Description
This Easy Cassata Cake is a delightful Italian-inspired dessert featuring a light, airy cake layered with a creamy ricotta and chocolate filling, sweetened with a fragrant honey simple syrup and finished with a dusting of powdered sugar. Perfectly balanced with hints of orange zest, this cake is elegant yet simple to make, ideal for gatherings or special occasions.
Ingredients
Cake
- Butter, for greasing
- 5 large eggs
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cup (150g) cake flour, sifted (plus more for coating the cake pan)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Honey Simple Syrup
- 1/4 cup (60ml) water
- 2 tablespoons (42g) honey
- 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
Filling
- 2 cups (500g) ricotta cheese
- 1 cup (113g) powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup (130g) chopped semi-sweet chocolate or chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
For Serving
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Get ready: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Liberally grease an 8-inch by 3-inch round cake pan or an 8-inch springform pan with butter. Add a spoonful of flour and shake to evenly coat the buttered surface. Turn the pan upside down over the sink to discard any excess flour. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Whip the eggs: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla bean paste, zest, and salt on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes pale, thick, and triples in volume. This should take about 15 minutes with a hand mixer or 10 minutes with a stand mixer.
- Fold in the flour: Carefully switch to a silicone spatula and gently fold in the sifted cake flour and baking powder just until there are no dry streaks. Work swiftly but gently to avoid deflating the airy eggs.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges to loosen the cake, then invert it onto the rack. Peel off parchment paper and let the cake cool completely.
- Make the honey simple syrup: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the water, honey, and granulated sugar. Heat until the sugar and honey dissolve fully and the mixture becomes a uniform syrup. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Make the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the ricotta cheese with powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Stir in the chopped semi-sweet chocolate and orange zest until evenly distributed.
- Sweeten the cake: Once completely cool, slice the cake horizontally in half using a bread knife. Use a pastry brush to generously brush the honey syrup onto the cut sides of both cake layers. Repeat until all syrup is applied.
- Layer the cake: Place the bottom cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread all of the ricotta and chocolate filling over this layer evenly with an offset spatula or spoon. Top with the second cake layer.
- Chill: Cover the assembled cake and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to set and allow flavors to meld.
- Serve: Before serving, dust the top with powdered sugar. Slice into 12 pieces and enjoy this creamy, luscious Italian cassata cake.
Notes
- Use high-quality whole-milk ricotta cheese for the creamiest filling. Drain any excess liquid before using.
- The zest can be switched between lemon or orange based on your preference for a slightly different flavor profile.
- Be gentle when folding the flour into the whipped eggs to retain the airiness for a light cake texture.
- The honey syrup keeps the cake moist and adds a subtle sweetness; don’t skip this step.
- Allowing the cake to chill overnight helps the flavors to develop and improves slicing.
