Italian Cannoli Filled Cupcake Recipe

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A favorite or I should say famous Italian pastry is the Cannoli, we make them on special holidays occasions and for sure on Easter. These cupcakes are  a good  craving reliever until then. Very simple ingredients, to create a similiar homemade Italian Cannoli just inside a cupcake! A dense rich cake with a hint of Marsala flavor and cinnamon.

The filling is smooth and rich, make sure you keep these in the refrigerator,
 fill cooled cupcakes and pipe some sweetened whipped cream frosting on top!

I use an apple corer to take out the middles of the cupcakes to fill.. so perfect and easy! See note below for using the middles for another kind of recipe.

Italian Cannoli Cupcake Recipe
( Recipe works fine if you cut it in half )

3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 stick unsalted butter softened (8 tablespoons)
4 extra large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons Marsala wine
1 cup whole milk ( I have use 2% works fine)
1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon

Cooking oil spray

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare and line your cupcake tins pans ( I also spray the inside with a little cooking oil spray.

In a large electric mixer mixing bowl,  cream the softened butter and sugar together until evenly blended together, smooth and light in color.  Beat in 1 egg at a time to the butter and sugar mixture. Add the Marsala, milk and vanilla, cinnamon next into the same wet ingredients beating until smooth, in a mixer around 3 minutes.  Using a gravy ladle or use a large spoon for adding the filling 3/4 full into paper lined cupcake prepared tins. Make sure you tap the bottom of the pans on the table to release the air bubbles.  This will make 24 medium sized cupcakes. Bake them for around 25 minutes or until the middles spring back to the touch or use a tooth pick in the center to see if it comes out clean. Cool completely before filling and decorating.

Note: If you don't like a heavy scratch cake you can use your yellow favorite cake mix, add the Marsala flavoring and cinnamon then bake to package directions.

 Cannoli Filling:

1 16 oz container of whole milk Ricotta cheese
3 tablespoon mini chocolate chips and more to sprinkle on top
1/2 cup powdered sugar or more to taste
1 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca (this will keep this filling from getting runny and stay uniform. If you can't find it, you will need to use a cheese cloth to drain your Ricotta or a coffee filter will work just fine too)
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
Add all of this together in a bowl mix just until blended and smooth.

Garnish

chopped pistachio's.
mini chocolate chips

Assembly:

Cut the middles of your cupcakes out with a apple corer or sharp paring knife. Place filling in a ziplock quart size bag and snip off the end.  Fill cooled cupcakes with cannoli  filling, pipe the frosting on top and decorate with pistachio nuts, keep refrigerated. Garnish with chopped pistachio's.

Frosting To Decorate :

1/4 cup butter softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
2 or 3 teaspoons heavy cream
1/2 cup Mascarpone cheese at room temperature

Beat cheese and butter until smooth. Add the sugar a little at a time with cream until thick enough to decorate with.

Other Garnish suggestions:
Omit garnishing with frosting and use just powdered sugar
Use ice cream toppings such as triple berry, strawberry or fudge and drizzle over the tops.

Note: I use the carved out middles to make individual trifles in small desserts cups layering with cake, Ricotta and topped with whipped cream. For other recipe trifle suggestions CLICK HERE



+claudia lamascolo Author