Description
This Cannoli Poke Cake is a delightful twist on the classic Italian cannoli. With a moist cake base soaked in sweetened condensed milk, topped with a creamy ricotta-mascarpone frosting, and finished off with mini chocolate chips, it’s a decadent dessert that’s perfect for any occasion!
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Cake Base:
- 15.25 ounces white cake mix (Pillsbury brand recommended) (432g)
- 1 ¼ cup water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 4 egg whites
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk, divided (¾ cup for drizzling, ½ cup for frosting) (396g)
For the Frosting:
- 1 ½ cups Ricotta cheese (Great Value brand recommended)
- 1 ½ cups Mascarpone cheese (BelGioioso brand recommended)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (Nestle Toll House brand recommended)
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar (optional, for dusting)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick baking spray.
- In a medium-size mixing bowl (2-3 quarts), combine the dry cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and egg whites. Mix with a handheld mixer on medium speed until well combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Begin checking the cake at 18-20 minutes as oven times may vary.
- Once baked, use the back of a wooden spoon to poke holes in the cake about 1 inch apart.
- Immediately drizzle ¾ cup of the sweetened condensed milk into the holes and over the entire cake. Use a spoon or offset spatula to smooth the milk evenly. Chill uncovered in the refrigerator for 30 minutes until completely cooled.
- For the frosting, mix the ricotta cheese, mascarpone cheese, ½ cup sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, and optional ground cinnamon using a stand mixer or handheld mixer on medium-high speed until smooth (don’t overmix).
- Lower the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing just until incorporated.
- Once the cake is cooled, spread the frosting evenly over the top using a silicone or offset spatula.
- Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over the frosting. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Just before serving, dust with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar (optional). Cut the cake into 15 slices (3 x 5) and serve!
Notes
- Be careful not to overmix the frosting as it can cause the mascarpone to become watery.
- You can adjust the amount of mini chocolate chips based on preference.
- For an added touch, dust the top with extra cinnamon or cocoa powder for more flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approximately 1/15 of the cake)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 130mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 40mg