Cassata Cake| Cassata Siciliana
Cassata Cake is an Italian dessert hailing from sunny Sicily. It's a showstopper of a dessert, often gracing special occasions with its presence. Imagine layers of sponge cake, soaked in flavorful syrup, and a creamy ricotta cheese filling that's pure heaven. Top it all off with candied fruits and a sprinkle of chocolate, and you've got a dessert that's both a taste sensation and a work of art.
Pro Tips for Cassata Cake Success
- Opt for the freshest, high-quality ingredients you can find.
- Experiment with different types of candied fruits and syrups for your unique twist.
- Don't rush the chilling—letting it sit for a bit amps up the flavor game.
Get Creative: Customize Your Cassata
Give it your personal touch:
- Try out different sponge cake flavors like chocolate or almond.
- Sneak in a layer of fruit preserves for an extra flavor pop.
- Drizzle some chocolate ganache for a luxurious finishing touch.
Questions You Might Have
- Can I prep Cassata Cake ahead of time? Absolutely! In fact, the flavors get even better if you make it a day ahead.
- Can store-bought cake layers do the trick? You bet! Grabbing pre-made cake layers saves time without sacrificing taste.
- How do I store leftover Cake? Cover it up with plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Is Cassata Cake gluten-free? Traditional versions use wheat-based sponge cake, but you can explore gluten-free options.
- Can I freeze Cassata Cake for later? You can, but the texture of the ricotta filling might change a bit.
There you have it—a journey into the world of Cassata Cake that's sure to make your taste buds dance. Whether it's a special occasion or simply a "treat yourself" moment, this Italian masterpiece is worth every delicious bite.
Cassata is just one of the Easter sweets that celebrate this festivity dessert. basically it is a round sponge cake , Soaked in fruit juice or liqueur and layered with ricotta cheese and candied fruit, cannoli. The outside of the cassata is covered in marzipan, pink and green icing and decorative designs. Today we trying to make Cassata cake. First we will learn how to make candied orange and vanilla sugar powder kicker at home. Then we will go into the process of making mince cakes. So lets begin .
- 7 tbsp Sugar (Powder)
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 4 Oranges (small)
- Sugar (Equal part of water)
- Water
- Ice
- 100 g
- 4 cup Ricotta Cheese
- 1/3 cup Vanilla sugar powder
- 50 g Candied Orange
- 1/2 cup Flour
- 10 Eggs
- 1 cup Sugar (powder)
- 1/4 cup sugar (for syrup)
- 1.2 cup Water
- 1 tbsp Maraschino cherry/preserved, sweetened cherry (Grated)
- 1 pinch Slat
- 1 Lemon peel
- 45 g butter
- 3 cup Powder Sugar
- egg white
- Water (As much as needed)
- 150 g Vanilla powder sugar
- Mixed Candied Fruit
- 1 cup Marzipan
- 1 1/2 tsp Pista Paste/ Pistachio paste
- We will make the cake in several steps. First we will make the candied oranges. You can make it at home or buy it from the store.
First, cut the oranges into slices. Remember not too thick or it will take time to dry, and not too thin or it will go round. Slices should be 3 mm thick.
Heat a pot of water and let the slices boil for at least 2 min. Boiling in water is the only reason, as it removes the bitterness of orange juice.
Immediately transfer the boiled pieces to an ice bath. As a result, not much water comes out of the orange slices.
Boil equal amount of water with sugar, when the mixture starts boiling, turn the gas to medium. Now add the solutions. And boil for 15 mins.
Now carefully remove one by one and let it cool on a rack for about 24 hour.
Our candied oranges are ready.
- Homemade vanilla sugar powder
7 tbsp sugar powder and 1 tbsp vanilla extract ,Mix together to make a paste.
Then spread the mixture thinly on a butter paper, and let it dry.
When dry, powder it. Ready vanilla sugar powder.
- Sponge Cake base making
Mix 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1 1/2 cups of sugar, a pinch of salt in a bowl and mix well with the help of a strainer.
Then mix 45 grams of butter and 10 eggs well so that there are no lumps.
Grease a cake mold with baking paper. Bake the cake in the oven for 30-35 minutes.
Check if the cake is done with a fork while making the cake. Allow to cool once the crust is done.
When it cool down , remove from the mold and cut the cake into two equal parts.
.
- Syrup making
Place a pan on the gas .
Boil 1/2 cup of water in 4 teaspoons of sugar and add half a shot of liqueur of your choice ,lemon peel to it and boil it for some time. Ready syrup
- HOW TO PREPARE SICILIAN CASSATA
Drain the ricotta cheese well using a sieve.
Then mix it with the vanilla-flavored powdered sugar in a bowl.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, puree the ricotta cheese until you get a smooth, soft cream.
Add the chocolate chips, candied oranges cut into small cubes and add to the cream.
Place the refrigerated filling in a plastic-wrapped bowl. Prepare green marzipan with marzipan, pistachio paste (pista paste), little powdered sugar.
Roll out the marzipan into a sheet 12cm wide and 1/2cm thick.
Then cut it in half lengthwise down the middle and cut out pieces of marzipan in the shape of a trapezoid.
For the cassata you will need a round cake pan .
which is 5cm deep and with a slightly raised bottom.
Cut strips of sponge cake at least 6cm thick from which you will also cut the trapezoids.
Dust the cake pan with powdered sugar.
Then alternate sponge cake pieces with green marzipan and line the edges.
Pressing well against the sides and being careful not to leave gaps between one and the other.
If the top of the piece just placed is wider than the bottom, the bottom must be reversed.
If you arranged in this order, the pieces will sit well and will not remain empty.
Once the entire perimeter of the cake pan is finished, another layer of sponge cake can be placed on the bottom.
Press the edges of the sponge cake well so that it adheres better to the shape of the cake pan.
Now you can fill the base with the ricotta cheese cream and level it with help of a spatula.
Crumble the remaining sponge cake over the bottom of the cassata.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two to three hours.
Now you can fill the base with the ricotta cheese cream and level it with a spatula.
Crumble the remaining sponge cake over the bottom of the cassata.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two to three hours.
Once the cassata is nice and well set and the flavors have melded, turn it out onto a plate and prepare the fondant icing.
Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl with a little water to make a creamy, still white mixture.
As soon as it comes to a boil, the fondant will be ready to be poured into the center of the casserole and spread with a spatula.
The fondant will freeze as soon as it is spread.
Garnish the cassata with candied fruits available in alternating colors.
The final touch will be decorating with icing.
Which you can make by beating an egg white and gradually adding powdered sugar to get a very thick texture.
With a piping bag fitted with a narrow tip, decorate both the fruit and the edges of the cassata to make it richer and more fluffy.
Now ready to enjoy your delicious Cassata Sicilian or Cassata cake.
