Pistachio Cannoli Cake

Sink your fork into the sumptuous melt-in-your-mouth texture of Pistachio Cannoli Cake with a creamy ricotta filling and orange-kissed mascarpone frosting. This decadent cake dressed in crunchy pistachios and sweet chocolate chips will demand center stage of any occasion. It will be love at first bite!

Just like Italian rainbow cookies are a decidedly Italian-American creation, so is this impossibly moist Italian cannoli cake. Combining layers of cinnamon spiced white cake with a ricotta cannoli filling and sweet and citrusy mascarpone frosting recipe, this confection gives you all the flavor you love of a classic cannoli in an elegant cake. 

Jump to:

• Why You’ll Love This Gluten Free Cannoli Cake
• What is Pistachio Cannoli Cake?
• Ingredients for Pistachio Cannoli Cake
• Instruction on how to make Cannoli Cake with chocolate chips
• Tools for the cannoli cake
• Variations of this Pistachio cannoli cake
• Storage for this pistachio cake
• Top Tips for this gluten free cannoli cake
• FAQ
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Why You’ll Love This Gluten Free Cannoli Cake

• Balance of Flavors - This gluten-free cannoli cake recipe is a celebration of sugar, spice, and everything nice. It hits all of the notes. Sweet, but not too sweet with its citrus accents. Warm, but with the slight tang of rich ricotta. And let’s not forget the little studs of chocolate chips in both the ricotta cannoli filling and also chocolate chips that envelope the cake. It truly has something for everyone. 
• Texture - This ricotta cannoli cake is so tender and moist that no one will know it’s completely gluten-free. 
• Make Ahead - If you’re looking for a stunning dessert to mark a special occasion, this is it. It can be baked several days in advance and then assembled and frosted the day before or day of. You can even freeze the individual layers of the cake if desired.

What is Pistachio Cannoli Cake?

Cannoli cake is an Italian-American creation that combines the flavors of a traditional Italian cannoli into a layered cake. The cake itself is usually cinnamon or citrus flavored, or a combination of the two such as this one. A ricotta filling echoes the flavors and texture of a cannoli filling while mascarpone frosting gives a nod to the other ingredient often found in cannolis. 

Ingredients for Pistachio Cannoli Cake

Cake

• Gluten-Free Flour - Use a high-quality gluten-free 1 to 1 baking flour such as Bob’s Red Mill for the best flavor and texture. This makes it easy to measure without having to add any additional ingredients. 
• Corn Starch - Adding cornstarch to gluten-free baked goods ensures they have a tender and moist texture. A little goes a long way. 
• Baking Soda/Baking Powder
• Salt
• Eggs
• Vanilla Extract
• Orange Extract - OliveNation orange extract is made from pure citrus oil. It adds a pure citrus taste and aroma. 
• Cinnamon
• Vegetable Oil
• Butter - In addition to adding moisture to this gluten-free ricotta cannoli cake, it also adds richness. 
• Milk - This combined with the vinegar creates buttermilk. In addition to making it a little tangy, it also keeps it incredibly tender. 
• Apple Cider Vinegar 

Cannoli Cream and Mascarpone Frosting

• Ricotta - Straining the ricotta overnight will ensure that it stays thick and creamy. 
• Powdered Sugar - In addition to adding just the right amount of sweetness to both the cannoli filling and mascarpone frosting, it also easily dissolves without being grainy. 
• Vanilla Extract
• Heavy Cream - This gives both the orange mascarpone frosting and the cannoli cream their silky and creamy textures. 
• Chocolate Chips - OliveNation’s chocolate chips add that trademark hint of chocolate to the cannoli cream. In addition, they’re also used to decorate the sides of the cake. 
• Butter - Butter makes everything better including the rich and creamy orange mascarpone frosting for this Italian cannoli cake. 
• Orange Extract - OliveNation’s orange extract adds just the right amount of citrus flavor to the mascarpone frosting. 
• Crushed Pistachios - This gluten-free cannoli cake recipe is all about texture. Use crushed pistachios to crown the top of the cake, giving you a little crunch in every bite. 

Instruction on how to make Cannoli Cake with chocolate chips

Cake

• Begin by preheating your oven to 350 ℉. Lightly grease two 8” cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper. 
• Next, stir together the milk and apple cider vinegar and set the mixture aside. 
• After that add the butter and half the sugar to a bowl fit with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high for two minutes.
• Then add the remaining sugar and oil. Mix on medium-high until combined.
• Add the eggs one at a time and mix. 
• Next, add both extracts and the cinnamon and mix until just combined.
• Add the dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine then.
• Next, add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
• After that add the milk and vinegar mixture and mix to combine.
• Finally, add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined, being careful not to over-mix.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.
• Allow the cakes to bake for 37-42 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.

Cannoli cream filling

• First, let’s make the cannoli cream filling. Place the heavy cream in a mixing bowl with the mixer fit with a whisk attachment. Beat it on medium-high for 2-3 minutes until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl use a rubber spatula to mix together the strained ricotta, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Gently fold in the whipped cream and chocolate chips.
• Next, make the mascarpone frosting. Add the mascarpone to a mixing bowl with the mixer fit with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes. Then add both extracts and ⅓ of the powdered sugar. Mix on low until just combined and then on high speed. Add three tablespoons of the heavy cream and the remaining powdered sugar and mix on high. If it’s not your desired consistency add the remaining tablespoon of cream and mix on medium speed for about 90 seconds.

How to assemble the cake

• Place a cooled cake on a cake stand or plate. Pipe a ring of frosting around the cake to make a border for the cannoli cream. 
• Spread the cannoli cream over the top of the cake, careful not to overfill so it spills out.
• Stack the second cake on top.
• Spread the remaining frosting over the sides and top of the cake.
• Place chocolate chips all around the sides of the cake.
• Sprinkle crushed pistachios over the top of the cake.

Tools for the cannoli cake

• Mixing bowl/mixer
• Paddle attachment
• Whisk attachment
• Measuring cups/spoons
• 2 8” cake pans
• Parchment paper
• Piping bag
• Rubber spatula
• Offset spatula

Variations of this Pistachio cannoli cake

• Instead of adding chocolate chips to the cannoli cream, add crushed pistachios.
• If there is a nut allergy use all chocolate chips in place of the pistachios. 
• Double up on the citrus flavor and add finely diced candied citrus to the cannoli cream filling.

Storage for this pistachio cake

• Because this cake has a dairy-based frosting and filling you’ll want to keep it stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator unless it’s being served. It will last up to five days.
• In addition, you can also freeze the unfrosted cakes. Allow them to cool completely and then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped cakes in freezer-safe bags. They will last for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to defrost them, place them in the refrigerator and allow them to gently defrost overnight in the refrigerator.

Top Tips for this gluten free cannoli cake

• Always make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before making your cake batter. This includes the eggs and butter.
• Make sure your ricotta is well drained before making the cannoli cream filling. This will prevent it from becoming soggy. The best way to do this is to place it in either a cheese cloth inside a strainer fit into a bowl, or in a fine mesh strainer set into a bowl. Allow it to refrigerate overnight.
• Lining your cake pans with parchment paper not only makes it easier to remove the cakes from the pans but also helps create a tender, moist crust.

FAQ

Is pistachio cannoli cake dairy-free?

No, this cake contains mascarpone cheese and ricotta in it.

Can pistachio cannoli cake be made dairy-free?

Yes, you can substitute the butter, heavy cream, milk, and ricotta with plant-based varieties and have a delicious vegan cannoli cake. Because there isn’t a good substitute for the mascarpone, use dairy-free cream cheese instead. You may need to add a little additional sugar and also heavy cream to adjust for flavor and texture.

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📖 Recipe