Traditionally, cassata cake is a Sicilian sponge cake filled with sweet ricotta and covered with marzipan and colorful candied fruits. The cake has a long history in Sicily. The name derives from the Arabic word Qas’at, referring to the wide bowl the cake is assembled in (many traditional Sicilian dishes, from Sorbetto al Limone to Caponata, have Arabic influence due to Arab rule in the region from 9th to the 11th centuries). The original version of this recipe is undeniably stunning, if elaborate, requiring a lot of work and especially time. Because of this, it’s saved for festive occasions, especially Easter. But if you’ve ever tasted Cassata Cake, you won’t want to give up so easily! I like to make a simplified version, with just two cake layers and a creamy ricotta filling studded with chocolate. I skip the complicated assembly, marzipan, and candied fruits, which I find overly sweet. My version has a more rustic appearance, but it does not skimp on flavor or indulgence, reminding me of a Cannolo (cannoli) in cake form.
What is Cassata Cake?
The traditional cassata cake recipe from Palermo is an elaborate layered cake decorated with marzipan and candied fruits. To make it, bakers slice sponge cake into thin layers and assemble it in a mold encasing the ricotta filling. The cake is unmolded and covered with a layer of marzipan, similar to fondant. Then the cake is decorated with bright and colorful candied fruit, like candied citrus and red and green maraschino cherries. Sometimes instead of ricotta, the cake is filled with gelato, like an ice cream cake.
Types of Cassata Cake
There are several versions of cassata cake in Sicily and abroad. The version from Catania is more like a pie or tart where the ricotta filling is baked inside a pasta frolla crust (a shortcrust pastry dough). Italian immigrants brought their beloved cassata cake recipe to the U.S. which has since evolved. The American version is made with yellow cake soaked with rum syrup and filled with strawberries and custard.
What is Pan di Spagna Sponge Cake?
The base for cassata cake is pan di Spagna, meaning Spanish bread. It’s an airy Italian sponge cake made with just three ingredients: eggs, sugar, and flour. The light, spongy texture makes it perfect for soaking up flavorings and syrups, but it can taste dry without them. It’s one of the basic building blocks of Italian pastry, as it’s used as a base for many Italian cakes and even in place of ladyfingers for tiramisu. Pan di Spagna traditionally gets its leavening from lots of time whipping the eggs and sugar until thick, pale, and tripled in volume. Cake flour is carefully folded in to avoid deflating the delicate, aerated batter. The trapped air expands in the oven for a light, spongy cake. I like to add a bit of baking powder for insurance in case I overmix slightly. As the name suggests, pan di Spagna likely made its way to Italy by way of Spain, where it’s known as bizcocho. But the same technique has been used for centuries in Portugal, Spain, and Italy.
Ingredients for this Cassata Cake Recipe
Cassata cake is assembled from three components (cake, filling, and honey syrup), but each component is simple with a short ingredient list. For the best cake, treat yourself to high-quality ricotta, and use cake flour or a blend of all-purpose flour and cornstarch.
Cake Ingredients
Eggs: Whipped eggs contain a lot of trapped air that expands in the oven, providing the structure and fluffy texture for the sponge cake. Granulated sugar: Helps to whip the eggs and adds sweetness to the cake. Vanilla extract: Adds flavor and complexity. Citrus zest: Italian cakes are often flavored with orange or lemon zest. I like to use lemon zest in the cake and orange zest in the filling. Cake flour: Cake flour is higher in starch and lower in gluten, making a light and tender cake. If you don’t have cake flour, you can substitute it with 3/4 cup (90g) all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup (60g) cornstarch or potato starch. Baking powder: Traditionally, pan di Spagna gets all of its leavening from the whipped eggs, but I add a small amount of baking powder for extra lift and insurance in case of overmixing the batter. Honey: This type of sponge cake can be dry on its own and is usually brushed with liqueur, juice, or syrup while assembling to add moisture. I like to make a simple syrup with both sugar and honey for a more interesting floral flavor. A high-quality, light honey is preferred, like our Greek Alfa Honey from Crete. Salt is essential–even in desserts–to enhance the flavor. Butter coats the pan, ensuring the cake does not stick.
Filling and Finishing Ingredients
Ricotta: The base for the filling. It’s creamy, and slightly sweet, and is the traditional filling for many Italian desserts, like cannoli or lemon ricotta cheesecake. Powdered sugar: Sweetens the ricotta filling and helps to thicken it slightly. Chocolate: I like to use finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate, but you can also use chocolate chips.
How to Make Cassata Cake
You can make Cassata cake recipe from start to finish in one day, but plan on two hours for the cake to chill and set before serving. I like to split the project over two days by making the cake the day before serving and assembling it the day of.
Up to 1 Day Ahead: Make the Cake
Get ready: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Liberally grease an 8-inch by 3-inch round cake pan or 8-inch springform 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. Whip the eggs: In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat 5 large eggs, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest, and 1/2 teaspoon salt on medium-high speed. Beat 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. Fold in the flour: Switch to a silicone spatula and gently fold in 1 1/4 cup sifted cake flour and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, just until no dry streaks of flour remain. Work swiftly but gently to avoid deflating the beaten eggs. Bake: 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. Cool: 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.
Layer, Chill, and Serve
While the cake cools, make the honey simple syrup. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons honey, and 2 tablespoons sugar until the sugar and honey dissolve into a uniform syrup. Make the filling: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups ricotta and 1 cup powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Add ¾ cup chopped chocolate (or chocolate chips) and 1 teaspoon orange zest and stir to distribute. Halve the cake: Once the cake has cooled completely, use a bread knife to slice the cake in half horizontally. Sweeten the cake: Use a pastry brush to brush the honey syrup on the cut sides of both cake layers. Keep applying the syrup with the pastry brush until you’ve used all of the syrup. Layer the cake: Place the bottom cake layer on a cake stand or serving platter. Spread all of the ricotta filling over the cake layer with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Chill: Top with the second layer of cake. Cover and chill in your refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving, or overnight. Serve: Dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar. Slice and serve.
Best Ricotta for Cassata Cake
Go for a low-moisture ricotta (or strain): The moisture content of ricotta cheese varies widely among brands, and a “wetter” ricotta will make the filling too thin. I used a thick ricotta that held its shape when I removed it from the container. If the ricotta you bought has extra moisture, you may want to strain it before making the filling.
Transfer the ricotta to a cheesecloth-lined fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. Set it in the fridge and leave it to drain for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Getting Ahead
While you can make this cassata cake recipe all in one day, it can help to split the project into two days. I find that the extra time lets the cake set better, making it easier to slice and it absorbs the syrup better.
Day one: Make the sponge cake. Day two: Make the filling and assemble.
How to Get Perfect Cake Slices
For me, taste is more important and I like to embrace a rustic appearance. But if you’re worried about achieving even layers, I have a trick for you.
Set the cooled cake inside a rimmed pan, like a sheet pan or a larger-diameter cake pan. Use the rim as a guide for the knife to get a level slice. Sheet pans usually have a 1-inch rim, which is too short to reach halfway up the cake, but you could make three layers and divide the filling. I have a 9-inch cake pan with a 1 1/2-inch rim that was almost perfect for two even layers.
Cassata Cake Variations
You can take this cake one step closer to the original by adding Candied Orange Peel to the filling and flavoring the cake with rum. Or make it more like the American version with macerated strawberries. For something completely nontraditional but decadent, you can even make a chocolate cassata cake recipe.
Strawberry cassata cake: Leave out the chocolate in the ricotta filling. In a mixing bowl, stir together 1/2 pound hulled and sliced strawberries, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon or orange juice. Let the berries macerate for 10 minutes. When assembling, layer half of the strawberries on top of the ricotta. Reserve the other half for the top of the cake or serve on the side with each slice. Chocolate cassata cake: When making the sponge cake, substitute the cake flour with 1/3 cup (30g) Dutch process cocoa powder and 2/3 cup (80g) cake flour. Bake and assemble as directed. Candied orange peel: Traditional cassata cake includes candied orange peel in the filling, but I’ve left it out and flavored the filling with orange zest instead. You can add candied citrus peel if you prefer. Reduce the chopped chocolate to 1/2 cup and add 1/2 cup chopped Candied Orange Peel. Add rum: Cassata cake is commonly flavored with rum. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of rum to the cooled syrup and 1 tablespoon of rum to the ricotta filling.
How to Serve Cassata Cake
Serve cassata cake for dessert after an Italian Easter feast. Big meals usually start with pasta as a first course, like this eggplant lasagna. Lamb is an Easter tradition in Sicily, so make flavorful roasted leg of lamb or rack of lamb for the main course. Serve it with potatoes on the side and newly arrived spring vegetables, like this pea and asparagus salad. When you’re ready for dessert, bring out the cassata cake with a fresh dusting of powdered sugar. Serve slices with fresh fruit, like strawberries or raspberries, and strong coffee. Browse all Mediterranean recipes.
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