Cassata Cake
In my paternal grandparents' house it was always Cassata Cake. This Italian treat was the only cake I can remember for any and all occasions at their home. It was my paternal grandmother Albina's trademark dessert along with her S-shaped white wine cookies. In Italian it translates as "Wedding Cake", but it was everyone's birthday cake as well as every holiday or family event. Cassata cake is a sponge cake and the sponge cake recipe included here is a classic and great start for many desserts. It is perfect just plain or dusted with confectioners' sugar and is the ideal canvas for whipped cream and berries. If baked on a sheet pan it makes for a great ice cream filled rolled cake.
Ingredients
Sponge Cake
- 9 Eggs (separate the yolks and the whites)
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ cup Confectioners' Sugar
- 1½ cups Flour
- ½ stick Melted Butter
Filling
- 2 lbs Ricotta Cheese
- 1 cup Sugar
- ½ cup Chocolate Chip Morsels
- ½ tsp Cinnamon
- ½ cup Candied Fruit (optional - I never use this because I don't like candied fruit but if you do that's great - most people do like it)
- Zest & Juice of One Lemon
Simple Syrup
- 1 cup Sugar
- ½ cup Water
- ¼ cup Rum or Brandy
Icing
- 1 bag Confectioners' Sugar
- ½ cup Milk (a little at a time)
- 1 tbsp Pure Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Sponge Cake
- Pre-heat oven to 350℉. Prepare two 9" round cake pans or one sheet pan by buttering pans and placing a piece of parchment paper on bottom then buttering the parchment paper and dusting it with flour tapping out excess flour.
- In a heat-proof bowl whisk together Egg Yolks and Sugar. Then place bowl over boiling water for 3-5 minutes stirring yolk mixture until hot and being careful not to cook the eggs.
- Place hot egg mixture into a stand mixer and beat until light and fluffy - approximately 5-8 minutes - until smooth batter is formed.
- Add Vanilla Extract and Salt and pour batter into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a clean, dry and cold mixing bowl beat Egg Whites until stiff peaks and slowly add Confectioners' Sugar.
- Add stiff egg whites to batter a little at a time and gently fold into batter. Then sift Flour over batter. Gently incorporate flour into batter.
- Melt Butter and pour around the sides of the mixing bowl and gently fold into batter.
- Pour batter into prepared pans and bake in a 350℉ oven for 25-30 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. For a sheet pan baking time would be about 18-20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes then turn cake out and remove parchment paper.
Filling
- Mix together Ricotta Cheese, Sugar, Chocolate Chip Morsels, Cinnamon, Candied Fruit (optional), Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice.
Simple Syrup
- Bring Sugar, Water and Rum (or Brandy) to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes. Let syrup completely cool.
Assembly
- Place bottom of cake on serving platter and sprinkle with simple syrup. Spread with ricotta filling. Place another layer of cake and repeat with syrup and filling and finish with one more layer of cake. Sprinkle that layer with syrup. Let rest in the refrigerator.
Icing
- Make icing by blending Confectioners' Sugar, Milk (a little at a time) and Pure Vanilla Extract. Adjust icing with more liquid or more sugar until you reach a thick yet pourable consistency.
- Pour icing/glaze over cake and let set for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator before slicing.
Notes
Additional Thoughts on Sponge Cake
This classic cake recipe is a great start for many desserts. It is perfect just plain or dusted with confectioners’ sugar and is the ideal canvas for whipped cream and berries. If baked on a sheet pan it makes for a great ice cream filled rolled cake. Use your creative mind to make your signature dessert.
One of my favorites is filling with fresh whipped cream and peaches (canned or jarred work best) and use some of the syrup to lightly moisten the cake before assembling. Strawberries and bananas also work great with this cake as does just a great chocolate butter cream. Anything you use works great on such a plain and simply delicious start.
