Cannoli cake takes everything you love about the classic Italian pastry and stacks it into a sliceable dessert. Layers of chocolate cake are filled with sweetened ricotta cream, then the whole thing is coated in mini chocolate chips. Crisp filled cannoli pile on top for a finish that turns heads.
What Makes This Cannoli Cake Special
- Creamy ricotta filling tucked between chocolate layers
- A jacket of mini chocolate chips around the whole cake
- Real filled cannoli stacked on top for the wow factor
- Familiar cannoli flavor in an easy slice and serve form
The filling does most of the heavy lifting, so you do not need fancy piping skills to pull this off. A little planning the night before is the real secret to a clean, set slice.
Drain the ricotta overnight; watery cheese is the one thing that can sink this cake.
Save this recipe
Enter your email and I’ll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Why You’ll Love This Cannoli Cake
- The ricotta filling is light and creamy with little bursts of chocolate in every bite.
- A chocolate chip coating means no smooth frosting skills required.
- This cannoli cake gives you that bakery pastry flavor in a shareable layered dessert.
Ingredient Notes
Think of this as a guide to what each part does, not precise amounts. You will find the exact measurements in the recipe card further down the page.
- Chocolate cake layers give the dessert structure and a rich base for the filling.
- Ricotta cheese is the heart of the filling, so drain it well overnight.
- Confectioners and granulated sugar sweeten the cream and keep it smooth.
- Heavy cream is whipped and folded in to lighten the ricotta.
- Mini chocolate morsels go in the filling and all over the outside.
- Mini cannoli shells get filled and piled on top for the signature look.
For equipment, set out a fine strainer and cheesecloth for draining, a stand or hand mixer, a piping bag for the cannoli, and a sturdy cake plate. A double boiler helps if you choose to dip the cannoli ends in chocolate.
How to Make Cannoli Cake
Building a cannoli cake is a calm, layer by layer process once the ricotta is drained. The chilling steps are not optional; they are what hold everything together.
- Drain the ricotta in cheesecloth under a weight overnight in the fridge.
- Optionally dip the cannoli ends in melted chocolate and let them set on parchment.
- Mix the drained ricotta with both sugars, then fold in cream whipped to stiff peaks and the chocolate morsels.
- Beat the buttercream from softened butter, confectioners sugar, vanilla, and cream until fluffy.
- Stack the split layers with about 1 cup of filling between each, then chill at least 2 hours.
- Frost the set cake, press mini chocolate chips all over, and pile filled cannoli on top.
This cake serves about 10, and you can spread the work across two days. Drain the ricotta and even dip the cannoli the night before, then assemble the next day and chill for 2 hours before frosting.
Storage Options
Because the filling is dairy based, this cannoli cake lives in the fridge. Keep the cannoli shells separate until the last minute so they stay crisp.
- Store the frosted cake covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Keep unfilled cannoli shells at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- For longer storage, freeze plain cake layers up to 1 month, then fill and assemble fresh.
Variations & Substitutions
The base recipe is forgiving, so feel free to play with the flavors. Change one element at a time so the filling stays the right texture.
- Use vanilla cake layers instead of chocolate for a lighter contrast with the cream.
- Stir a little orange zest into the ricotta for a bright, citrusy lift.
- Swap mini chocolate chips for chopped pistachios around the sides.
- Add a splash of vanilla or almond to the filling for extra depth.
What to Serve with Cannoli Cake
A slice of cannoli cake is rich on its own, so keep the sides simple and bright. Coffee or a sweet wine rounds out the plate nicely.
- Strong espresso or a cappuccino to cut the sweetness.
- Fresh berries or a citrusy dessert like this lemony limoncello soaked pound cake.
- A scoop of vanilla gelato on the side.
- Another loaf cake for a dessert table, such as this pineapple coconut and rum loaf.
Here are a few questions that tend to come up before you start baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my cannoli cake filling turn out runny?
Almost always it is the ricotta. Draining it overnight under a weight removes the excess water so the filling stays thick and holds its shape.
Can I use store-bought cake layers?
Yes. Boxed or bakery chocolate layers work fine; just split them in half so you have enough layers for the filling.
When should I fill the cannoli shells?
Fill them right before serving so they stay crisp. The cream softens the shells quickly once they are filled.
Do I have to dip the cannoli in chocolate?
No, it is optional. Dipping the ends adds a nice touch, but plain shells taste great too.
With the ricotta drained and the layers chilled, this dessert is far easier than it looks. Slice it tall, share it around, and watch it disappear.
The Best Cannoli Cake
Save this recipe
Enter your email and I’ll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 2 9 ” Chocolate cake layers split in half see note for a link to the recipe I used
- 36 Mini cannoli shells link to shells in post above
- 1 cup Chocolate morsels if you’d like to dip your cannoli ends
- 32 oz Ricotta cheese drained overnight (see notes)
- 1 cup Confectioners sugar
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- 6 oz Mini chocolate morsels
- 3 cups Confectioners sugar
- 1 cup softened butter
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp heavy cream
- 2 cups Mini chocolate morsels for coating exterior of cake
Instructions
- Prepare ricotta the night prior to assembling the cake. Place ricotta in a cheesecloth lined strainer and pull cheesecloth over ricotta to make a sack. Secure the ends and place a small plate overtop the sack and top with a heavy can. (I used a 28oz can of tomatoes) Place in fridge and allow the excess water to drain off overnight. This is a CRUCIAL step.
- If dunking cannoli shells in chocolate, heat morsels over medium heat in a double boiler until melted and smooth. Dunk cannoli ends in chocolate, shake excess off and place on parchment paper to harden. You can speed this up by placing the cannolis in the fridge.
- For the filling, mix together the drained ricotta and both sugars. Using a stand or hand mixer, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the cream into the cheese/sugar mixture. Gently mix in the chocolate morsels. Place in fridge while you make the buttercream frosting.
- For the buttercream, using a hand or stand mixer, beat the sugar and butter until smooth. Add vanilla extract and cream. Beat until fluffy. If too stiff, add a little more cream.
- For assembly:
- Place one halved cake layer on a cake plate. Smooth about one cup of filling overtop. Place another cake layer on top of filling and repeat until all layers are in place. Set aside remaining filling to use for mini cannolis.
- Scrape any filling that has oozed off the sides of the cake. Place in fridge for at least two hours.
- After it sets for two hours, frost the tops and sides of the cake. Press chocolate morsels around the exterior of the cake to coat.
- Using a piping bag, fill cannolis with leftover filling. Place filled cannolis on top of the cake in a large pile.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
First off, thank you for mentioning me. Second… you are amazing my friend. “But what I ended up with is a life that has forced me to rethink what beauty truly is. What matters the most.”… this is amazing. I love you sharing more of you here and love that you are embracing such an awesome mindset. This cake is truly a masterpiece… it is the BEST. Kinda like you!
Good morning Melanie. I saw this cake on Facebook and on MITM. All the pictures are gorgeous and the it truly is The Best Cannoli Cake! Wish I was having a slice right now! Enjoy the journey and watch out for those potholes!
This cake is absolutely stunning!
this looks magnificent. cannoli is one of my favorite desserts!
Oh my goodness…this cake is stunning! I wish I had this recipe a week ago! It was my son’s birthday and cannolis are his favorite dessert, he would have loved this. The cake I made him happened to flop…big time, so I totally agree with you about how baking can parallel life…so much! This was a lovely read. OK…so pinning this for the future…and for next year’s birthday!
When I saw this on Facebook yesterday, my mouth hung open in amazement. What a gorgeous cake to look at, both in its entirety, as well as a single piece. This would be such a treat to dig into!
I saw your making these on your facebook and I fell in love instantly!! We love cannolis and this cake is beyond amazing!
Wow that is an amazing cake & cannolies!
This cake is stunning and the post so beautifully written. I for one think you should share your cakes more often, if I saw this at a bakery it’d be the one I would point at for a slice!
I’m totally okay with bumps. Matter of fact, all my cakes are perfectly imperfect every single time LOL. Now I wanna make cannolis and cake. Lots and lots of this cake!
I’ve never seen a cannoli cake before but this is just stunning!
Oh. My. God. That cake is unreal!! All those layers and alllllll that cannoli cream! *swoon*
That cake is amazing. It looks pretty perfect to me! I definitely have to try this sometime!
Oh. My. Flippin’. Heck! Cannola are some of my favorite desserts. I don’t care what you say…this cake is sheer perfection! In fact, I could probably eat this cake everyday for the rest of my life. Well done, Melanie!
What a fun and whimsical cake. It looks like it could feed about 100 people, and I agree with you…it DOES looks like the best cannoli cake…ever!
Gorgeous cake and your photos are amazing
Oh god.. this cannoli cake is incredible! So decadent, fun and delicious – love it!
I have been dreaming about cannoli filling and making a cannoli cake! This looks magnificent!
And I love your idea of the “grab a button” on our blog….really smart!!
Just wanted to let you know that I tried your recipe for Easter and it was a HIT!!! The only change I made was that I used white cake as opposed to chocolate. Amazing taste and not too sweet. Thanks for posting this recipe!
This looks fabulous!! But I wonder if you use marscapone cheese (which most authentic cannoli recipes call for), can you skip the process required for the ricotta?
Hi! I’m wondering how long the filling keeps? Can I fill the cake the night before and keep in the fridge, or does the whipped cream in the filling destabilize?
Thank you, I have my ricotta draining right now.
Liz
It refrigerates great! After I made the cake, I popped it into the fridge for a few days and it was totally fine!
Great news! Thanks so much for replying.