Cannoli Cream Cake

Cakes have a special place in my heart.  Growing up, we'd only have cake on two occasions.  It was either some festive event or when we were at my grandparent's house.  My grandma always served dessert after meals because my grandpa likes to end the meal with something sweet.  It wasn't always cake.  Sometimes it was cookies or sweet rolls left over from one of their senior meetings.  The cakes were always my favorite, though.  My grandma will always be one of the best bakers I know.  Anytime I would bring a batch of her cookies somewhere at least one person would ask for the recipe.

I learned how to bake in her kitchen.  She taught me the importance of having all of your ingredients ready and keeping your work station tidy.  I admittedly don't do the latter as well as she does, but from working under her direction I always (ALWAYS) let my dirty dishes soak before tackling them.  There's some grandma wisdom for you there.  Always (ALWAYS) let them soak.

We celebrated my birthday on Sunday.  My actual birthday isn't until June 26, but we gather all the family for Father's Day and throw in my birthday as an added bonus.  I used to have my grandma make my cake, but as I've grown older I've commandeered the baking.  This means that I spend an inordinate amount of time looking through all the food blogs for cakes while trying to keep track of all the various food allergies in my family.  This year I decided on a cannoli cake.  With a predominately Italian family, it was a wise choice.

Despite having to go to three different stores for the mascarpone cheese and accidentally using pie pans, it turned out pretty well.  There's not a single piece left, so I think my family would agree.

Cannoli Cream Cake

Cake Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
2-3/4 cups flour
2-1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 tbs vanilla extract


Filling Ingredients:
1 carton (16 oz) ricotta cheese
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp rum extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips


Frosting Ingredients:
2 cartons (8 oz each) Mascarpone cheese
1-1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted (depends on the thickness of frosting)
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup mini chocolate chips


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.  In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy.  Beat in the sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides.  Stir in the extract.


Alternate the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Beat until incorporated.  Pour the batter evenly between three prepared cake pans.  Bake 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool completely on a wire wrack.


For the filling, combine all ingredients in a mixer, except for the chocolate chips, and mix until combined.  Spoon 1/3 cup of the filling onto the first layer of the cake.  

                            

Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Repeat on the next layer, spreading the filling and sprinkling with the chocolate chips.  On the top layer, spread the filling but leave a one inch border around the edge of the cake.

For the frosting, combine all ingredients in a mixer, except for the chocolate chips, and mix until combined.  Frost the sides of the cake and the remaining one inch border on the top of the cake.  When finished, press chocolate chips to the sides of the cake and the one inch border.  It works on the sides best to sprinkle them from the top, using the palm of your hands to press them gently into the cake.  Leave the extra sprinkles at the bottom for decoration.

Source:  Cake and Filling/Frosting