Italian Chocolate Cassata
Recipe: #19541
June 12, 2015
Categories: Desserts, Cakes, Layer, Italian, Baby Shower, Brunch, Christmas, Easter, Fathers Day, Mothers Day, Thanksgiving, Oven Bake, Vegetarian Flour, Chocolate, Heavy Cream, Kosher Dairy, more
"Made this and LOVED it!"
Ingredients
- FOR THE CAKE
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- FOR THE FILLING
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- FOR THE FROSTING
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Nutritional
- Serving Size: 1 (258.4 g)
- Calories 895.3
- Total Fat - 40.8 g
- Saturated Fat - 24.8 g
- Cholesterol - 165.8 mg
- Sodium - 739.3 mg
- Total Carbohydrate - 129.6 g
- Dietary Fiber - 7.8 g
- Sugars - 100.1 g
- Protein - 17.8 g
- Calcium - 349.8 mg
- Iron - 3.8 mg
- Vitamin C - 0 mg
- Thiamin - 0.1 mg
Step by Step Method
TO MAKE THE CAKE
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan.
Step 2
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, baking powder, espresso powder, and cocoa to make a sandy, somewhat clumpy mixture. Don't worry; the eggs will smooth things out.
Step 3
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl midway through this process.
Step 4
Add half the flour to the bowl, beating at low speed to combine.
Step 5
Add all of the milk, beating at low speed to combine.
Step 6
Add the remaining flour, beating gently just until the batter is smooth.
Step 7
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Step 8
Bake the cake for about 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The top may look a tiny bit damp; that's OK.
Step 9
Remove the cake from the oven, loosen the edges, wait 10 minutes, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool.
Step 10
Store completely cooled cake well wrapped, at room temperature, until ready to fill and frost.
TO MAKE THE FILLING
Step 11
Stir together the ricotta, sugar, vanilla, and chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
TO MAKE THE FROSTING
Step 12
Sift the cocoa, confectioners' sugar, and espresso powder into a bowl.
Step 13
Bring the cream to a simmer on the stove or in the microwave, and whisk into the cocoa mixture. At first the mixture will look grainy; continue whisking for a minute. You'll see the lumps disappear as the sugar dissolves and the cocoa hydrates. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Step 14
Place the butter, salt, and sifted confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Step 15
Beat until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla.
Step 16
With the mixer running on low speed, add the cocoa mixture a spoonful at a time until it's all incorporated. Scrape the bowl, then beat at medium speed for 1 minute.
TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE
Step 17
Split the cake in thirds lengthwise, to make 3 layers. Brush the cut side of each layer with simple syrup or vanilla syrup; this will help keep the cake moist.
Step 18
Place the bottom layer on a serving plate. Spread with half the ricotta filling. Top with the second layer, and spread with the remaining filling. Place the third layer on top.
Step 19
Ice the cake — top and sides — with the frosting.
Step 20
Serve immediately; or refrigerate, well-wrapped, until ready to serve, preferably not longer than 24 hours. Cut in crosswise slices to serve.
Tips
No special items needed.