15 Outstanding Cassata Cake Recipes For A Complete Dinner Idea

Cassata cake is a traditional Italian recipe that incorporates a soft sponge cake with layers of fruity icing.

They are often topped with candied fruit and can include several delicious ingredients from chocolate chips to pistachio nuts.

The icing is typically made from ricotta cheese, which gives a smooth, creamy texture and brings out the flavor of the other ingredients.

Here are 15 cassata cake recipes that you can make for Easter, Christmas or just any regular day.

Quick Table: Outstanding Cassata Cake Recipes

15 Outstanding Cassata Cake Recipes For A Complete Dinner Idea

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A Cassata cake is a traditional Italian cake made with sponge cake, ricotta cheese, candied fruits, and candied orange or lemon peel. It is a popular dessert in Sicily. The popular cassata cake recipes include Sicilian Cassata Cake, Vegan Cassata Cake, Galbani Ricotta Cassata Cake etc.

Ingredients

• Chocolate Chip Cassata Cake
• Apricot Jam And Candied Fruit Cassata Cake
• Sicilian Cassata Cake
• Cassata Cake With Marzipan Frosting
• Vegan Cassata Cake
• Gluten Free Christmas Cassata
• Chocolate Cassata Cake
• Rachel Roddy’s Cassata Cake
• Cassata Cake With Whipped Cream
• Pistachio Cassata Cake
• Italian Cassata Slice
• Galbani Ricotta Cassata Cake
• Traditional Cassata Cake
• Gluten-Free Cassata Cake
• Mini Cassata Siciliana Cakes

1. Chocolate Chip Cassata Cake

With four layers of delicate yellow sponge cake and a thin layer of icing in between all of them, this cassata cake is as luxurious as they come.

The recipe calls for a pre-made yellow sponge cake that you will have to cut in half. You can either buy one from a store or use one of your own recipes to make it.

The ricotta filling has mini chocolate chips mixed through it, as does the whipped cream icing.

Calories Per Serving: 259

Preparation Time: 5 Hours 29 Mins

2. Apricot Jam And Candied Fruit Cassata Cake

The sponge cake for this recipe uses 6 eggs to make it extra moist and soft in the middle. This is combined with a delicious cream cheese filling that is packed with chocolate chips and crystallized fruit.

Remember to set some candied fruit aside for decorating the top layer made from icing sugar, orange liqueur and apricot jam.

This cake takes about an hour to prep, but it is worth every minute for the blend of beautiful fruity flavors and extra soft sponge.

Calories Per Serving: 259

Preparation Time: 1 Hour 30 Mins

3. Sicilian Cassata Cake

This cake has two layers of succulent sponge encased in a thin layer of marzipan, so it looks as appetizing as it tastes. The Ricotta filling sandwiched between the sponge cakes is packed with chocolate chips and bits of fruit.

You can finish this cake off by using candied orange and lemon peel as well as maraschino cherries to decorate the marzipan.

All the different stages in this recipe take a while, but your friends and family are sure to be impressed when they see the end result.

Calories Per Serving: 259

Preparation Time: 1 Hour 40 Mins

4. Cassata Cake With Marzipan Frosting

Once you have cooked the sponge for this cake, you will need to slice it into thin strips, so you can arrange the layers of cake and cream cheese filling.

After the cake and ricotta have set in the fridge, you can place it on a cake stand and start wrapping it in marzipan.

The top is covered with a sugary glaze, which is decorated with candied orange peel and Maraschino cherries to make a decadent dessert that tastes incredible

Calories Per Serving: 731

Preparation Time: 1 Hour 20 Mins

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5. Vegan Cassata Cake

To make a vegan cassata cake you will need to use extra margarine along with corn starch to produce a sponge that is moist enough. Tofu can be used instead of ricotta cheese for the filling.

While that may not sound too appetizing, rest assured that tofu will take on the flavor of anything you put it with, which makes it very versatile and suitable for sweet recipes as well as savory ones.

The end result is a delicious sponge cake that is wrapped in homemade marzipan with an extra creamy, dairy free, filling.

Calories Per Serving: 231

Preparation Time: 1 Hour 45 Mins

6. Gluten Free Christmas Cassata

This chocolate cassata cake is completely gluten-free, but still tastes as delicious as the original Sicilian confection. It is made from two layers of chocolate brownie with a filling made from ricotta cheese in the middle.

The filling is flavored with chocolate chips and rum for a lovely boozie edge that is very festive. You can decorate the top with candied fruit to complete the colorful cassata aesthetic.

Calories Per Serving: 485

Preparation Time: 2 Hours 30 Mins

7. Chocolate Cassata Cake

Topped with a luxurious chocolate glaze, this cassata cake looks absolutely incredible when decorated with maraschino cherries. Each of the sponge cake layers is sprinkled with rum syrup, which contrasts beautifully with the filling and glaze.

The ricotta cheese is packed with chocolate chips to really make this an irresistible cake for any chocoholic.

The cake made by this recipe serves 12 people and is sure to catch everyone’s eye if you serve it up as dessert for a party.

Calories Per Serving: 259

Preparation Time: 5 Hours

8. Rachel Roddy’s Cassata Cake

This recipe is simple but has lots of steps and following it, you can learn how to make your own marzipan out of pistachio nuts or almonds.

The filling is made from ricotta and sugar, so you can really enjoy the slightly cheesy flavor without it being masked by chocolate and fruit.

It takes a while to prep all the different components of this cake, but once it is done you will be very happy you put the effort in.

Calories Per Serving: 200

Preparation Time: 2 Hours

9. Cassata Cake With Whipped Cream

With 6 eggs in the batter, the sponge cake in this recipe is very moist and soft. It contrasts well with the beautiful filling made from cream cheese, citrus oil and vanilla extract.

This adds a tart citrus edge, which makes this recipe extra fruity. The whole cake is covered in a layer of whipped cream and garnished with fresh strawberries, to create a simple yet very effective topping.

Calories Per Serving: 259

Preparation Time: 5 Hours

10. Pistachio Cassata Cake

Pistachio nuts make an awesome addition to the filling of any cassata cake. Not only do they offer a nice bit of crunch to the dessert, but they are also sweet enough to complement the fruit.

This cake is made up of a white rum sponge with a pistachio ricotta filling that is wrapped in green marzipan to complete the pistachio nut theme.

The entire recipe takes 2 hours and 30 minutes to make, and the end result is worth every minute.

Calories Per Serving: 259

Preparation Time: 2 Hours 30 Mins

11. Italian Cassata Slice

This vegan cassata slice has all the beautiful flavors of the traditional filling sandwiched between ice cream wafers instead of sponge cake.

The filling is made from tofutti ricotta cheese, which you can buy from most health food shops. It is packed with chocolate chips, and glacé cherries, pineapple, and sultanas for an explosion of delicious fruity flavors.

You will need two teaspoons of agar-agar, which is a type of seaweed used as a thickening agent in many vegan recipes.

Calories Per Serving: 157

Preparation Time: 5 Hours 20 Mins

12. Galbani Ricotta Cassata Cake

It is recommended to use Galbani branded ricotta cheese for this cassata cake, but you can easily substitute in another brand if you prefer.

This recipe uses a store bought cake mix for the sponge component, which saves a lot of time on prep.

The best part about this cake is the spectacular cream frosting that is garnished with chocolate chips and smashed almonds.

Calories Per Serving: 259

Preparation Time: 2 Hours 45 Mins

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13. Traditional Cassata Cake

You will save a lot of time with this recipe since it uses a pre-made sponge cake that you don’t have to make from scratch, unless you want to of course.

This cake is cut into thin strips and arranged into layers in a baking tin that has been lined with marzipan.

Between each strip of cake there is a spreading of cream cheese filling which is packed with candied orange peel, chocolate chips and pistachio nuts.

Calories Per Serving: 259

Preparation Time: 3 Hours 20 Mins

14. Gluten-Free Cassata Cake

With five eggs and palm shortening, the sponge cake for this recipe is so moist and succulent that you won’t believe it’s completely gluten-free.

The ricotta cream is flavored with rum or amaretto, depending on your preference, which gives it a very festive flavor that is perfect for a Christmas cake.

This recipe also teaches you how to make your own candied orange peel with honey, so you won’t have to rely on the store bought version.

Calories Per Serving: 411

Preparation Time: 3 Hours

15. Mini Cassata Siciliana Cakes

All the things you love about cassata cake have been condensed into these sumptuous little cassata cupcakes.

The cakes are turned upside down to give them a conical shape that looks very professional when wrapped in an outer shell of Marzipan.

After they have been iced and decorated, these cupcakes look so good that you will probably be reluctant to eat them, that is until you take the first bite and find out they are truly irresistible.

Calories Per Serving: 253

Preparation Time: 1 Hour

Final Thoughts

Cassata cake takes a while to prepare due to the complex arrangement of sponge layers, filling and icing. However, the end result is worth every minute of effort and if you are into baking, you owe it to yourself to try this incredible Sicilian dessert at least once.

So, if you want to try a cake with a difference, then give one of these recipes a try and see for yourself just how delicious they can be.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where Does Cassata Cake Come From?

According to historians, it was invented during the Arab occupation of Sicily in the 10th century.

The Arabs brought a specialized technique for sugar production that allowed bakers on the island to experiment with new types of confectionery. Thus was born the delicious ricotta filled delicacy that is known today as cassata cake.

Why Is It Called Cassata Cake?

Cassata is the Latin word for cheese. The cake earned its name due to its unique, creamy filling made from ricotta cheese.

When Is Cassata Cake Traditionally Made?

Cassata Cake is normally made as a dessert for Easter celebrations on the Isle of Sicily. However, the delicious candied fruit topping and colorful aesthetic of this cake makes it equally suitable for Christmas as well.

Can Cassata Cake Be Refrigerated?

Cassata Cake is a very highly decorated dessert, so it is much better to keep them cool in the fridge until they are ready to be served.

This will make slicing the cake much easier, as the filling and outer layer of marzipan will have had time to properly set.

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Jessica

Baking is one of the best pastimes. Not only do cakes taste amazing when cooked correctly, but there is something so rewarding about baking a cake and seeing the finished product after it has been decorated.

Hi! My name is Jessica, and I recently decided to set up the site My Baking Heart, as an extension of my love for baking. It is something I have enjoyed since being a young child, when I would bake cookies and cakes with my grandma

Over the years, I have developed my skills and love to try all kinds of baking, from genoise sponges, to peach cobbler, and everything in between. New recipes are so much fun to follow and recreate.

Through this site, I hope to teach others the basics of baking, from how to use certain equipment, to the best types of recipes to follow. My site is a mixture of useful informational content, recipes, and of course, review of the best types of baking equipment.

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