Sicilian Cassata Cake

I am very proud of my Sicilian heritage, and I can’t believe I have never been there. My dad was born in Sicily and came to the states as a teenager and hasn’t been back since then. Until now!

The Chopping Block has partnered with Onward Travel, who has cultivated a wonderful tour rich with history, scenery, wine, and of course, food with cooking classes, a visit to a pistachio farm and lots of gelato stops. I am so excited to go on this trip with my husband and my father and learn more about our roots. What is even more exciting is that this tour sold old in just a few days! But don’t fret, we still have spots in our Cook like a Tuscan tour which is equally fantastic.

Sicily has a very diverse food history with influences from Greek, Roman, Arab, Spanish and African people who have traveled through or conquered the area throughout the centuries. They brought ingredients and developed a fantastic food culture that differs from what most people know about Italian cooking.

Most Sicilians (including myself) have a major sweet tooth! The most popular and recognizable of all the Sicilian pastries would be the cannoli. But there is a traditional cake usually reserved for celebrations or Catholic holidays called Cassata cake. This very ornate cake is extremely sweet and uses a filling very similar to cannoli. Even for me, a small slice with some bitter Italian espresso is the perfect pairing size!

I have not made this cake since culinary school, so I went down a rabbit hole of research, reviewing recipes from all over and putting my own little spin on them. This cake can be as “much” or as “low maintenance” as you want. The biggest corner that I cut when recreating this recipe was that I did not use candied citrus fruits. Usually, the cake is decoratively adorned with bright vibrate candied fruits and royal icing is used to elegantly pipe swirls and ribbons around top and sides. There is even a more simplified recipe out there that omits the marzipan and icing altogether without sacrificing the taste and flavors.

Sicilian Cassata Cake

For the Marzipan:

1 1/2 cups very finely ground blanched almond flour

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 teaspoons quality pure almond extract

1 teaspoon quality food grade rose water

1 egg white OR 3 tablespoons water

2-3 drops green food coloring, optional

1. Place the almond flour and powdered sugar in a food processor and pulse until combined and any lumps are broken up.

2. Add the almond extract and rose water and pulse to combine.

3. Add the egg white or water/liquid sweetener and process until a thick dough is formed. If the mass is still too wet and sticky, add some more almond flour. If it's too firm and you need it to be more malleable, just add a tiny bit of water. Add a few drops of green food coloring if desired.

4. Turn the marzipan out onto a work surface and knead it a few times. Form it into a ball, wrap it up in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

For the cake: 

Butter, for greasing

5 large eggs

3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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

For the syrup:

1/2 cup amaretto

1/4 cup honey

For the filling:

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon orange zest

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup mini chocolate chips

For the icing:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3-5 Tablespoons of water

For the decorations:

Candied fruit

Maraschino cherries

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Liberally grease an 8-inch by 3-inch round cake pan then add a spoonful of flour and shake to distribute across the butter. Turn the pan over your sink to discard any excess flour, then line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla, zest, and salt on medium-high speed until the mixture turns pale and thick and triples in volume, about 15 minutes in a hand mixer or 10 minutes in a stand mixer.

3. Switch to a silicone spatula and gently fold in the flour and baking powder just until no dry streaks of flour remain. Work swiftly but carefully to avoid deflating the beaten eggs.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

5. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the cake, then turn it out onto a rack, peel off the parchment paper, and allow to cool completely.

6. While the cake cools, make the Amaretto honey syrup. In a small bowl whisk together the amaretto and honey, until dissolved into a uniform syrup.

7. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta, mascarpone, powdered sugar, and extracts until smooth and creamy. Add the chocolate and orange zest and stir to distribute.

8. Once the cake has cooled completely, use a bread knife to slice the cake in half horizontally.

9. For the icing mix together the water and the powdered sugar. It should be a smooth glue-like consistency, if it is too thick add a splash of water if it is too thin add a teaspoon of powdered sugar until the desired texture is achieved.

To assemble:

1. Line a pie dish or a shallow bowl with plastic wrap to make it easier to invert the cake and remove from the pan.

2. Roll the marzipan into a log long enough to go around the outside circumference of your dish. Flatten or roll out the log no more than an 1/8th of an inch thick and wide enough to cover the inside of the pie pan (roughly 2 inches).

3. Place the marzipan inside the pie pan. Take the top half of the cake and put it into the pie dish with the cut side facing up. Liberally apply half of the amaretto honey syrup with a pastry brush.

4. Once coated in syrup, take the filling and spread it all over the cake.

5. Liberally apply the rest of the amaretto syrup to the other half of the cake and place it on top of the filling. Slightly press down to make sure it is snug.

6. Refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours. Once completely chilled, invert the cake onto a serving dish to decorate.

7. Mix the icing ingredients together and pour over the top of the cake being careful not to go over the marzipan edge.

8. Decorate ornately with candied fruit, maraschino cherries or even pipe more icing designs onto the top.

I had a lot of fun making this cake and now have an even greater appreciation for the professional bakers that make this on a regular basis! If you want to learn a little more about Sicilian food we have a Savoring Sicily hands on cooking class coming up in March. That calendar will be released this week, so stay tuned!

If you want the last two spots in our Cook Like a Tuscan tour, snag them now as they won't last long!

Yield: 8-inch cake

Author: Lisa Counts

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Cassata Cake

Prep time: 45 MinCook time: 20 MinInactive time: 8 HourTotal time: 9 H & 5 M

Ingredients

For the marzipan

• 1 1/2 cups very finely ground blanched almond flour
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 teaspoons quality pure almond extract
• 1 teaspoon quality food grade rose water
• 1 egg white OR 3 tablespoons water
• 2-3 drops green food coloring, optional

For the cake

• Butter, for greasing
• 5 large eggs
• 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 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

For the syrup

• 1/2 cup amaretto
• 1/4 cup honey

For the filling

• 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

For the icing

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3-5 Tablespoons of water

For decoration:

• Candied fruit
• Maraschino cherries

Instructions

For the marzipan

1. Place the almond flour and powdered sugar in a food processor and pulse until combined and any lumps are broken up.
2. Add the almond extract and rose water and pulse to combine.
3. Add the egg white or water/liquid sweetener and process until a thick dough is formed. If the mass is still too wet and sticky, add some more almond flour. If it's too firm and you need it to be more malleable, just add a tiny bit of water. Add a few drops of green food coloring if desired.
4. Turn the marzipan out onto a work surface and knead it a few times. Form it into a ball, wrap it up in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

For the cake, filling, syrup and icing

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Liberally grease an 8-inch by 3-inch round cake pan then add a spoonful of flour and shake to distribute across the butter. Turn the pan over your sink to discard any excess flour, then line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla, zest, and salt on medium-high speed until the mixture turns pale and thick and triples in volume, about 15 minutes in a hand mixer or 10 minutes in a stand mixer.
3. Switch to a silicone spatula and gently fold in the flour and baking powder just until no dry streaks of flour remain. Work swiftly but carefully to avoid deflating the beaten eggs.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
5. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the cake, then turn it out onto a rack, peel off the parchment paper, and allow to cool completely.
6. While the cake cools, make the Amaretto honey syrup. In a small bowl whisk together the amaretto and honey, until dissolved into a uniform syrup.
7. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta, mascarpone, powdered sugar, and extracts until smooth and creamy. Add the chocolate and orange zest and stir to distribute.
8. Once the cake has cooled completely, use a bread knife to slice the cake in half horizontally.
9. For the icing, mix together the water and the powdered sugar. It should be a smooth glue-like consistency, if it is too thick add a splash of water if it is too thin add a teaspoon of powdered sugar until the desired texture is achieved.

To assemble

1. Line a pie dish or a shallow bowl with plastic wrap to make it easier to invert the cake and remove from the pan.
2. Roll the marzipan into a log long enough to go around the outside circumference of your dish. Flatten or roll out the log no more than an 1/8th of an inch thick and wide enough to cover the inside of the pie pan (roughly 2 inches).
3. Place the marzipan inside the pie pan. Take the top half of the cake and put it into the pie dish with the cut side facing up. Liberally apply half of the amaretto honey syrup with a pastry brush.
4. Once coated in syrup, take the filling and spread it all over the cake.
5. Liberally apply the rest of the amaretto syrup to the other half of the cake and place it on top of the filling. Slightly press down to make sure it is snug.
6. Refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours. Once completely chilled, invert the cake onto a serving dish to decorate.
7. Mix the icing ingredients together and pour over the top of the cake being careful not to go over the marzipan edge.
8. Decorate ornately with candied fruit, maraschino cherries or even pipe more icing designs onto the top.

https://www.thechoppingblock.com/blog/sicilian-cassata-cake