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view of cannoli pound cake with the end sliced off
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4.78 from 85 votes

Very Best Italian Cannoli Pound Cake

My Cannoli Pound Cake is one of the most delicious pound cakes I've ever made or tasted!  It's perfect for the holiday season or anytime of the year.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 12
Calories: 445kcal
Author: Chef Dennis Littley

Equipment

Ingredients

  • butter and sugar to coat loaf pan (flour and butter or pan spray can be substituted)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • ½ cup cinnamon chips Hershey's Brand - available at Walmart, Blairs Candy, and Hershey's

White Chocolate Ganache

  • 1 cup white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
  • ¼ cup heavy cream

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and place the oven rack in the center of the oven.
  • Prep a Standard loaf pan, coating it with butter and sugar, or use pan spray to coat the pan.
  • Add the all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon to a large mixing bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients to combine and set aside until needed.
  • Add the sugar, orange zest, and lime zest to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or electric mixer and a large bowl). With the mixer on low, mix the zest into the sugar allowing the oils from the zest to blend into the sugar. Mix for about two minutes, then set aside until needed.
  • Add the vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and room-temperature eggs to a large bowl. Mix until well combined.
  • Add the ricotta cheese to the wet ingredients. Whisk until well blended.
  • Add the sugar mixture to the mixture. Mix to blend into the wet ingredients.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the ricotta mixture. Mix just enough until blended.
  • Add the chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and cinnamon chips to the cake batter. Mix just enough to incorporate the chips. Don’t overmix!
  • Pour the cake batter into a prepared loaf pan and place the pan on the center rack of your preheated oven and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Allow cake to cool on wire rack in pan for 15 minutes, then turn the cake out of the pan and onto the rack to finish cooling.

White Chocolate Ganache

  • Place the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl.
  • In a separate, microwave-safe container, microwave the heavy cream for 20-30 seconds.
  • Pour the cream over the white chocolate, making sure that most of the white chocolate is covered. Let stand for 5 minutes. Then, stir in a gentle, circular motion until the white chocolate has melted completely and the mixture is smooth.
    *If necessary, the mixture can be microwaved for a few seconds more.

Assembly

  • Pour white chocolate ganache over the cooled pound cake.

Notes

I prefer using mild-flavored oil like vegetable oil, but you can use olive oil if you like, but it may change the flavor a little.

Nutrition

Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 107mg | Potassium: 183mg | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 235IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 1.2mg