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A slice of the easy cassata cake on a plate, with the rest of the cake on a serving platter and a bowl of citrus fruit in the background.
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3.50 from 2 votes

Easy Cassata Cake (Italian Sponge Cake with Ricotta, Chocolate, and Honey)

In this easy, rustic take of Italian Cassata Cake, two sponge cake layers are soaked in honey and filled with a creamy ricotta and chocolate filling. Though this recipe is fairly simple, plan on at least 2 hours to chill in your fridge. Feel free to prepare the sponge cake the night before, and slice and soak it the next day after it's had plenty of time to set.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Chill time2 hours
Total Time3 hours 10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 12 to 16 slices
Author: Mark Beahm

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • Butter, for greasing
  • 5 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cup (150g) cake flour, sifted, plus more for coating the cake pan
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • Powdered sugar, for dusting

For the Syrup

  • 1/4 cup 60ml water
  • 2 tablespoons (42g) honey
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar

For the Ricotta Filling

  • 2 cups (500g) ricotta cheese (see note)
  • 1 cup (113g) powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup (130g) chopped semi-sweet chocolate or chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest

Instructions

  • Get ready: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Liberally grease an 8-inch by 3-inch round cake pan or 8-inch springform pan, then add a spoonful of flour and shake to distribute across the butter. Turn the pan over your sink to discard any excess flour, then line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
  • Whip the eggs: In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla, zest, and salt on medium-high speed until the mixture turns pale and thick and triples in volume, about 15 minutes in a hand mixer or 10 minutes in a stand mixer.
  • Fold in the flour: Switch to a silicone spatula and gently fold in the flour and baking powder just until no dry streaks of flour remain. Work swiftly but carefully to avoid deflating the beaten eggs.
  • Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the cake, then turn it out onto a rack, peel off the parchment paper, and allow to cool completely.
  • While the cake cools, make the honey simple syrup. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the water, honey, and sugar until the sugar and honey dissolve into a uniform syrup.
  • Make the filling: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the chocolate and orange zest and stir to distribute.
  • Sweeten the cake: Once the cake has cooled completely, use a bread knife to slice the cake in half horizontally. Use a pastry brush to brush the honey syrup on the cut sides of the cake layers. Keep applying the syrup with the pastry brush until you’ve used all of the syrup.
  • Layer the cake: Place the bottom cake layer on a cake stand or serving platter. Spread all of the ricotta filling over the cake layer with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Top with the second layer of cake.
  • Chill: Cover the cake and chill in your refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving, or overnight.
  • Serve: Dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar. Slice and serve.

Notes

  • For the ricotta: Go for a low-moisture ricotta (or strain). The moisture content of ricotta cheese varies widely among brands, and a “wetter” ricotta will make the filling too thin. I used a thick ricotta that held its shape when I removed it from the container. If the ricotta you bought has extra moisture, you may want to strain it before making the filling.
    • Transfer the ricotta to a cheesecloth-lined fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. 
    • Set it in the fridge and leave it to drain for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
  • To make the sponge cake the night before: Allow the cake to cool fully, then wrap it tightly in plastic. 
  • Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.

Nutrition

Calories: 236.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 6.9g | Fat: 8.7g | Saturated Fat: 4.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 67.5mg | Sodium: 133.1mg | Potassium: 110.5mg | Fiber: 0.9g | Sugar: 23.6g | Vitamin A: 217.5IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 86.7mg | Iron: 1mg

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