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This Cannoli Poke Cake is a simple vanilla cake soaked with sweetened condensed milk and covered with an unforgettable topping that mimics the filling of a classic cannoli! It’s moist, indulgent, and 100% irresistible. A quick and easy recipe you’ll come back to over and over!
Why You’ll Love This Cannoli Poke Cake Recipe
Poke cakes are so fun, versatile and easy to make. If you’re looking for a dessert recipe that will knock it out of the park and not require too much time, this is it. Here’s a few more reasons to love it.
- Classic Cannoli flavor. If you dream about cannoli, you are going to go nuts over this dessert. The topping captures the glorious, rich, sweet flavor of this irresistible Italian classic perfectly.
- Perfect texture. Some poke cakes can be a bit soggy. I only soaked this one with half a can of sweetened condensed milk (as opposed to a whole can). It provides the perfect sweetness and moisture with none of the sogginess.
- Easy to make. Just bake a cake, poke some holes in it, saturate it with sweetened condensed milk, and whip up a quick topping. It’s an awesome beginner recipe.
- Make ahead. This a great recipe for making ahead of time. You could easily make it the day before you plan to serve it. It will give the cake time to absorb the moisture and the topping plenty of time to set.
What You’ll Need
Buckle up and head on over to the grocery store. Here’s what you’ll need to bring this cannoli poke cake recipe to life. Scroll on down to the recipe card below for precise measurements.
- White cake mix (plus ingredients listed on the box) – I used a store-bought white cake mix. But you could use a homemade vanilla cake mix, which is quite similar to a cake mix in texture. If you’re looking for a denser, butter-based cake, I’d recommend my Funfetti Cake. Just leave out the sprinkles.
- Sweetened condensed milk – You’ll use it in the topping and pour it over the cake. It adds a nice richness and sweetness to both components. Plus, it adds lots of moisture to the cake and is part of the “poke cake” name.
- Ricotta cheese – You don’t have to strain the ricotta although, if you are prepping ahead, you certainly can. Wrap it in cheesecloth (optional) and set it in a bowl in the fridge overnight. In the morning, discard the water that has seeped out. I don’t usually strain it and typically use the Galbani brand.
- Mascarpone cheese – Keep the mascarpone in the fridge until about 10 minutes before using it. You don’t want it to get too warm, or it’ll end up watery.
- Vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon – The cinnamon is optional but I love the extra layer of flavor it adds.
- Mini chocolate chips – I like the more subtle mini chocolate chips, as opposed to the full-sized ones.
- Powdered sugar – I dusted my poke cake with extra powdered sugar. You don’t have to but I am a big fan of the look of it.
How to Make Cannoli Poke Cake
Here’s a quick rundown of how to make this easy poke cake. You’ll find more detailed instructions in the recipe card below.
- Make the cake. Prepare the cake in a 9×13-inch baking pan per the instructions on the box.
- Poke. Remove the baked cake from the oven and poke holes all over the top.
- Soak. Reserve 1/2 cup of sweetened condensed milk and pour the rest over the top of the warm cake. Spread it around with a spatula.
- Cool. Allow the cake to cool completely.
- Make the topping. Gently mix together the ricotta cheese, mascarpone cheese, and vanilla extract. Stir in the powdered sugar and cinnamon followed by the reserved sweetened condensed milk.
- Assemble. Spread the topping evenly over the fully-cooled cake.
- Chill. Refrigerate until the topping is set (3-4 hours or overnight).
- Finish it off. Top the cake with mini chocolate chips and dust with powdered sugar, if desired.
Tips for Success
- Poke and pour while warm. When pouring the sweetened condensed milk over the cake, do so while the cake is still warm. If it has cooled too much, the liquid won’t absorb as well into the cake.
- Let it cool. Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the mascarpone topping. Otherwise, the topping can melt or wilt.
- Keep the mascarpone cold. Mascarpone cheese has a tendency to turn watery when it gets too warm. So keep it in the fridge until about 10 minutes before you use it.
- Mix gently. Marscapone can turn watery if it is over-mixed, so, when making the topping, mix gently and just until everything is combined.
- Be patient. It may be tempting to dive right into this delicious dessert, but it needs time to set up in the fridge (unless you want a runny mess). Refrigerate it for at least 3-4 hours before slicing and serving. I like to let it sit overnight
Why is my topping so thin?
This topping is naturally on the thinner side. It does thicken in the fridge and the longer you let it sit, the thicker it gets. I even think it’s best to let it sit overnight. It doesn’t get as firm as a whipped cream or buttercream, but it certainly stays in place, like it should. That said, you can make it thicker by leaving the sweetened condensed milk out of it. If you choose to do that, you can use the remaining sweetened condense milk on top of the cake along with the rest, if you’d like. The topping will be a little less sweet that way.
Proper Storage
Wrap the cake (in its pan) tightly with plastic wrap or arrange slices in a single layer in an airtight container. You can store it in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you choose to freeze it, allow the cake to thaw in the fridge before diving back into the leftovers.
More Poke Cake Recipes
Enchanted by this whole idea of an incredibly easy, insanely delicious poke cake? I’ve got more where this one came from. Here are a few other flavor profiles I think you’ll love.
- Lemon Poke Cake
- Chocolate Turtle Poke Cake
- Oreo Chocolate Poke Cake
- Coconut Poke Cake
- Baklava Poke Cake
- Baileys Chocolate Poke Cake
Cannoli Poke Cake
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Chill Time: 4 hours
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 15-18 Servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Cannoli Poke Cake is a simple vanilla cake soaked with sweetened condensed milk and covered with an unforgettable topping that mimics the filling of a classic cannoli! It’s moist, indulgent, and 100% irresistible. A quick and easy recipe you’ll come back to over and over!
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix, plus ingredients on box*
- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk, divided
- 1 1/2 cups (372g) ricotta cheese (most of a 15 oz container)
- 1 1/2 cups (339g | 12oz) mascarpone cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (115g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, optional
- 1/2 cup (85g) mini chocolate chips
- Powdered sugar, for dusting, optional
Instructions
- Bake a 9×13 cake according to the box directions.
- While the cake bakes, pour ½ cup of sweetened condensed milk into a measuring cup and set aside.
- When done baking, remove the cake from the oven and poke holes all over the top of the cake. I use a knife sharpener, but the end of the handle of a wooden spoon or spatula would work too.
- Pour the remaining sweetened condensed milk over the top of the warm cake, then spread it around with a spatula, allowing it to soak into the holes. If a little bit remains on top of the cake, that’s ok. Allow the cake to cool completely.
- When the cake has cooled, make the topping. Add the ricotta cheese, mascarpone cheese and vanilla extract to a mixer bowl and gently mix together until well combined and smooth. You do this by hand with a spatula, or mix on low speed with a mixer. You don’t want to over mix this mixture or it can turn watery.
- Add the powdered sugar and cinnamon and gently stir until well combined.
- Add the reserved ½ cup of sweetened condensed milk and gently stir together until well combined. The mixture will seem very thin.
- Spread the topping evenly over the top of the cake. Refrigerate until the topping is set, at least 3-4 hours, or overnight.
- Top with mini chocolate chips and a sprinkle of powdered sugar, then serve.
- Store cake well covered in the fridge. Cake is best if eaten within 4-5 days.
Notes
I used a store-bought white cake mix. But you could use a homemade vanilla cake mix, which is quite similar to a cake mix in texture. If you’re looking for a denser, butter-based cake, I’d recommend my Funfetti Cake. Just leave out the sprinkles.
Do consider straining the ricotta before using, especially if it’s a particularly watery brand. Also, when mixing together the ricotta and mascarpone cheese, DO NOT over mix it. If mascarpone cheese is over mixed, it becomes very thin.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 429
- Sugar: 28.5 g
- Sodium: 144.5 mg
- Fat: 22.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 50.6 g
- Protein: 8.3 g
- Cholesterol: 75.7 mg
This was fabulous! It was easy to follow. Your instructions were spot on. Used mixer on low for the topping and it was perfect 😀
So glad to hear that!
This is sooooo good, y’all! Totally worth every step and ingredient! It’s like an Italian version of Tres Leches cake or chocolate chip gelato in cake form!
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I love the description of it being like an Italian Tres leches cake. That feels very fitting. 🙂
I would like to know if you cover it for the overnight rest time in the fridge? Thanks, it looks absolutely delicious 🥰
I usually put it in one of my rectangular cake carriers. But, you can cover it with foil or clear wrap too. I hope you enjoy it!
It reads like you’re using 1 1/2 cups of condensed milk
Where? I mention setting aside 1/2 cup and then adding the rest to the warm cake. I never mention 1 1/2 cups, that I can see. Am I missing it?
This recipe is easy – just follow the directions. I made this cannoli cake for the first time and everyone raved about it. They said they liked it better than real cannolis!
So glad to hear that!
Is it 1.5 cups of ricotta and macaroons or is it 1/2 cup. Very confusing how the measurement for them is written
It’s one and a half cups.
I have made this cake 4 times and it is always a hit!! I followed the recipe and it came out perfect. It’s so easy and delicious! Thank you!
super excited to make this for christmas! my husband’s family will be my guinea pigs *evil cackle*
Can I freeze this cake and make the topping day off
I imagine that would be fine.
I know there are a lot of people out there who only make cakes from a mix, but there are a few of us (I hope) who like to make cakes from “scratch” and really don’t like boxed cake mixes. I supposed “dump” and “poke” cakes dictate that it must be from a box… Is there an alternative to a box cake mix for the diehard “made from scratch” bakers like me?
If you poke around my site, you’ll find that most of my baking is from scratch. Thanks. If you look at my coconut poke cake, I use a scratch cake, that you could use for this cake. Just swap out the coconut extract for vanilla. I also have a butter-based cake that’s a little more dense that I used in this strawberry poke cake. Take your pick.
I’d like to make this for our family holiday party but half our guests have a gluten allergy. Do you think it would be ok to use a Gluten Free cake mix? Thanks!
I would think that’d be fine.
I make this cake using a gluten free cake recipe. I have served it for a spaghetti fund raiser at church and it was very popular! Thanks!
Glad to hear it’s a hit!
Oh no. I used hand mixer on lowest setting and ended up with cottage cheese consistency. Flavor is nice but my teenage kids are afraid if nothing more than cottage cheese. 😂 Perhaps a note about hand stirring will help future readers. I will try again another time! Thanks for the idea!
I love cannolis, but this recipe sounds overly sweet to me with the SCM and 10x sugar. Is it worth trying for a family that doesn’t care for super- sweet sweets?
That is heavily dependent on preferences. I wouldn’t say that it’s overly sweet, but you might. Hard to say.
Do you need to let the cake cool down before poking the holes in it? And do you poke holes all the way through the cake or just partially?
No, poke it while it’s warm. You can poke all the way through.
Made this many times now and it is always delicious. My kids request this for their birthdays each year.
Awesome! So glad to hear that!
I left the condensed milk out of the cannoli topping because I wanted something thicker. But even then, my frosting was so gritty/grainy. I didn’t wanna over mix it so I didn’t wanna keep mixing it so I left it as is. Cake chilled and it’s out. I’m disappointed in the frosting. Idk where I went wrong. I’m wondering if it’s because I forgot to sift the powdered sugar. Such a bummer. I had told my family about it and had to leave them hanging. As I threw the cake out.
The trick to non-grainy topping is using a good quality ricotta (i.e. Bel Giososo) and straining it well. (Learned this after a couple attempts!)
I just made this last night and it was delicious! I brought it to a small casual dinner party – but really it was a test to see if I could use the recipe for a dessert for a community dinner where I need to make dessert for 150+ people. This is one of the winners for sure! I made it in a disposable pie tin. The recipe made two “cannoli pie cakes”. The only other lazy swap I made since I have to make so many of them is that my local supermarket sells a store made cannoli filling! Such a creative take a traditional cannoli, thank you!
Awesome! So glad you were able to make it work for you and that you enjoyed it!
Could this recipe be made with a French Vanilla Cake mix? It looks delicious btw!
Sure, that should be fine.
I made this! I made the cake the night before and had time to make the topping and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours. I followed the instructions exactly, and drained the ricotta overnight. I made it in a covered 8 x 11 casserole dish so I had a nice cover to transport the cake to a party. My only mistake was using a thick wooden spoon to poke the holes and so the holes were a bit large. I think the cake was too delicate for that. A straw, as suggested by the author, would have been a better choice.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
So delicious! Perfect as is. Love the addition of orange zest.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I am wanting to makw this for my small group , but I am having a hard time finding Marscapone. Can it be made with just Ricotta? If not what is your suggestion for a replacement?
I usually find it with the specialty cheeses near the deli. If you can’t find it though, all ricotta should be ok. You could also try using some cream cheese.
Can you make this a head of time like the day before
Yes, definitely.
Hi- can I freeze this? If yes- even the topping on it?
I haven’t ever frozen a poke cake. There’s a lot of moisture in there and I’m not totally sure if it’d get mushy upon thawing. I’m guessing the topping would be ok, but I really haven’t tried it and am not sure.
Is there a specific white cake mix brand that you liked?
Pillsbury or Betty Crocker usually work great.
Can you use a yellow cake mix instead of white cake mix?
Sure.
I’m actually reading this recipe while eating a cannoli. Do you use semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips?
Lol. I use semi sweet.
Can I use Angel food cake with this instead of white cake mix??
I’m not sure if angel food cake would hold up well with all that moisture.
Lindsay, When you say mix in the recipe, do you mean by hand (stir) or with an electric mixer, and if with an electric mixer, how long and what speed. Sounds Yummy 😋
Thank you
I would mix on a lower speed and only until all is combined so that you don’t over mix it. Mascarpone cheese can get thin and watery if over mixed. If you have a stand mixer, you could use a low speed on that. But hand mixers usually don’t have very low speeds. You could also do it by hand.
What happens if it gets too watery? How do you fix it?
I haven’t really been able to fix watery mascarpone before, I’m sorry.
I make this with dark chocolate cake mix and it’s my family’s favorite cake.
I’d like to make a layered cake with two 9 inch pans. Have you tried this?
This cake was the best I think I’ve ever made! I made it for my son for his birthday and he absolutely LOVED it! Definitely a keeper! Thank you
I made this cake today and glad I did ! I wasn’t sure about using the cinnamon but I added it and it was delish ! It’s a keeper ! 😊
Hello! Is it 1 AND 1/2 cups Ricotta and Mascarpone? Or 1/2 cup?
thank you!
It’s 1 AND 1/2 cups of each.
This is awesome. And I froze individual slices and were yummy frozen.
This is MY FAVORITE CAKE! It’s so good I make it for myself every birthday! Love everything about it and how the “frosting” isn’t too sweet and cake is super moist with the condensed milk. I made it with a lemon cake mix (and white chocolate chips on top) for my lemon loving husbands birthday and that was a hit as well! Thank you for this absolutely epic addition to my existence on this earth 🤗
So glad you’ve enjoyed it!
Hi – can’t wait to try this recipe. Did you ever make it with a chocolate cake mix?
I didn’t try it, but it should be fine.
I made this cake and had to add a little extra powdered sugar to the topping because it did come out a little wetter than I thought it would. Then I didn’t dust the chips, and it was delicious. I will definitely make again.
The cannoli “icing” is so amazing that I made enough to have leftover and will add some chocolate chips and use it as a dip and some cannoli chips!
It’s Easter Sunday and I’m going to try to make this yummy recipe. Can’t wait to try it!
Can I make this cake without the cheeses cuz I have digestive issues but still want 2 Make this cake with all ingredients except the 2 Cheeses is it possible & Will it still be close in taste?Pleases let me know if it’s possible 2 Do without the 2 Cheeses.
The cheeses are what give it that cannoli flavor. You can leave them out, but then you basically have a vanilla cake with a little bit of cinnamon and chocolate chips.
Will the icing thicken up in the fridge after icing the cake? My icing cave out a bit runny so I’m hoping it will thicken up after sitting in the fridge.
It may thicken a little bit. Be careful not to over mix the topping, since mascarpone cheese can get watery if over mixed. Did you drain your ricotta well, too?
I’ve made this cake every year since 2016 to accompany my New Years Eve feast, and I’ve never had a mishap.. and I’m prone to kitchen mishaps, especially on holidays. I’ve never needed to do any special straining of the ricotta, and I just use the regular ricotta in the dairy aisle. I just pour the little bit of liquid at the top into the sink before I dump it in the bowl. My grocery store just has one little tub of marscapone cheese in the special cheese section by the deli and I don’t know if it even corresponds with the amount listed in the recipe, but I’ve always used it and it’s been perfect. Some years I’ve remembered to bake the cake and let sit overnight with the sweetened condensed milk, sometimes I forgot and just had it in the fridge for an hour or so. I was fine both ways. I always have extra cannoli frosting left over and I put it on the plate with the cake slices I serve.. and we have a little cake with our delicious frosting. People asking about the mixer needed.. before getting a kitchenaid stand mixer for my wedding, I just used my hand mixer. Now i use my kitchenaid just to have the excuse to use it. Either way works. I love this recipe. Perfect every time.
So glad to hear you’ve been enjoying it for so long!
I just made this and it turned out perfect. Not too thin at all but i only added like a quarter cup of the condensed sweetened milk only because i dont have a huge sweet tooth. The taste is spot on. Im positive its going to be a big hit. Im wondering if people that have a issue with it being watery are not whipping it enough. Its watery at first, but thickens up as you blend it. Thank you for the recipe.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Hello,
Mascarpone cheese is not readily available where I live, Blue Mountains NSW Australia, can I substitute cream cheese? Would it need adjusting to be similar to Mascarpone?
Kind Regards,
Michael
You can just replace it with additional cream cheese.
This was SUPER amazing as is with ALL your recipies. For entertaining purposes, I’m assuming I can also make a Poke cake in a large Springfiorm pan? In case the sides get sloppy I can just cover with extra icing. Thoughts.?
I haven’t ever tried a poke cake in a springform pan. If you’re using the full recipe it we need to be a larger pan to hold all the cake batter. I would think it would be OK, although some of the moisture might seep out a little bit. I’m glad you enjoyed it!!
Do you cool cake before putting the condensed milk over it.?
You could really do it either way. I’d probably suggest adding when it’s warm though.
My husband doesn’t like ricotta, is there anything I can substitute with?
Yes, you could just use more of the mascarpone cheese, or use cream cheese.
Made this tonight for a church potluck tomorrow, I doubled the recipe and added a bit almond extract to the cake batter before baking it. The cannoli filling was smooth, creamy and delicious. I will definitely make this again!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
The first time I made this cake, it was HEAVEN! Now, had to figure out how to make it into cupcakes! My husband cooks at the moose lodge on Fridays, and wanted it for dessert there. Didn’t get around to that, but I did make them for the moose lodge picnic today. First batch, I made per recipe, using a fork to punch the holes into the cupcake. Tasted great, but a bit “wet”. So, my second batch, I just made the cupcakes, and used the filing for the frosting and sprinkled the mini chips on top. Had my husband, daughter and her friend taste test them. They all liked the all, but said for cupcakes, the second batch was better. So, sent them all over to the picnic. 42 cupcakes. My husband said people went bonkers over them! One guy wanted to buy them all, but the only let him buy 8! LOL! They also sold them for $1.00 ea. Will be making them for the next bake sale there at the end of Sept. Thanks for a great recipe,a nd the inspiration for the cupcakes!
Wonderful! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the recipe!
LOL! I just had someone order a cake for their birthday! They call it a “A slice of heaven to die for!”
Ok I know this is a cannoli cake but do you know if there is anything I can substitute for the ricotta? My husband and I are not fans.
Thanks
Morgan
You could just use more of the mascarpone cheese, or use cream cheese.
Does this need to be made in a 9×13 pan? Would a square pan work at all?
If using another size pan, like a square, you may need to adjust the amount of the recipe and the bake time.
Ok, so I was looking for a recipe that I could use up some “left over” Cannoli dip from New Years Eve. Shockingly enough, yes, we did have leftover cannoli dip, mainly due to the fact that my brother-in-law is an amazing Italian cook & there was so much good food all around. I made the poke cake using the cannoli dip as a 1-1 replacement for the liquids in the cake mix. SO AMAZINGLY MOIST! then we went crazier & made a box brownie mix with some more dip. YUM! Frosted the cake as you suggested, brownies vanished before I could even dust them with powdered sugar for effect. So glad I found your posting so I could have a base to experiment off of & not be intimidated by the ricotta cheese.
I just finished making this cake and considered piping the frosting directly into my mouth! I had absolutely no issues with the frosting consistency and even added the sweetened condensed milk.
I can’t wait for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow to see how everyone likes it. Thanks for the great recipe. It was very easy to make too.
Awesome! 🙂 I hope everyone enjoys it!
Incredible! The cake was moist & the filling was out of this world delicious! I followed the directions exactly and it came out perfectly! For the filling, I added everything to the ricotta only and then folded in the mascarpone at the end so that it didn’t get too runny. I would definitely make this again & again! Thank you!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Making this tonight. My kids and husband love cannoli’s so I think they will enjoy this.
Do you let the cake cool before poking holes through it?
You can do it either way, honestly. I tend to poke the holes when the cake is warm, but I’ve done it both ways.
I made this today for my husband and my dad for Father’s Day. It was an absolute hit! Super yummy ???? Thank you so much for a great recipe!!
I baked my own birthday cake using this recipe…. oh my yumminess. I could just take a spoon and eat the icing from the bowl…. thanks for a delicious recipe that i will be making again.
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
What a great recipe! I used Galbani brand Marscapone and Ricotta (Whole Milk) and had no problems with it being runny. I will say that I only gave my topping ingredients one good mix. I gradually folded it in which may have helped with consistency.
Like all good Italian recipes, slow and steady wins the race. I mixed my topping and allowed it to set for 2 hours in the fridge before topping my cake. I also let my completed cake sit overnight in the fridge before diving into it.
Now, I did make two minor adjustments that added big flavor. I adore maraschino cherries in my cannoli filling so I added about 8 to 10 of those. I chopped them up very finely and mixed it into my topping. If you do use maraschino cherries, make sure to let the juices drip out of a paper towel BEFORE adding to the topping so there is not any additional moisture. Delicious!
My second adjustment was adding a teaspoon of almond extract into my cake batter. It really elevates it to another level!
Thanks for an amazing recipe that reminds me of my childhood! =)
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Galbani brand is excellent – so little water and such a great texture!
This recipe looks AMAZING! Just a few questions:
Do I have to wait for the cake to cool before poking holes in it?
When I combine the ricotta cheese and mascarpone cheese, do the cheeses have to be chilled or at room temperature? I’m afraid to over mix the cheeses, how long do you think I should mix it for? Would it be with an electric mixer on low? Also does making it the night before affect the taste or texture of the cake? Thanks so much!!
You can do it while warm or cool, it’ll be fine. Both the cheeses can get fairly soft at room temperature. I think it’s a little more stable when they’re chilled. Just mix them on low until they’re combined. Making it the night before will be fine and give it a chance to set.
Could I leave the cake soaking the milk overnight?
Definitely!
How do you measure the ricotta and marscapone? Do you use dry measuring cups or do the packaged containers equal 1 1/2 cups? If so, what size packages do I need to use?
Yes, I use dry measuring scoops and spoon it in and level it. 1 cup is around 8 ounces.
I made this cake but the cannoli filling was too runny. I saw another recipe which was similar and it said to use 2-3 cups confectioner sugar…perhaps the filling wouldn’t have been so runny. I didn’t care for this cake. Sorry.
This was worse than awful. What a waste of time and ingredients. I threw half of it away because nobody in my house wanted to eat it after the first taste
Is it possible to make this as a traditional round layered cake with frosting between?
I wouldn’t suggest replicating this particular cake and filling, but here’s an alternative recipe for a Cannoli Layered Cake.
I’ll be honest, I feel like the “frosting” and the cake part don’t really match up when I think of cannoli flavors. The cake by itself is good, and if you believe my wife, requires no additional frosting at all. The cannoli frosting isn’t bad, but doesn’t quite hit the flavor of cannoli fillings I’ve had in the past (not that I’m a cannoli expert or anything!). In addition, the cost of this cake (~$15, at least for me) did not match up to the results. Marscapone cheese is so darn expensive, and its flavor didn’t scream out when tasted the frosting. If I were ever to make it again, I’d probably make it with some sort of homemade mascarpone substitute and a different cake.
This cake looks awesome. To the person who found it lacking in flavor, they might try adding some Lemon flavoring to the cake recipe. Also, to the person who’s husband does not like chocolate, she could sprinkle some coconut over the icing instead of the chocolate chips. I make a poke cake with crushed pineapple instead of condensed milk, vanilla pudding (I use only 1 cup of milk in the pudding mix to thicken it), Kool whip over the pudding and finish the cake with coconut.. AWESOME!!!.
I’ve been eyeballing this cake for weeks now – it looks so yummy (and so right up my taste buds’ alley LOL). After pondering (and fantasizing) about this cake, I was SO excited that I was selected to bring our Memorial Day Cook-out dessert. Without hesitation I went to pick the ingredients up – and was hoping you could help me quickly with a question! I am going to make it the day before, however, reading that the icing isn’t super thick I wanted to ask if you recommended me doing the cake the day prior, then the icing the day of (of course waiting right before serving to dust with the powdered sugar)? I’m so excited to make this, I’m sure it’s going to be a hit!!!!
Hi there, would you please tell me if the cake needs to be cooled before you put holes and pour the condensed milk?
You could probably do it either way, but I’d suggest doing it when the cake is warm.
My mother is planning on making this Cannoli Poke Cake and she would like to know if instead of using condensed milk, if you could use regular milk instead.
I wouldn’t recommend it. They quite different flavors and consistencies. I’d think regular milk would just soak right through the cake without really giving it much flavor like the sweetened condensed milk does.
My family loved this!! It’s just three of us, and the entire cake was gone in less than 24 hours. However, we live on an air base in Japan so I couldn’t find marscapone cheese in our small commisary, so I subbed cream cheese and it still tasted like cannoli filling, but I would maybe add some sour cream to make it a little tangier next time, and there definitely will be a next time!!
Hi, this cakes looks awesome and I can’t wait to try it, I just have a quick question. Many poke cake recipes I have seen direct you to pour the condensed milk onto the cake while it is still hot from the over, but you suggest letting it cool first. Any specific reason for that? Thanks!
Nope, no particular reason. Feel free to add it while the cake is warm.
Don’t let your cheeses get too warm, I had soup instead of frosting!
I am so impressed that you care enough to read and answer every comment! that takes a lot of time. You must be an incredibly nice person.
I’m going to try this recipe for an Italian themed Bunco but the ladies are crazy for chocolate so I think I will use a chocolate cake mix. I say that one other had done this and said it was good.
Haha, thanks Karen! I try to respond, though I’m probably not always as quick as some would like. 🙂 I hope you enjoy the cake!
For my sons second birthday I went with Italian food for the menu. I wanted the cake to go along with the “food theme” and decided I’d give this cake a go. I was super nervous because I’ve never had a cannoli before. This recipe is a KEEPER! Everyone loved it, wanted seconds and a copy of the recipe. I served it with vanilla bean ice cream and it was to die for.
Awesome! 🙂 So glad it was a hit!
Just wondering – did you make this in a 13×9 dish? Am making this for Easter this week. Thanks
Yes, in a 9×13.
What kind of cake mix do you recommend? The moist kind or….?
I believe I used a regular pillsbury mix.
Just made this and it was fantastic! It’s not exaclty the same flavor as a cannoli from a proper Italian bakery, but this recipe is marvelous. I would recommend making the icing by simply adding condensed milk a tablespoon at a time according to the texture of the icing you desire – if you want more thick and creamy icing, don’t add as much condensed milk and it shouldn’t be as runny, as some have written. Also, refrigerating it after you’very iced it for at least 5 hours will help the icing adhere to the cake and solidify more neatly. Great suggestion to substitute cream cheese for mascarpone if it’s not available in your market, but if you’ve never heard of mascarpone, I would ask one of the deli staff if they carry it and use it.
Can you make it into cupcakes using this recipe?
I think some others have told me they’ve done that successfully before. I haven’t tried it myself.
I can’t find the recipe on the page! This looks so delicious and I really want to try it! It looks like it was supposed to go at the end of the writing but there are just some link-type words, so maybe a bad link?
Hi Rebecca, I redesigned my site yesterday and it seems to have caused some issues with recipes displaying on mobile. If you can view it on a computer, you should be able to see it.
This cake was a HUGE hit with my big Italian family. We have cannolis at every family party and for our Sunday dinner someone dropped the ball on placing and order so I baked this. It was quite popular and crazy inexpensive to make especially in comparison to buying cannoli from a bakery. I did however cheat and sub low fat cream cheese for the mascarpone 🙂
This cake tasted even better the two days after I baked it!
I absolutely loved this recipe. I did strain my ricotta. The consistency of the frosting was perfect and I wanted to eat the whole cake myself!
This cake looks amazing! I was thinking about making it in two 8″ pans and stacking the cakes with some of the topping in the middle as well as on top… Will the cakes stand up to stacking, or does the poke and soak make them too flimsy to try stacking them? Thanks!
I haven’t ever tried it. If you do stack it, I probably wouldn’t poke the cakes and soak them.
I’m going to be making this week and was wondering how Fat Free Sweetened Condensed Milk would work??
Should be fine.
Holy Cannoli!!! This was gooooood! Of course, I didn’t read the recipe ahead of time, so on the day I made it, I realized that I wasn’t going to have enough time to make the cake (with the soak and set times) so I made cupcakes. I used one of the OP’s suggestions, and added 3 Tbsp (ok, it might have been more like 4) of the sweetened condensed milk and 1 3/4 cups of confectioners sugar, since the icing was going on top of cupcakes & I didn’t want it too thin. Finished it with mini chips & powdered sugar & they were adorable! And yummy! I made 24 for a barbecue & there were none left. Even my picky DS loved them! Thanks!
They sound great and so cute! I’m glad they were a hit!
This popped up on my facebook today and I almost didn’t give it a second look. I’ve only heard of poke cakes with pudding or jello poured over them & I don’t care for them. But this looked SO DELICIOUS that I just HAD to click on it & see – and I’m glad I did. The recipe is more like a Tres Leche cake, which I LOVE, and the idea of the cannoli filling sounds perfect. And then I see all of the other cakes to tempt me following this recipe & now I’ going to be stuck looking through your recipes for several hours now 😀
Pure sweetened condensed milk sounds a little too sweet to me, so I may try to make 2 version – yours, and then do one with the tres leche millk mix and the cannoli topping and see which we like best.
I’m so glad you clicked over to check it out. Most of my poke cakes use something other than pudding or jello to flavor them, so you’re in the right place. 🙂 The comparison sounds like a great idea. It all depends on how sweet you like things. I definitely have a sweet tooth. 😉
I just made this cannoli poke cake last night and it’s delicious!! My husband doesn’t like treats because they are usually too sweet for him, but he loved it! Thank you!
I just made this cake and I beat the icing FOREVER and could not get lumps out! I beat just the cheeses first and then when I couldn’t get them smooth I added the milk to see if that would help. It still tastes pretty good but I’m worried people will think its too lumpy to enjoy. I have read and re-read all the instructions thinking I missed something and I read most of the comments and no one else had this issue so I’m wondering if I did something wrong.
Hmm, I’m not sure. There isn’t much in the ingredients that could be lumpy. Maybe the ricotta? There’s definitely a lot of variation in the texture of ricotta. If you make it again, maybe try smoothing the ricotta first, then add in the mascarpone and other ingredients.
It’s probably the brand of ricotta. I bought the store brand the first time, and it was grainy. Tasted delicious, but the texture was a bit off. The last time I got the ricotta in the “fancier” cheese section and it was as smooth as the ricotta in these pictures.
Hi!
This looks so good. I’ve never made a poke cake before and I was just wondering, do you poke the holes all the way down to the bottom of the cake or only part way through?
Thanks so much!
My cake is in the oven now. Can’t wait to try it!
You’ll poke the holes all the way through (or at least mostly) so that everything soaks in. Enjoy it!
Anything recommended to replace chocolate chips? I’ve never tried connoli so not sure of the taste.
That depends on why the replacement. Do you not care for chocolate? The chocolate chips are more of a garnish that add a little chocolate flavor and are usually on the ends of a cannoli. You could leave them off if you’d prefer. If you’d like to replace the chocolate with something, you could try some crushed nuts, maybe a sprinkling of cinnamon or cocoa?
I’m making this for the second time in a week tonight. Tested it out on my family on Sunday – LOVED it. Making it for a work function tomorrow & have no doubt it will be a BIG hit. THANKS!
I’m so glad it was a hit! Thanks Kristina!
I just made this for Easter and everyone loved it! The frosting came out just like normal frosting for me. I used whole milk ricotta which I could not drain at all. I also used only a 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk in the frosting, along with 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar and it came out exactly like normal frosting. I will definetly be making this cake again!
Dear Lindsay, this cake sounds marvelous. It looks so light and moist…I will be dreaming of this all day! xo, Catherine
Thanks Catherine!
I love cannolis. A real connisuer. I made this cake on Sunday. The reviews from family and friends were some of the best I have ever gotten and I bake a lot. I love this cake! So much so, that I am making it again, this Sunday! SO Delish and kind of refreshing! Thank you, Recipe Maker.
1 note; I used 1 1/2 bars of the new “greek” cream cheese in stead of the mascapone for a nice little tangy zip. I think I’ll keep it that way on the count of the extra protein. Thanks again..Love Love LOVE this recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
This cake was as you said: amazing!! The
next time I make it though(and there will be
a next time) I will make the cannoli frosting
a little thicker. Thanks for the recipe.
yummy all reciepies look easy and yummy
I didn’t read through every comment, so I’m not sure if this has already been answered or asked, but can you make a white cake from scratch and use instead of a box? That may seem like a silly question, but I was curious. I have only recently learned about poke cakes and I always see them made with boxed cake mix. Is it just for convenience?
Yes, you could use a homemade cake. I think it’s mostly convenience to use a box. Box cakes also tend to be very fluffy, which makes it nice for absorbing the liquid easily. I have done other poke cakes with a scratch cake before though.
I am making this now. Going to a rather large gathering and i doubled it. My “frosting” is not overly thick or thin. I did strain the ricotta. It is tasty. I found the type of ricotta you use can be on the “grainy” side. I only used a few tablespoons of the condensed milk in the frosting. I will give it a full review once it has been consumed. So far so good.
I’m glad everything went well with making it! I hope it was a hit!
I am making this cake this very second. Looks absolutely amazing. My store did NOT have mascarpone cheese but I did find a substitute recipe…..16oz softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup sour cream & 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream. Blend until smooth. Voila
I’m glad you were able to find a substitute! I hope you enjoyed it! 🙂
Hello, love 🙂 I happened to tumble upon this website by accident, and as usual, the sugarey section attracted me to clicking and more clicking. I scrolled down to the reviews and I saw how you replied to each and every one. I think it’s very kind of you to do so, and with those hopes, I decided to tell you thank you and God, how I wish I were your neighbor! And I also had a question; my dad isn’t very fond of too much sugar so I was worried about how sugarey all of that condensed milk plus frosting plus cake box mix, which is already very sweet, is going to be. Can I make the white cake from scratch without adding sugar? Or is it going to taste horrible? Please tell me, oh Great Sweet One. 😀
I’m so glad you found my blog! 🙂 As for how sweet this cake is, I have a pretty big sweet tooth, so probably take this with a grain of salt – or sugar – but I do think this is one of my less sweet cakes. The topping for sure is not super sweet. You could reduce the amount of sweetened condensed milk that you pour over the cake though, if you wanted.
I made this today. My icing was grainy…maybe from the ricotta. Is that normal? Could I have done something wrong?
Hmm, it isn’t normal for it to be grainy, but I have heard that once before. I’m really not sure what it’d be. The mascarpone and powdered sugar shouldn’t make it grainy, so the only thing I’d think would be the ricotta. Maybe try to beat the ricotta until smooth before adding it to the topping next time.
I am so making this cake for work this Thursday coming for a friend that is leaving. I will get back on the turn out. It looks and sounds amazing.
Awesome! I’d love know how it turns out!
Made this late tonight. Will be taking it to a get together tomorrow afternoon. Wasn’t sure I would have enough time to make it in the morning. Looks delicious! I was worried with some of the reviews about the consistency of the topping. However mine actually came out thick and whipped like frosting. I really think it does have a lot to do with the water content of the cheeses. I used Mascarpone (container said made for Tiramisu and more) and Fresca Ricotta cheeses found in deli section of grocery store. They each had a thick consistency. I used Ghirardelli semi sweet chocolate chips on top. I can’t wait to eat this tomorrow!
Awesome! I’m so glad you are happy with it! Thanks Tiffany! 🙂
Currently in the process of making the cake! So far so good, just waiting for the cake to absorb milk in the fridge and then I will frost it! Question about the cannoli filling/topping…..my thickness is good as I added just a little extra powdered sugar and my ricotta didn’t need straining (I was worried but so far it’s not water) however it is a bit grainy
Hmm, I’m not sure why it’d be grainy. There isn’t really anything in the icing that should cause that. Did it turn out alright?
Fail….
The only thing that worked was the cake. The frosting/topping went in the trash. Somehow this recipe is deceptive since it has failed for so many.
I’m not sure what you mean Holly. Looking through the comments, there are a few that had trouble, but the majority have loved it and made it several times. Did you strain the ricotta? It seems like different brands have various amounts of liquid and that could be the problem that some are having.
ive been dying to make this for a while just hadnt had time to go out and find mascarpone cheese i havent been able to find it anywhere and i finally did but instead of regular i got cocoa flavored I saw it and was like why not add more chocolately ❤❤
the container says made with espresso and cocoa mmmm
Oh that sounds delicious! I hope you enjoy it!!
I made this is week. Delicious! I do have a question…Is it suppose to be 1/2 cup of ricotta and 1/2 cup mascarpone or 1-1/2 cups of both? I did the 1-1/2 c of both and my icing layer was much thicker than what yours appears to be in the photo.
It is 1-1/2 cups of each. It could just be the way the photos look. Sounds like you did it correctly. I hope you enjoyed it!
I wonder if you mix mini chocolate chips in the cake batter would it still be as amazing as it looks!
I’m sure that’d be tasty!
This cake is in the fridge now.. It’s
Christmas Eve and I was asked to bring dessert to a party. I know it will be yummy because it smells amazing and we licked the frosting batters!
I loved this recipe!! I wondered if it could be made and frozen? It would only be for a week then taken out. Thanks for the delicious recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I have never tried freezing it, so I’m not sure how well that’d work.
This is on my menu for Christmas. Can someone tell me do I have to strain the Ricotta? Lindsay do you? Thanks.
I don’t strain it, but I know some have and prefer to. I think it’s a question of just how thick you want your icing. I don’t think you can go wrong either way, but if it’s a particularly wet ricotta, straining it might be good to be safe.
I made this today and my icing came out thick. I strained the ricotta as you are supposed to do with cannoli filling. The consistency of the icing was great however, overall I didn’t think the cake itself was great. It wasn’t very sweet and very bland, not much flavor at all. Everyone who tried it thought the same. 🙁
My topping wasn’t runny at all. It was thick and fluffy. Is that okay?
That’s perfect! It should be thicker. I’ve never actually had a problem with it being runny.
Made this for dinner tonight – absolutely delicious!!! Thinking about adding a little bit of Amaretto to the topping next time – YUM!
I’m so glad you liked it! The Amaretto sounds delicious!
It is so good my friends had it for breakfast the next day!
This is a lot easier to make than it looks. I made it for friends that lived in the Chicago area and they were pretty impressed. Just don’t try the frosting until the cake is covered or it will never get to the cake. Using the cinnamon gave the taste a little more complex and I recommend adding it in. Thanks for such a great recipe, because cannoli are a real pain to fill!
Love the recipe. Am making today for my stepdaughters birthday. Cannoli cake is her face and we all love homemade. Am going to try to thicken up icing with various tips on your comments section. So so excited
I hope it was a hit!
I made this cake into two 8×8 cakes and brought them to two different occasions. They were both met with rave reviews! The cannoli topping is so good!!! I used slightly less than the recommended cinnamon and about 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar. I am baking some white cupcakes right now to attempt to transform this recipe into cupcakes… Here goes nothing!
I’m so glad you like the cake Charlene! Did the cupcakes work out?
First crack at cupcakes did not work out… I used a different ricotta that must have been more moist because I could not get the filling to thicken… Next time I will try straining the ricotta. Also, I will alter the white cake batter – adding the sweetened condensed milk wasn’t working and a plain white cupcake was missing something… This is definitely a work in progress and I will be trying again! This cannoli frosting is too good to not be inside a delicious, moist white cupcake!
When I make a layered cannoli cake, I use whipped cream to frost the sides. Is there any way to use whipped cream into the recipe?
Maybe you could add some whipped cream around the edges of the cake? Or a scoop when you serve the pieces of cake?
Made this tonight and the filling is wonderful! I substituted the mascarpone cheese with 1 package of cream cheese, 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream, and 2 tablespoons of softened butter – just whipped them together in my mixer and it turned out awesome!
I’m so glad you were able to make substitutions that worked for you! Thanks Miranda! Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I made the cake today and for the frosting I omitted the extra condensed milk and used 1.5 cups of powdered sugar. I think it taste amazing and looks pretty sturdy. I am bringing this for a potluck along with the no-bake Oreo cheesecake. I love this site!
I’m so glad you are happy with it Sarah! I’m glad you are enjoying the site too – thanks!! 🙂
I used and did everything you said and the frosting was so runny! It would not stay on the cake…..why???? I made it twice and the same terrible end result. Why am I reading people had to alter the recpe. Why did your come out like the picture and not ours? What a mess!
I’m sorry you’re having trouble with the topping. It seems like the ricotta usually is the problem, as there’s a lot of variation in the amount of water in it. You could try replacing the ricotta with mascarpone, to avoid it completely. You could also strain the ricotta, leave the sweetened condensed milk out of the icing entirely or add more powdered sugar.
Made this tonight (according to reipe). Yes, the cannoli filling was runny even though the ricotta was not wet enough to drain. It did not stay on top of the cake but ran to and over the sides. It tastes delicious and was definitely hard to keep from eating out of the bowl. I’m hoping it will harden in the fridge because it does not look like yours. Did you whip the filling with an electric mixer or by hand? Runny or not, I will try it again!
I hope it worked out once you refrigerated it. I have an electric mixer that I use.
I wanted to let you know that this recipe was the most awesome cake I have ever made !! I also tried it over a dark chocolate cake which was absolutely heavenly !!! Kuddos to you for sharing this recipe !!!
What a compliment! Thank you Cheri!! I bet it was great over chocolate cake – yum!
Hey there! My dad is turning 40 in a week and were throwing him a surprise party tomorrow! His favorite dessert is cannoli and when I saw this recipe on Pinterest I knew it’d be perfect! I looked at every food store in my area and couldn’t find mascarpone, so I was going to sub ricotta. Would I substitute using a 1:1 ratio? Would I add any additional ingredients in? Thank you so much and I can’t wait to enjoy this recipe!
What a bummer you can’t find the mascarpone. Did you check the deli part of the store? It’s not normally with the cheddars and shredded cheese, but with the fancy cheeses in the deli. You can definitely sub ricotta though. It’d be a 1:1 ratio. And since ricotta has more liquid in it, you might consider draining the ricotta first. The other option would be cream cheese, if you want something a little sweeter. Enjoy it!
Can I make this at like 10am and not serve til 9pm at night??? Can it sit the fridge that long? Should I wait to put on the chocolate chips? Do you bring to room temperature before you serve it?
Yes, it’ll be fine in the fridge for that long. You don’t need to wait before adding the chocolate chips and you don’t need to bring it to room temperature. In fact, I recommend serving it cold. Enjoy!
I’m wondering, how thick would the filling have to be to make this into a layer cake and not be too easily oozed out of the layers? This would make an amazing birthday cake for my man!
I love the idea of making this a layered cake, but the filling is pretty thin. I’d be tough to get it thick enough. I think the flavor would be lost by the time enough powdered sugar was added. I’m sorry.
This cake was delicious, but the topping was much too runny, even after sitting in the fridge. I followed the recipe exactly, and then added extra powdered sugar when I saw how soupy the topping was, but I think in the future I would either strain the ricotta first or else greatly decrease the proportion of ricotta to mascarpone. Maybe I just used a particularly runny brand of ricotta, but that was definitely what made the topping too thin.
It was a bit of a sloppy mess, but it tasted great!
it looks delicious!
This cake sounds great, love poke cakes. My family is coming on the weekend , celebrating my sister’s birthday, so thought this would be good Birthday Cake.
Definitely! I hope you all love it!
Whoa, this cake looks crazy good, Lindsay! Pinned. Hope you have a great 4th!
Thanks Julie! Happy 4th to you too!
I make cannoli filling and it is different than the way you make it. My grandparents came from Italy and I make it the way they taught me. I really want to make this cake but I think I will use the filling I make and also try it your way. Will let you know how it turns out.
Yes, this filling is a little different, as I added sweetened condensed milk to it. If you have a filling you prefer, I’m sure it’d be delicious!
I’ve been looking up different cannoli filling recipes since my was SOOOO runny…kinda disappointed…will make again, but perhaps straining the ricotta cheese would help…taste was delicious!!
I made this cake today and it was a huge hit! I read the comments about the frosting being runny, so I whipped mine a bit with the whip attachment on the mixer and it really helped. I used probably about 1/2 cup more powdered sugar and beat it for about 2 minutes. It set right up in the refrigerator in just about a held hour. Also, I made a 2 later cake instead of using a square pan and the frosting was perfect for spreading on the cake, not runny at all. I was also conserved about the sweetness with the sweetened condensed milk, so I mixed it with an equal portion of milk and used that to pour on the cake. My only regret is that I didn’t use more (used about 2 cups for 2 layers). Otherwise, this recipe was delicious! I could have probably eaten all of the frosting by itself! Will definitely be making this again.
I’m so glad you liked it Olivia! The frosting is the best part! 🙂
i also made this as a two layer cake. Thank you to everyone who posted hints about firming up the frosting. I added 1-1/4 cup powdered sugar, mixed using the whip attachment, and I also folded in a generous 1/2 cup of freshly made whipped cream. Result was perfect. This cake might be the best cake I have ever eaten – it will surely become a regular in the line- up!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
Made this cannoli poke cake yesterday for my Father’s Day celebration cookout! It was a huge hit cuz it was beyond delicious ……..needless to say the cake was inhaled!! Thank you so much I followed the recipe exactly
I’m so glad it was a hit Cindy! 🙂
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Thank you for the nice recipe, Lindsey. Have a Wonderful Sunday!
Is there a substitute for the mascarpon cheese? I am going to make this for my Bunko group!
You could use all ricotta cheese, or try subbing cream cheese. The cream cheese will be a little thicker and sweeter.
I’m waiting for the cake to cool so I can frost it..you’re right, there’s no keeping your fingers out of the bowl!! It’s delicious 🙂
Awesome! I hope you enjoyed the finished product! 🙂
I made this tonight and the cannoli topping is pretty runny. I even used 1 3/4 cups of sugar instead of just one, and it still wasn’t very thick. Is this how it is supposed to be/do you have any tips? I did a taste test and it tastes great, just a bit on the runny side.
Yes, it is a thinner topping. Not nearly as thick as a traditional icing, more like a thinner whipped cream. If you’d like it to be thicker next time, you could leave the sweetened condensed milk out. You could also add more powdered sugar – up to 3 cups probably.
I made this last night, covered it and then presented it for my husband’s birthday today. The cannoli topping seemed runny after being in the fridge overnight. In your pictures, you must’ve served it right away. It tasted great, but very sweet, even leaving out the powder sugar. I will def make it again but will make slight modifications to lessen the sugar/sweet. Thank you!
If you left out some powdered sugar, that could be part of the reason that it wasn’t as firm. However, the topping isn’t as thick as a normal icing. You could leave out some of the sweetened condensed milk next time to lessen the sweetness and make it firmer. Glad you liked it! Happy birthday to your husband!
Hi, I was wondering if you hand mix or mix with a mixer? Just curious.
I normally use a stand mixer.
I will be making this cake for my Hubby, his Birthday is the July Forth! instead of using choclate bits, I’m going to use White Bit’s.
He doesn’t care for ALL Chocolate.
What is “Masponecar ?
I can “Already taste the cake!”.
Please Reply.
Thank You.
Great! Mascarpone cheese is a very smooth, light cheese that is usually found in the deli and specialty cheese section of the grocery store. This is the one I use (looks like Walmart must have it too).
Is mascarpone cheese found in the cheese section of the grocery store? I’ve never heard of this before. Can you tell maybe what kind of taste it has? Thanks for the recipie. It looks great!
Its usually in the deli section. The taste is hard to describe. Its much lighter and smoother than a traditional cheese. Not really sweet, but lends itself to sweet well. Its also used in tirsamisu.
Hi; Just wondering what size cake mix you used…
I believe its a 15.25 oz box, but any 9×13 cake mix should be fine.
My co-worker made the Cannoli poke cake and It was great. I ate 3 pieces and enjoyed every bite.
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Is it best to bake this the same day you plan on serving ? Or could it be made on Friday and served on Sunday, or even the day before. Can’t wait to try it. Thank you!
The day before might be better than 2 days before, but yes you can definitely do it ahead of time.
In your recipe, you recommended to make the poke cake 4 to 5 days ahead of time. To Vicky G you said serve the day after making or 2 days before. How long should the cake be stay in the fridge before serving? I don’t want to make a mistake.
Thanks
bunkiethelittleitalian
I’m sorry if it was confusing in the recipe. The 4-5 days is how long I recommend the cake will keep for. I updated the instructions to be more clear. Once the cake has absorbed the sweetened condensed milk and you add the topping, it should sit in the fridge for a few hours until the topping has firmed a bit and then you can serve it.
I have to try this!!! Yum-O!!!
Wow! This looks so delicious! My husband’s whole family loves cannolis, pinning this to remember to make it for them, next time they are in town. You photos are awesome as well!
Kristy @ 3 Peppers Recipes – Crafts, Cooking & Color
Thanks so much Kristy!
I’ve only had cannoli cake one time from a the best local Italian bakery in my area. It was fabulous and it had broken cannoli shells on the outside (an idea for your recipe?). I am so happy to have a recipe to make my own. This sounds GREAT! Pinned!
Ohhh, what a great idea! Thanks AnnMarie!
holy Cannoli! I have to try this!
Ha! Totally! Can’t wait to see you – 3 days! 🙂
Thank you for posting this Cannoli Poke Cake recipe! I followed your recipe, and served this cake today, for Mother’s Day! It was a huge hit! This is definitely my favorite cake now, and I will be making it as often as I can!!
Awesome!! I’m so glad it was a hit Rachael! Thanks for the feedback! 🙂
I made the cannoli cake again last night for my brother’s birthday. It’s so simple to prepare, and so delicious. I almost always have all the ingredients on hand anyway, which helps a lot! Thanks again!
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoy it! I love it when I have ingredients for my favorite things handy. 🙂
I love cannoli- this cake is amazing! I love the flavours!
Thank you! 🙂
Can’t wait to try this! I was just wondering….is it a 1/2 cup of each of the cheeses or 1 and 1/2 cups? Thanks so much for sharing this, this is going to be a Mother’s Day treat for a good friend and myself!!
It is one and a half cups of each. Enjoy it!
This is so perfect right now! I love to bake, but it seems like lately I need an specific reason to make a cake (why does everyone I know need an excuse for cake?!). This is definitely happening for father’s day – my hubby is a huge cannoli addict!
I agree – I see no need for an occasion for cake! 🙂 This would be great for father’s day though!
OH MY GOD I’m dying for that filling. It would never have made it to the cake ,for sure!
It almost didn’t – so good!
Oh this just looks delicious! I’ve seen some interesting cannoli recipes, but I haven’t seen a cake until now! I’ve actually never tried a cannoli, maybe I should start with something similar like this 😉
Thanks Rachel! This is definitely an easy place to start. 🙂
This cake is serious perfection! I need it in my life!
Thanks Jocelyn!
Lucky friend to have this as his birthday cake!I have been meaning to try a poke cake , I just haven’t gotten to it. This one looks so delicious I was sure this would be the recipe I would try. But maybe I will just make the topping and eat it with a spoon! 🙂
Lol, Thanks Wendy! 🙂
The cannoli filling is totally the best part! And the only part I actually eat 😉 So your poke cake sounds like chocolate chip cannoli heaven! I’ve never make a poke cake but yours looks absolutely delicious! Is it bad that I don’t know how to pronounce “poke”? I say it like “pokey” is that wrong?
Poke cakes are great – so easy! Pronounced without they “Y” 🙂
Really?! That seems like a shame. But I guess it makes sense because you poke holes in it before pouring on the tres leches part.
Thanks for this recipe. Just made it for my wifes birthday tomorrow. was worried about the frosting being to runny but all the reviews were very helpful. I used 1 3/4 cup of conf. sugar and only 3 tbl spoons of the milk and it looks just like the picture and hopefully will taste as good as it looks
I’m so glad it worked out! Thanks Rich!
Hi there….was reading all the comments about the frosting being runny, would it be at all possible to add some gelatin to help set it up and if so how much. Just curious?
I haven’t tried it, so I can’t say for sure. I think there’s a lot of variation in the water in ricotta – if you’re sure to strain it, the icing should be fine without gelatin.
I just made this cake last night and it wasn’t runny at all. I used a high quality ricotta from the deli section though, not the cheese section of the grocery store. There was almost no water at all. I don’t know if that is what made the difference. The “frosting” came out nice and fluffy, I swear there is a good inch + of the cannoli filling on top of the 9×13 🙂 On a side note, I literally could have just taken my kitchenaid bowl off the mixer, gotten a spoon and could have eaten all that delicious frosting/ filling! yummmmm
Awesome! 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed it!