Cannoli Cream Bundt Cake, a homemade yellow bundt cake stuffed with cannoli cream and dusted with powdered sugar! Based on the popular Italian pastry, this from-scratch show stopper dessert is perfect for dinner parties and holidays like Christmas!
This Cannoli Cream Bundt Cake will knock your socks off! Ok, not literally, but it’s an over-the-top dessert that will wow your guests! It does take a little time to prepare so can’t say it’s a quick and easy treat, but it’s worth the effort!
This Cannoli Cream Bundt Cake is loosely based on my popular Cannoli Cake.
What I love about this recipe…
I love how the cannoli cream is a “surprise” on the inside that no one will expect, unless you tell them of course.
I also like that you can add different flavors to the cannoli cream depending on what you’re feeling like.
This cake would also be fun with a chocolate drizzle or glaze instead of a dusting of powdered sugar.
I love how firm and moist this cake is and holds up well with the cream in the middle of the cake.
Equipment You May Need
- Bundt Pan – My bundt pan is a little on the dark side, so if I were to get another one I’d get a better lighter better quality basic 12-cup bundt pan.
- Zester – A zester is great for getting fresh orange zest.
- Pastry Bag & Tip – So I just used a plastic bag as a pastry bag, BUT I’d suggest maybe using a pastry bag and/or a long tip so that you can get deep into the cake holes when filling with cannoli cream. Make sure the chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate) can fit through the tip of whatever you’re using.
- Cupcake Corer – A cupcake corer would make creating holes in the cake a lot easier. I couldn’t find mine when I made the cake so I used the end of a funnel (crazy, I know…) to create holes and get some of the cake out. Then used a wooden spoon to make bigger deeper holes.
(Full printable recipe card is at bottom of post.)
Cannoli Cream Bundt Cake Ingredients
Cake:
- Flour – All-purpose.
- Sugar – Granulated.
- Oil – Vegetable or Canola oil.
- Baking Powder
- Vanilla Extract – You could substitute some of the vanilla for a little almond extract or fiori di sicilia.
- Salt
- Eggs – Large eggs.
- Milk – I used skim, but you can use whatever you have.
- Optional – You can add a little orange zest, almond extract, and/or cinnamon to the cake batter for a little more flavor if you’d like.
Cannoli Cream:
- Ricotta Cheese – I used drained whole milk ricotta cheese (check out my “how to strain ricotta cheese” for directions). The ricotta should be thick, and a little on the dry side, and the consistency of cream cheese before you start making the cannoli cream. Be sure to drain the cheese for a day or two before you need it. You could also use ricotta impastata if you can find it which is drier and doesn’t need to be drained.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Make sure it’s COLD so you can whip it into whipped cream.
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla Extract – You could substitute some of the vanilla for a little almond extract or fiori di sicilia.
- Cinnamon
- Orange Zest – Fresh orange zest makes such a difference! It’s not a super strong orange flavor but does give a little freshness.
- Salt
- Mini Chocolate Chips – You could also use finely chopped chocolate or regular chocolate chips. If you’re planning on using a pastry bag/tip just make sure the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate can fit through the tip.
This cake definitely takes some time to make and assemble. Although it’s not hard to make, I wouldn’t say it’s exactly easy either. I tried to break down the steps into small steps to make it a bit easier. Get the full printable recipe further down in the post.
How to Make Cannoli Cream Bundt Cake
Step One: Prepare oven & pan. Preheat oven and butter and flour a standard bundt pan.
Step Two: Dry Ingredients. Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Step Three: Wet Ingredients. Beat together sugar and oil, then add eggs and vailla.
Step Four: Combine. Alternate adding flour and milk to wet ingredients.
Step Five: Pour. Pour the cake batter into the pan.
Step Six: Bake. Bake the cake until it’s golden brown.
Step Seven: Cool. Cool cake completely then remove from pan.
Step Eight: Cannoli Cream. When cake is cooled start making the cream.
Step Nine: Bowl & beaters. Freeze bowl and beaters for a few minutes until cold.
Step Ten: Whipping cream. Whip cream until stiff peaks.
Step Eleven: Mix. Mix together the ricotta, powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and orange zest. Then fold in whipped cream and chocolate chips. Refrigerate.
Step Twelve: Holes. Cut out 12 holes in cake using cupcake corer or knife. (I aso had good luck with the tip of a funnel.)
Step Thirteen: Fill holes. Fill pastry bag or resealable bag with cannoli cream. Fill holes.
Step Fourteen: Top holes. Place extra cake over holes to cover.
Step Fifteen: Dust. Place cake on plate or cake stand and dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately. Store leftover cake in fridge.
(Full printable recipe card with full details is at bottom of post.)
Serving Suggestions
- You can dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar or top with a chocolate glaze or a powdered sugar glaze. A powdered sugar glaze with a little orange juice would also be delicious.
- When slicing the cake be aware of where the cannoli cream is stuffed in the cake so that every slice can have a little.
- If you have extra cannoli cream, you can serve that on the side. Make extra cannoli cream to serve if you’d like. Some sprinkles of chopped pistachios would also be a great serving addition.
- Serve with a big pot of coffee or even a dessert cocktail like this Cannoli Martini!
Quick Tips for Best Results
- Be sure to grease/flour the bundt pan well or follow the directions for your specific pan. Bundt cakes can be a little tricky to get out sometimes. If the cake is stuck in the pan gently run a spatula or butter knife around the edges to loosen the cake from the pan.
- Use a cupcake corer, sharp knife, or even the tip of a funnel to create holes in the bottom of the cake. Then you can use the handle of a wood spoon to make wider/bigger holes if needed.
- For best results, make sure you stuff the cannoli cream as far down as possible into the holes of the cake and get as much cannoli cream in as you can. If you have any cannoli cream left you can serve on the side.
- I know some of you will ask about the orange and whether or not you can omit it. I’d highly recommend trying it. It’s not a very strong orange flavor but gives a nice subtle flavor to the cake.
- Store the cake in the refrigerator and if dusting with powdered sugar, dust right before serving.
Cannoli Cream Bundt Cake FAQ
How should I store the Cannoli Cream Bundt Cake?
The cake, before filled with cannoli cream, can be stored at room temperature if covered well. Once filled with the cannoli cream, store the cake covered in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze the cake?
Before filled with cannoli cream, the cake can be frozen if well wrapped. Once filled with cannoli cream, I would not suggest freezing the cake. The texture of the cream may not hold up.
How long will the cake last?
The cake will last at least a few days in the fridge if not a little longer.
Substitutions?
You can substitute a little of the vanilla extract for fiori di sicilia or almond extract. Instead of mini chocolate chips you can use regular chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, but if using a pastry bag make sure the chocolate can fit through the tip. Instead of orange zest you could use a little lemon zest.
Can I use low-fat ingredients?
I would not recommend using low-fat ingredients. You could try low-fat ricotta but make sure it’s is VERY well strained and dry and thick before trying to make the cannoli cream filling.
What else can I add to this recipe?
You can add your favorite cannoli flavors to the cannoli cream such as candied fruit, pistachios, etc. For a little extra flavor you can add a little cinnamon, orange zest, and/or almond extract to the cake batter.
Can I make this vegan/vegetarian/low carb/gluten-free?
Here are some suggestions, but I can’t guarantee results. Be sure as always to check particular brands and ingredients if you’re following a specific diet or have diet restrictions or allergies.
Vegan – This recipe would be a tough one to make vegan.
Vegetarian – It’s vegetarian. Be sure to check individual brands/products just to be sure though.
Low-Carb – You can try a sugar substitute but the cake will still have quite a few carbs.
Gluten-Free -You can try a gluten-free baking flour substitute but I have not tried any for this particular recipe so I can’t say for sure how it will turn out.
Other Cannoli Recipes You May Enjoy
- Cannoli Pudding – a blend of homemade vanilla pudding and cannoli cream.
- Cannoli Cookies – One of my most popular recipes!
- Cannoli Cake – If a layered cake is more your thing, then this one is for you.
- Cannoli Cheesecake – You’ll never go back to plain cheesecake!
Hope you enjoy this Cannoli Cream Bundt Cake. Tell me in the comments if you made any changes.
If you like this Cannoli Cream Bundt Cake, you might also like this Spumoni Cake!
Cannoli Cream Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk
Cannoli Cream Filling:
- 1 1/3 cup whole milk ricotta cheese drained for 1-2 days (see notes)
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream cold
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh orange zest
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (or finely chopped chocolate)
- Topping: (optional) powdered sugar
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a bundt cake pan or grease well.
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together granulated sugar and vegetable oil until well combined and fluffy with an electric mixer. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to the wet ingredients and beat after each addition until batter is well combined.
- Pour cake batter into prepared bundt pan.
- Bake cake at 350 degrees F for about 40-50 minutes or until golden brown around edges and toothpick comes out clean from middle of cake.
- Set cake aside to cool. Once completely cooled to room temperature, carefully remove cake from pan. Run a butter knife or spatula in between cake and pan to loosen if necessary. Cool cake completely.
Cannoli Cream:
- Meanwhile, prepare cannoli cream filling. Before starting be sure your ricotta cheese is fully strained at least overnight (see notes) and is thick and the consistency of cream cheese.
- Place a large mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for a few minutes while you prep ingredients.
- Remove mixing bowl and beaters from freezer. Place cold heavy cream in bowl and beat with electric mixer with cold beaters until stiff peaks just begin to form. Set aside.
- In another mixing bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, orange zest, and salt until just combined. Fold in whipped cream and then mini chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate or assemble cake immediately.
Assemble:
- When cake is completely cooled, place upside down on plate or back in pan. Using a cupcake corer (or sharp knife), make 12 holes around bottom of cake and save the removed cake. Use a wooden spoon if desired to make holes wider or deeper as needed being careful to not go to close to top of cake.
- Using a large pastry bag with a long tip or a resealable bag with a corner cut off, fill with cannoli cream filling. Fill each hole with the cannoli cream. Push the cream down as needed with a spoon to make room for more cream.
- Using the leftover cake pieces from the holes, plug the holes back up.
- Place the cake right side up on serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar and serve. Store cake in refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition:
(Nutrition data is provided when available for informational purposes only and calculated using an online nutritional calculator. For the most accurate information please calculate based on specific ingredients and brands you use as well as any changes you made to the recipe. I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietician and any nutritional information provided should only be used as a general guideline and estimate.)
About Lisa Huff
Lisa Huff is a Cookbook Author, Freelance Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Blogger/Writer, and award-winning home chef. She loves creating unique recipes from healthy to decadent including cocktails, appetizers, main dishes, dessert recipes and more and has appeared on various shows, publications, and websites.
