What kind of pound cake should I use for this easy cannoli cake?

As I explained in the Ingredient notes section above, I use the "family size" Sara Lee Family Size All Butter Pound Cake , which is 16 ounces ( 454 g) . This cake is sold in the freezer section of the grocery store. If you are using this cake, you will likely use about 3/4 of the cake. If you can't find the family size Sara Lee pound cake, you can also use two regular sized Sara Lee frozen pound cakes, that are 10.75 ounces (304 g) each. You will probably end up using about one and a half of those in total. Or, you can also buy a pound cake in the bakery section of the grocery store or make your own. You will just need about 12 ounces of cake in total, but it's probably safer to buy or make a little extra just in case your cake is denser or you cut your slices a bit thicker than I did. If you don't buy a frozen cake, just make sure to stick your cake in the freezer right when you start the recipe. When you are ready to slice the pound cake it will be easier to make thinner, cleaner slices.

What kind of pan should I use to make this cake?

This recipe calls for an 8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) square pan. I prefer using a glass pan , because that way you can see if you have any air pockets between the layers. You also want to use a pan that has deeper sides . If the pan you are using has shallow sides, you may not have enough room to fit all the layers. The pan I recommend is the Anchor Hocking 8-Inch Square Glass Baking Dish with TrueFit Lid (affiliate link) . It has sides that are 2.65 inches (6.7 cm) tall . If you don't have an 8 x 8 inch pan or are concerned that the 8 x 8 inch pan you have isn't deep enough, you can make the cake in a 9 x 9 inch (23 x 23 cm) pan. If using a 9 x 9 inch pan, keep in mind that depending on the dimensions of the pound cake you are using, you may have a small gap on the sides that you can fill with smaller pieces of cake. The cannoli filling and ganache layers will also be thinner. But, the cake will still taste delicious!

Can I make easy cannoli cake ahead of time?

Yes, that's the beauty of this cake! You will need to refrigerate the finished cake for a minimum of 3 hours before cutting into it, but you can make it the day before with no problems. Just make sure to cover the top with plastic wrap (after the ganache has had a little time to set up first).

Easy Cannoli Cake

Description

A cannoli cake recipe made in a baking pan, so it's easy to take to dinner parties and potlucks! Plus, it couldn't be easier because it uses store-bought pound cake, and only 6 ingredients in total!

Ingredients

Units Scale

one 16 ounce (454 g) "family size" store bought frozen pound cake (see note 1)
one 15 ounce (425 g) container whole milk ricotta cheese
one 12 ounce (340 g) bag mini chocolate chips, divided (see note 2)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups (473 ml) heavy whipping cream, divided
3/4 cup (88 g) powdered sugar

Instructions

If your cake isn't frozen, place in the freezer.
Place 1 cup (237 ml) of the heavy whipping cream in a medium microwave-safe bowl and heat on high for 90 seconds. Add 1 cup (178 g) of the mini chocolate chips, making sure the chips are all submerged. Let sit for two minutes and then stir until the chocolate is all melted and the mixture is smooth. If the chocolate isn't melting all the way after stirring well, microwave the mixture in 15 second increments until smooth, stirring well in between. (See note 3.) Place in the refrigerator.
Place the ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Whisk until combined and smooth. Add 1/2 cup (89 g) of mini chocolate chips and stir to combine.
Using an immersion blender or hand beaters, beat the remaining 1 cup (237 ml) of heavy whipping cream to stiff peaks. (If you are using an immersion blender, place the cream in a tall-sided container; if using hand beaters, place the cream in a medium bowl.) Add half of the whipped cream to the ricotta mixture and gently fold it in. Then fold in the remaining whipped cream. Set cannoli filling aside.
Cut the frozen pound cake into 1/4 inch (6.35 mm) slices using a serrated knife. Layer some of the cake pieces into a deep 8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) pan so the bottom is completely covered in one layer of cake. (See notes 4 - 5.) Depending on the size and shape of the cake pieces, you may need to trim some of the pieces to fit. It's ok if the pieces overlap slightly. If they do, very gently press them down to remove some of the air pockets.
Add half of the cannoli filling on top of the bottom cake layer and spread it so the filling is even. Add another layer of cake to the top. Gently press the cake pieces down so the cake adheres to the filling underneath.
Repeat this process by adding the remaining filling and one more layer of cake on top.
Retrieve the ganache from the fridge and stir until smooth. Pour all of the ganache over the top and smooth out with a spoon if necessary. Top with as many of the remaining mini chocolate chips as you like. Place in the fridge for a minimum of three hours or overnight. Cover the cake after it has been in the fridge for 15 minutes; this allows the ganache to firm up so the cover will be less likely to stick.

Notes

The brand of pound cake I use is Sara Lee Family Size All Butter Pound Cake, which you can find in the freezer section of the grocery store. There will be some left over if you use the 16 ounce "family size" cake. If you can't find the 16 ounce pound cake, you can buy 2 regular size Sara Lee (10.75 ounce) frozen pound cakes; you will have about half of the second one left over. Or, you can buy any pound cake or make your own. I used about 12 ounces of cake in total, but if you are buying a non-frozen cake of a different brand or making your own, buy a little extra to make sure you don't run out in case your cake is denser or you cut your slices thicker.
Make sure the bag of mini chocolate chips you purchase is a full 12 ounces (340 g), recently I have seen some bags being sold that are only 10 ounces!
When making the ganache, it may seem like the chocolate isn't melting when you first start to stir it, but it will come together so just be patient. If you end up needing to microwave it for additional time as instructed in the recipe, be careful to not overheat it so the ganache doesn't split.
In order to fit the cake, you will need a square 8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) baking pan with taller sides; the one I use has sides that are 2.65 inches (6.7 cm) tall. If the square pan you have has sides that are significantly shorter, you can use a 9 x 9 inch (23 x 23 cm) pan instead to ensure you have enough room. Please note, if using a 9 x 9 inch pan, the cannoli filling and ganache layers will be thinner. And, to completely fill in the larger size of the 9 x 9 inch pan, you may need to cut some extra pieces of pound cake to fill any gaps.
Using a ruler will help to make even slices of the correct thickness! If you cut the cake slices thicker than 1/4 inch (6.35 mm), you may have trouble fitting all the layers in the pan, depending on the depth of the pan you are using.
The nutrition information below is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator, and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, health, or nutritional advice. See our full disclosure policy.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/12 recipe
Calories: 397
Sugar: 27.9 g
Sodium: 261 mg
Fat: 21.2 g
Saturated Fat: 10.9 g
Carbohydrates: 44.3 g
Fiber: .2 g
Protein: 7.3 g
Cholesterol: 67 mg

Keywords: cannoli cake, easy cannoli cake, no bake cannoli cake