July 16, 2023
Cassatina (Sicilian Ricotta Filled Sponge Cake with Marzipan) and Homemade Candied Fruit
These are individual size servings of the Italian Cassata cake from Sicily. Almond or pistachio marzipan encases a vanilla sponge that sandwiches a rich yet light ricotta and cream filling studded with chocolate and orange zest. Additional nuts such as chopped pistachio makes an excellent variation. Finally an icing or chocolate drizzle makes for a fun decor and candied fruit completes the top of the cake. These are made in a muffin tin that recreates the traditional flared pan shape but you could also make this as a full size cake in an 8-inch springform pan. Traditionally this is served for Easter but it is delicious any time of year!
Servings: 12
Calories: 373kcal
Ingredients
Sponge Cake
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup avocado oil
- 1/4 cup monk fruit powdered
- 1/4 cup allulose or another 2 tablespoons monk fruit, powdered
- 1/4 teaspoon stevia glycerite or another 2 tablespoons monk fruit, powdered
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup okara flour plus 2 tablespoons
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Ricotta Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- pinch xanthan gum optional, lends stability
- 1 cup ricotta cheese pureed in a blender until smooth
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon stevia glycerite
- zest of 1 orange
- 4 ounces milk chocolate chips chopped, sugar-free
- pinch of salt
Marzipan
- 2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1 cup allulose plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 egg white 1 1/2 tablespoons from a box of pasteurized whites
- 2-6 drops natural green food coloring as desired for color
Decoration
- white chocolate sugar-free, optional
- 12 candied cherries homemade for sugar-free
- 1/2 cup candied orange peel homemade for sugar-free
Instructions
For the Sponge Cake
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF and line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake at 300°F for 15 minutes, or until the cake is lightly golden and just springs back when lightly touched. Let cool for 5 minutes and then turn out of pans and onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
For the Ricotta Cream
- Combine the cream, ricotta, vanilla, sweetener, and salt and beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks, about 4 minutes. Stir in the chopped chocolate and orange zest. Refrigerate until needed.
For the Marzipan
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend the ingredients together until you have a smooth marzipan. Roll into a log and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator before using.
To Assemble
- Use a round cookie cutter, or glass to cut circles the size of the bottom of the muffin/cupcake tin. Use a second cutter or glass to cut circles the size of the top of the muffin tin – these will be different sizes if your tin has flared edges. Set aside.
- Roll the marzipan between 2 sheets of parchment paper to form a large rectangle. I like to briefly freeze the rolled marzipan with the 2 sheets attached on a baking sheet to firm itup for easier handling. Once chilled, about 5-10 minutes in the freezer, carefully peel off one side of parchment to loosen. Place the parchment back on top and flip over. Carefully peel off the second sheet. This should leave you with marzipan on top of a single sheet of parchment. Use a knife to cut long strips the thickness of the depth of the muffin tin. Carefully lift the strip and place them into the tins, pressing the marzipan against the side of the mold. Any tears can be patched by pressing more marzipan on top. Trim excess and gently push the edges of the marzipan in at the base. I have also had success just pressing room temperature marzipan over the inside of the tin, skipping the rolling and freezing. The result won’t be as even but will look the same once unmolded.
- Press the small piece of sponge into the bottom of the lined tin (it won’t reach quite all the way to the bottom, which is ok as it will leave a small space to be covered in chocolate). Fill with the ricotta mixture leaving a bit of space for the larger sponge. Finally, top with the larger sponge and press down to help it adhere. Transfer to the freezer and freeze until completely set, at least 2 hours.
- Gently tap the cakes out (or press out if using silicon molds).
- Melt the white chocolate for decorating (I like to place a ziplock bag of the chocolate into a bowl full of hot water. The heat will melt the chocolate and then it will already be in a piping bag – just make sure to dry the exterior well before piping as water can cause the chocolate to seize).
- Pipe whatever decorations you like onto the sides of the cakes and then on top of the exposed sponge to from a base for the candied fruit to sit on.
- Place candied fruit on top and then let stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour for the cakes to thaw before serving.
Notes
You can also make an icing sweetener glaze for decoration rather than use white chocolate. To do this, mix a bit of cream or water into powdered monk fruit (start with very little and add more as needed) until you have a mixture that is piping consistency. Transfer to a ziplock and when ready to pipe, trim a small corner of the bag to use for piping.
Protein:Energy Quotient [calories]: 0.36, Protein % of calories: 19.3%
Nutrition Facts
Cassatina (Sicilian Ricotta Filled Sponge Cake with Marzipan) and Homemade Candied Fruit
Amount per Serving
Calories
373
% Daily Value*
Fat
33
g
51
%
Saturated Fat
10
g
63
%
Trans Fat
0.01
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
9
g
Cholesterol
87
mg
29
%
Sodium
145
mg
6
%
Potassium
152
mg
4
%
Carbohydrates
13
g
4
%
Fiber
7
g
29
%
Sugar
3
g
3
%
Protein
10
g
20
%
Vitamin A
467
IU
9
%
Vitamin C
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
133
mg
13
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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