Monday Munchies: Cannoli Cream Cake

I am the go-to girl for desserts in my family. Desserts are, by far, my favorite thing to make. I used to do fancy decorated cakes, but over the past few years (read, since opening Holden's Landing and subsequently not having hours to spend decorating a cake), I have taken to other types of desserts ... usually involving chocolate. Lots of dark chocolate.

So when Easter was looming this year, I wanted to try something different. We were I the grocery store last week and A saw a cannoli cream cake. I have heard the story about how he had been at a wedding years earlier where the cake had been filled with cannoli cream, and how it was the best cake EVER, so I figured i woudl give it a go.

This cake was more shortbread like in density and texture, which went well with the cannoli cream filling.

Ingredients for cake: (adapted from "The Cake Bible")

4 1/2 large egg white
1 cup milk
3/4 cup sour cream
2 1/4t vanilla
3 c flour
1T + 1t baking powder
3/4t salt
12T butter, softened

Directions:
1 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2 - Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Add butter and 3/4c milk, mixing until moistened set aside.
3 - Combine egg white, 1/4c milk, sour cream and vanilla in another bowl.
4 - Gradually add egg mixture to flour mixture, mixing well after each addition.
5 - Bake 25-35 minutes. I baked in 2 Rising Sun Earthworks square baking dishes, then cut the cakes in half for 4 layers.


For cannoli cream filling/icing:
16 ounces ricotta (I use part skim)
8 ounces marscapone
1/2 c powdered sugar
dash of cinnamon (to taste)

Directions:
Mix all ingredients except cinnamon in a mixing bowl on medium/medium high. Add cinnamon to taste.


Cake assembly:
Arrange bottom layer on cake plate; spread cannoli cream on top, leaving an empty border around the edges (so when you put the next layer on top the filling doesn't squeeze out the sides too much). Put on next layer and repeat. Repeat for all layers (mine has 4). use remaining cannoli cream to frost the top and sides of the cake; sprinkle top with more cinnamon.

Note: I was planning to coat the sides with either crushed cannoli shells or mini chocolate chips, but I didn't get around to it. I will next time!