Prepare to be enchanted by this incredibly rich, beautifully tender, and undeniably decadent **vegan cannoli cake**. Every single bite is an absolute revelation, boasting luxurious layers of creamy, dairy-free cannoli filling, a perfectly moist vanilla cannoli cake, and even authentic vegan cannoli adorning the top. You’ll find it hard to believe that this show-stopping dessert is crafted entirely without eggs or dairy, proving that plant-based baking can be just as, if not more, extraordinary!
Experience the Best of Both Worlds: Vegan Cannoli Cake
Here at The Banana Diaries, we hold a special place in our hearts for Italian desserts – a love undoubtedly influenced by my Sicilian grandparents. This deep appreciation fuels our passion for transforming beloved family recipes into incredible plant-based versions. The challenge of recreating the rich flavors and textures of traditional Italian sweets without animal products is one we enthusiastically embrace, and the results, like this vegan cannoli cake, speak for themselves.
Our culinary journey has seen us adapt many cherished classics. My great grandpa’s legendary tiramisu has been reimagined not only as a classic vegan version but also as an indulgent tiramisu cake and a creamy tiramisu cheesecake. We also celebrate other iconic treats, from vibrant Italian rainbow cookies to festive panettone, all crafted to be entirely vegan-friendly. Now, we’ve taken my great grandpa’s beloved cannoli and transformed them into both a decadent cheesecake and this stunning cannoli cake, bringing a new dimension to a timeless classic.
And truly, this vegan cannoli cake is more than just a dessert; it’s an experience. It’s the kind of creation that will have you eagerly sharing the recipe with everyone you know, a true testament to the magic of plant-based culinary innovation. Get ready to impress and delight!
Imagine the most tender, lush, and deliciously soft cake, its crumb dotted with mini chocolate chips, made incredibly moist and rich thanks to our homemade vegan ricotta. This exquisite base is then layered with a velvety smooth chocolate chip cannoli frosting, creating a harmonious blend of textures and flavors. To crown this masterpiece, we adorn it with homemade vegan cannoli, adding an authentic touch and an irresistible crunch. This isn’t just a cake; it’s a showstopper, a conversation starter, and a true celebration of flavor!
The Magic Behind Our Vegan Cannoli Cake: Plant-Based Wonders
You might be pondering how on earth one transforms a dessert as inherently dairy-based as cannoli, and a cake typically rich with eggs and butter, into a completely vegan delight. The answer lies in the incredible ingenuity and magic of modern vegan baking!
Our approach meticulously reinterprets each traditional ingredient with plant-based alternatives, without compromising on flavor, texture, or the indulgent experience you expect from a classic cannoli cake. Here’s how we achieve this delicious feat:
Ricotta: The heart of any great cannoli is its ricotta filling. Instead of relying on dairy ricotta, we craft our very own vegan version. The process mirrors traditional ricotta-making, but with a crucial plant-based twist: we utilize a protein-rich dairy-free milk, specifically pea milk, in place of cow’s milk. This not only yields a wonderfully creamy texture but also keeps our ricotta nut-free and soy-free, making it accessible to more dietary needs.
Eggs: Eggs are typically integral to cake structure and moisture. For this recipe, our secret weapon is the very ingredient that makes cannoli so special: vegan ricotta! Soft cheeses, even plant-based ones, are surprisingly effective egg replacements in baking, contributing incredible moisture and a tender crumb. This theory held true for our dairy-free ricotta, resulting in a cake texture that is exceptionally moist, beautifully soft, and incredibly tender – truly one of my favorite vegan egg substitutes we’ve ever discovered.
Butter: To achieve the perfect richness and crumb, we employ a thoughtful combination. Half of the traditional butter is swapped for a neutral cooking oil, such as avocado oil, which adds moisture without imparting a strong flavor. The remaining portion is replaced with high-quality vegan butter, ensuring that decadent buttery taste and texture we all love in a cake.
Milk: For the liquid component, flexibility is key. My top recommendations are creamy oat milk, soy milk, or almond milk, all of which lend a lovely richness to the batter. However, feel free to use pea milk or cashew milk if those are your preferences or what you have on hand; they will also yield fantastic results.
Navigating Dairy-Free Ricotta: Homemade vs. Store-Bought
Creating homemade vegan ricotta is surprisingly straightforward and incredibly rewarding – I’d even say it’s the simplest among all my homemade vegan cheeses, including velvety mascarpone and creamy vegan cream cheese! Our preferred recipe is not only easy but also completely nut-free and soy-free, requiring just two basic ingredients, making it an excellent choice for those with specific dietary requirements or allergies.
However, if time is of the essence or you prefer convenience, store-bought vegan ricotta is certainly an option. Currently, Kite Hill offers a fantastic vegan ricotta that I can personally vouch for – it’s genuinely delicious. Do note, however, that Kite Hill’s version is almond-based. If you need a nut-free option, sticking with our homemade version, which uses pea milk or soy milk, would be your best bet to ensure your cake is entirely allergen-friendly.
Regarding the milk for homemade ricotta, while pea milk is our top choice for its protein content and neutral flavor, it might not be universally available. If pea milk is hard to find in your region, soy milk is an excellent substitute and will yield similar results, provided you don’t have a soy allergy. For those looking for other alternatives for the cake’s moisture component, dairy-free yogurt or a high-quality vegan sour cream can also work in a pinch. Both will contribute to a moist texture, but for the authentic taste and best structural integrity of the cannoli cake, the whipped vegan ricotta truly stands out as the superior choice. Specifically, for the actual homemade vegan cannoli shells that crown this cake, a robust vegan ricotta filling is absolutely essential to achieve that classic, creamy interior.
Crafting Your Vegan Cannoli Cake: A Step-by-Step Overview
For comprehensive, detailed instructions and precise ingredient measurements, please refer to the complete recipe card located at the very bottom of this post. For your convenience, you can also jump directly to the recipe by clicking the “jump to recipe” button found at the top of the page. Here, we provide a concise overview of the key steps, complemented by helpful visuals to enhance your understanding and ensure a smooth baking process.
Elevating Your Masterpiece: Vegan Cannoli Cake Decorating Tips
Now comes the most enjoyable part – decorating your magnificent vegan cannoli cake! While frosting loaded with mini chocolate chips can present a slight challenge when aiming for a perfectly smooth finish, remember that the charm of a cannoli cake isn’t about pristine, flawless edges. Instead, embrace a slightly rustic, artfully textured look that highlights its homemade elegance. This cake is meant to look inviting and abundant, celebrating its delightful inclusions.
To enhance the presentation and provide a beautiful perch for your vegan cannoli, I love to pipe any remaining frosting around the top edge of the cake, creating decorative ledges. Alternatively, for a simpler yet equally stunning effect, you can artfully pile the filled cannoli directly into the center of the cake, creating a glorious mound of deliciousness. Don’t be afraid to let your creativity shine! A sprinkle of extra mini chocolate chips or a dusting of cocoa powder can also add a professional touch.
For those looking to achieve a more polished finish or simply make the decorating process smoother, here are some of my favorite essential tools for cake decorating:
- Bench Scraper: Invaluable for achieving straighter sides and a cleaner finish on your frosted cake, even with textured frosting.
- Offset Spatula: Perfect for spreading frosting evenly between layers and across the top and sides of the cake with ease.
- Round Large Piping Tip & Bag: Essential for creating those beautiful piped borders or decorative swirls, especially when forming ledges for the cannoli.
- Cake Turntable: A game-changer for smooth, effortless frosting application, allowing you to rotate the cake as you work.
Honestly, the moment you take your first bite of this phenomenal vegan cannoli cake, you’re going to be absolutely speechless. The blend of textures, the delicate vanilla, the creamy ricotta, and the bursts of chocolate chips create an unforgettable symphony of flavors that will truly amaze you. I am genuinely excited to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below! And please, don’t forget to share a photo of your magnificent creation, either in the comments or by tagging me on Instagram. Happy baking!
Save This Irresistible Recipe for Later!
Planning to bake this divine vegan cannoli cake soon? Make sure to save this incredible recipe to your favorite dessert board on Pinterest! It’s the perfect way to keep this plant-based masterpiece at your fingertips whenever a craving strikes or a special occasion calls for an extraordinary treat.
If you embark on the delightful journey of making this recipe, please take a moment to leave a comment and a star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. Your feedback is incredibly valuable, helping others discover and enjoy these recipes! As always, I absolutely adore seeing your beautiful creations, so be sure to tag me on Instagram and Pinterest when you share your delicious results!
Print Recipe
The Ultimate Vegan Cannoli Cake Recipe
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
4.5 from 2 reviews
Author: Britt Berlin
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 37 minutes
Total Time: 57 minutes
Yield: 16 servings 1x
Category: Cake, Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Italian, American
Diet: Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free
Description
This incredibly soft, moist, and tender vegan cannoli cake is a truly sublime dessert. Featuring rich layers of dairy-free ricotta filling, a luscious vanilla cake base, and studded with mini chocolate chips, you’ll be astonished that it’s made entirely without eggs or dairy!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Vegan Cannoli Cake Layers:
- 3 2/3 cups (450 g) all-purpose flour (or 512 g high-quality gluten-free 1:1 baking flour blend + 1 tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch for gluten-free version)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (113 g) salted vegan butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (110 g) neutral cooking oil (like avocado, canola, or grapeseed oil)
- 1/2 cup (120 g) homemade vegan ricotta, whipped until smooth and at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 g) plain dairy-free yogurt, at room temperature
- 2 tbsp pure vanilla extract (yes, two full tablespoons for maximum flavor!)
- 1 1/4 cups (300 mL) dairy-free milk (such as oat, soy, or almond milk), at room temperature
- 1 cup (220 g) vegan mini chocolate chips
For the Luxurious Frosting & Topping:
- 1 batch of our creamy vegan cream cheese frosting
- 1 cup (220 g) additional vegan mini chocolate chips
- 1 batch of irresistible homemade vegan cannoli for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare for Baking: Begin by carefully reading through all instructions to familiarize yourself with the process. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare two 8-inch cake pans by lining their bottoms with parchment paper and lightly greasing the sides with oil or vegan butter. Crucially, ensure your vegan ricotta is already prepared and whipped until perfectly smooth. You’ll need approximately half a batch for the cake batter and a full batch for the cannoli filling; using the whipped version for both will yield the best results.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Ensure there are no lumps and the leavening agents are evenly distributed. Set this dry mixture aside for now.
- Craft the Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted and cooled vegan butter, neutral cooking oil, granulated sugar, whipped vegan ricotta, dairy-free yogurt, and the generous two tablespoons of vanilla extract. Whisk these wet ingredients vigorously until they are fully combined and creamy. Next, gradually add the reserved dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the room-temperature dairy-free milk. Whisk gently, just until the ingredients are combined and no streaks of flour remain; be careful not to overmix. Finally, fold in the vegan mini chocolate chips until they are just evenly distributed throughout the luscious batter.
- Bake to Perfection: Divide the prepared cake batter evenly between your two lined and oiled 8-inch cake pans. Place them into the preheated oven and bake for approximately 35-37 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean with no wet batter attached. Once baked, carefully remove the cakes from the oven.
- Cool Completely: Allow the baked cakes to cool in their pans on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. This allows them to firm up slightly before handling. After 10 minutes, carefully invert the cakes onto the wire rack, remove the parchment paper, and let them cool completely to room temperature. Depending on the warmth and humidity of your kitchen, this critical cooling step could take anywhere from 1 to several hours. It is absolutely essential that the cakes have no residual warmth before you begin the frosting process, as warm cakes will cause your frosting to melt and slide.
- Prepare Cannoli While Cooling: While your cake layers are going through their crucial cooling phase, this is the perfect time to prepare your homemade vegan cannoli. This proactive step ensures that all components are ready for assembly simultaneously. For a quicker alternative, if time is tight, you can substitute store-bought vegan puff pastry for the shells and use the delicious cannoli filling recipe linked in the ingredients section.
- Whip Up the Frosting: Once the cakes are fully cooled and you’re ready to assemble, prepare your batch of vegan cream cheese frosting. Beat it until it’s wonderfully creamy and smooth. Then, gently fold in the additional cup of vegan mini chocolate chips, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the frosting.
- Assemble Your Masterpiece: Carefully place one cooled cake layer onto your chosen cake plate or serving stand. Spread approximately 1/2 cup of the chocolate chip cannoli frosting evenly over the top, extending it to the edges of the cake. Gently place the second cake layer on top, aligning it precisely. Now, use the remaining frosting to generously frost the entire cake – the top and sides. You should have a small amount of leftover frosting, which you can reserve for decoration. Transfer the frosted cake to the refrigerator to chill and allow the frosting to set firm, which will take at least 30 minutes. While the cake chills, you can proceed with filling your prepared vegan cannoli shells.
- Decorate, Slice, and Serve: Once the cake frosting has set, it’s time for the final decorative touches! Using a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (or simply an offset spatula), pipe or artfully arrange the reserved frosting on top of the cake. Crown your creation with your freshly filled homemade vegan cannoli. With your magnificent vegan cannoli cake now complete, slice into generous portions and serve immediately to delighted guests! Store any leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days to maintain its freshness and sublime texture.
Notes
Gluten-Free Adaptation: For those with gluten sensitivities or dietary preferences, I highly recommend using King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour. This specific blend consistently yields excellent results, providing a texture and crumb remarkably similar to traditional wheat-based cakes.