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
