com/2015/03/cannoli-cake.html
I'm so happy to hear that, Donna. Thanks for taking the time to write and let me know.
I have been making my families Cannoli cream recipe since I was 15 years old. I was asked by a friend to make a cannoli cake for here sons going away party, for 75 people. 75 people!! Okay, so I read through this recipe and I knew immediately that it was a perfect recipe. Because I had to make such a large cake and the thought of multiplying the cake recipe 4 time was more than I could physically handle, I cut corners and used French vanilla cake mixes and followed the recipe to the letter. It was totally delish!!! I made it 12 hours ahead so all the flavors had time to meld. Note: the cream cheese icing would also be perfect on a fancy carrot cake since it can be piped. Love this! Thanks Olga!!!
Wow! 75 people is a lot. Good for you, Camille! I'm so glad to hear that this recipe worked out for you.
Made this cake and was disappointed it wasn't bad just in other words I had a high expectation. pouring the butter with milk at the end seemed like that ruined my cake texture ( even though I did just as it sated) and probably that's why my sponge was nothing like sponge was more like a big fat pancake had to re do it and used momsdish.com recipie of the sponge cake and that was super easy without dividing egg yokes and whites. The cream was good but it seemed like it was not enough of it for the cake I think if I were to ever make it I would make more cream ( if you have leftovers you won't feel guilty eating it;))
I'm sorry to hear that it didn't work out for you, Mila.
DON'T use this frosting with fondant. I attempted to use it on a wedding cake thinking it was thick enough. When the frosting gets warm whatsoever it turns to a pudding type of consistency and basicly melts fondant. Don't say you weren't warned...
Looks delicious. But why do you need to brush the top and bottom of each layer with the syrup? Can't wait to try it!
Brushing the cake with syrup will make it really tender and moist, as well as give it lots more flavor, Brandi. The liqueur that I usually use in syrups gives extra flavor to the cake.
OK... Crazy!
My Nona used to make a Cannoli cake when I was a kid. She never gave anyone her :secret" recipe. It was amazing.
I have tried several cakes and it wasn't quite right no matter how many different recipes I tried. I made this one yesterday. It took a lot of pre-planning as i wanted to get all my ingredients ready before I started. I followed the recipe step by step trying my best to not stray and add any of my own touches (as I, and many do when they download recipes online). It turned out to PERFECTION. I was amazed that it was the closest to my grandmother's cake. My mom and aunt actually got tears in their eyes when they tasted it. "Where did you get this? It is just like nona's!" I told them "it's a secret". Thank you for sharing this recipe and for making it easier than I thought to bring back my childhood memories. This recipe is a keeper. THANK YOU!!! (for the cake AND the diabetes) 🙂
Thank you so much, Alex! I am so glad to hear that you and your family really enjoyed this cake. I really love Cannoli cream and this cake is a favorite in our family.
Hi Olga,
A nurse by night, a wife, mother and homemaker by day?!! Please tell me - how on earth do u do that and yet still look so beautiful and well rested?! Not fair!
Your cake, btw, looks fantastic! I wanted to make this for my husband and my birthday's, since they're only a day apart (July 21 & 22). I do have one question, though. I've used waxed paper squares to put under the cake when frosting, then pull them away after but whenever I do that, the bottom part of the frosted cake pulls away and sticks to the paper. Then I have to go back and refrost the bottom. I usually end up getting frosting all over the plate anyway, which obviously defeats the purpose. Does that happen to you and is there anyway to correct the problem? Thanks.
Thanks, Marta! The way I look so well rested is by not taking pictures when I'm exhausted, LOL. Trust me, there are plenty of days when I am exhausted and look terrible:).
When I use wax paper for frosting a cake, it gets a little bit soft and that is why when I pull it away after frosting a cake, it leaves frosting behind. Using aluminum foil, and preferably heavy duty aluminum foil helps a lot.
Can you put chocolate chips in the filling?
You certainly can, Summer.
I want to use your cannoli filling for a graduation cake I'm making. I will be decorating the cake with fondant cap and diploma etc... I'm wondering if the whole cake has to be refrigerated once I add the cannoli filling in between the layers? It's a sheet cake and not sure I'll have room for it in my refrigerator.
I would recommend refrigerating the cake, although if you serve it soon after assembling it, you don't have to refrigerate. I think the texture will be better if it's cold too, Kim.
This recipe tastes nothing like cannoli cake or filling. I followed your recipe to the letter. The only thing that tasted somewhat like the original is the cake. I am not saying it does not taste okay it is just not cannoli cream.
I'm sorry you were not pleased with the cake. Taste is a matter of preference.
Cannoli cream is supposed to taste like THIS. Not the cannoli cream that is popular in the USA. This is as close to "Italian cannoli cream" as you are going to get. Not too sweet with a ricotta bite. Yes... "taste is a matter of preference"
The cake you made looks amazing! I was browsing to make a cake that didn't have buttercream icing and was somewhat different, when I happened upon your site! The cake is for my mom for her birthday, and she isn't a big fan of buttercream, so this Is perfect!
I'm currently in the process of making this cake now, and I added some of the mini chocolate chips to the filling. I had a question.. What do you think of adding chocolate ganache (just the glazed kind) to the top of the cake over frosting?
Hi Christina! I'm glad you chose to make this recipe. Thanks for visiting my blog:). I'm sorry I couldn't answer your question earlier, but I hope it turned out well. I'm sure a chocolate ganache would have been just fine for this cake.
Do you think this sponge cake will work if i make this into a cake roll instead of a layered cake? Or will it break when i try to roll the cake?
This recipe will certainly work for a cake roll, however, I've never used this specific recipe, so I don't know what size baking sheet you would have to use, you'll have to experiment, Olya.
I have several cake roll recipes that you can try, that I have specific measurements for. Check them out - Hazelnut Cake Roll; Cranberry Raspberry Cake Roll.
I'll just pour, "na oko", into my usual big rectangle pan that I use for cake rolls :). Looks like this one can even make 2 rolls, but I'll see. I just wasn't sure if the batter will be roll-able enough, without breaking, once baked... I've been in love with cake rolls for some reason. Think this would be a perfect cake roll with chopped pistachios! I'll let you know how it works out 🙂
Enjoy!
So I did it into one big roll instead of a regular cake. I also used chopped pistachios & chocolate chips for inside & on the outside of the roll instead of almonds. It turned out really really yummy & elegant looking! All my guests raved about it! This is my new favorite cake recipe!
I do have to say that I barely tasted the choc liquor. It was a little too diluted for my taste. Maybe your liquor is stronger, but next time I plan to just sprinkle my chocolate liquor straight up. It's pretty sweet.
That sounds delicious, Olya. I love your variation:).
Oh, & one more thing. Doing the whole sugar water with the liquor, is that just to dilute it? Just sprinkling straight up chocolate liquor on the cake should work too right? to save time...
In my opinion, it is too strong if you don't dilute it. Even diluted, you can really taste the liqueur.