Italian dessert cake
A classic Sicilian celebration cake made with soft sponge, sweet ricotta filling, green marzipan, glossy icing, and jewel-like candied fruit. Rich, refined, and unmistakably festive.
Recipe video
Drain the ricotta in the fridge for several hours or overnight so the filling stays thick.
Heat the oven to 180°C / 355°F. Line and lightly grease a 22 cm / 9 in round cake tin.
Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt until pale, thick, and tripled in volume.
Sift in the flour and fold gently so you do not knock out the air.
Pour into the tin and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and springy. Cool completely.
Press the drained ricotta through a sieve, then mix with icing sugar until silky. Fold in chocolate and candied orange. Chill.
Roll the marzipan into a thin sheet. Brush the tin with a little jam and line the sides and base where needed with marzipan.
Slice the sponge into strips and rounds to fit the mould neatly. Brush lightly with orange liqueur or syrup.
Add a layer of sponge, spoon in the ricotta filling, smooth well, then close the top with more sponge.
Chill for at least 4 hours, then turn the cake out carefully onto a serving plate.
Mix icing sugar with lemon juice to make a thick white glaze. Spread over the top and let it drip slightly. Decorate with candied fruit and pistachios.
