Cannoli Poke Cake

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This Cannoli Poke Cake is a simple vanilla cake soaked with sweetened condensed milk and covered with an unforgettable topping that mimics the filling of a classic cannoli! It’s moist, indulgent, and 100% irresistible. A quick and easy recipe you’ll come back to over and over!

Why You’ll Love This Cannoli Poke Cake Recipe

Poke cakes are so fun, versatile and easy to make. If you’re looking for a dessert recipe that will knock it out of the park and not require too much time, this is it. Here’s a few more reasons to love it.

  • Classic Cannoli flavor. If you dream about cannoli, you are going to go nuts over this dessert. The topping captures the glorious, rich, sweet flavor of this irresistible Italian classic perfectly.
  • Perfect texture. Some poke cakes can be a bit soggy. I only soaked this one with half a can of sweetened condensed milk (as opposed to a whole can). It provides the perfect sweetness and moisture with none of the sogginess.
  • Easy to make. Just bake a cake, poke some holes in it, saturate it with sweetened condensed milk, and whip up a quick topping. It’s an awesome beginner recipe.
  • Make ahead. This a great recipe for making ahead of time. You could easily make it the day before you plan to serve it. It will give the cake time to absorb the moisture and the topping plenty of time to set.
A slice of cannoli poke cake with a bite taken out of it served on a plate.

What You’ll Need

Buckle up and head on over to the grocery store. Here’s what you’ll need to bring this cannoli poke cake recipe to life. Scroll on down to the recipe card below for precise measurements.

Ingredients for cannoli poke cake.
  • White cake mix (plus ingredients listed on the box) – I used a store-bought white cake mix. But you could use a homemade vanilla cake mix, which is quite similar to a cake mix in texture. If you’re looking for a denser, butter-based cake, I’d recommend my Funfetti Cake. Just leave out the sprinkles.
  • Sweetened condensed milk – You’ll use it in the topping and pour it over the cake. It adds a nice richness and sweetness to both components. Plus, it adds lots of moisture to the cake and is part of the “poke cake” name.
  • Ricotta cheese – You don’t have to strain the ricotta although, if you are prepping ahead, you certainly can. Wrap it in cheesecloth (optional) and set it in a bowl in the fridge overnight. In the morning, discard the water that has seeped out. I don’t usually strain it and typically use the Galbani brand.
  • Mascarpone cheese – Keep the mascarpone in the fridge until about 10 minutes before using it. You don’t want it to get too warm, or it’ll end up watery.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Ground cinnamon – The cinnamon is optional but I love the extra layer of flavor it adds.
  • Mini chocolate chips – I like the more subtle mini chocolate chips, as opposed to the full-sized ones.
  • Powdered sugar – I dusted my poke cake with extra powdered sugar. You don’t have to but I am a big fan of the look of it.

How to Make Cannoli Poke Cake

Here’s a quick rundown of how to make this easy poke cake. You’ll find more detailed instructions in the recipe card below.

  • Make the cake. Prepare the cake in a 9×13-inch baking pan per the instructions on the box.
  • Poke. Remove the baked cake from the oven and poke holes all over the top.
  • Soak. Reserve 1/2 cup of sweetened condensed milk and pour the rest over the top of the warm cake. Spread it around with a spatula.
  • Cool. Allow the cake to cool completely.
  • Make the topping. Gently mix together the ricotta cheese, mascarpone cheese, and vanilla extract. Stir in the powdered sugar and cinnamon followed by the reserved sweetened condensed milk.
  • Assemble. Spread the topping evenly over the fully-cooled cake.
  • Chill. Refrigerate until the topping is set (3-4 hours or overnight).
  • Finish it off. Top the cake with mini chocolate chips and dust with powdered sugar, if desired.
Closeup of a slice of cannoli poke cake served on a plate.

Tips for Success

  • Poke and pour while warm. When pouring the sweetened condensed milk over the cake, do so while the cake is still warm. If it has cooled too much, the liquid won’t absorb as well into the cake.
  • Let it cool. Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the mascarpone topping. Otherwise, the topping can melt or wilt.
  • Keep the mascarpone cold. Mascarpone cheese has a tendency to turn watery when it gets too warm. So keep it in the fridge until about 10 minutes before you use it.
  • Mix gently. Marscapone can turn watery if it is over-mixed, so, when making the topping, mix gently and just until everything is combined.
  • Be patient. It may be tempting to dive right into this delicious dessert, but it needs time to set up in the fridge (unless you want a runny mess). Refrigerate it for at least 3-4 hours before slicing and serving. I like to let it sit overnight

Why is my topping so thin?

This topping is naturally on the thinner side. It does thicken in the fridge and the longer you let it sit, the thicker it gets. I even think it’s best to let it sit overnight. It doesn’t get as firm as a whipped cream or buttercream, but it certainly stays in place, like it should. That said, you can make it thicker by leaving the sweetened condensed milk out of it. If you choose to do that, you can use the remaining sweetened condense milk on top of the cake along with the rest, if you’d like. The topping will be a little less sweet that way.

Cannoli poke cake in a baking pan with slices taken out of it.

Proper Storage

Wrap the cake (in its pan) tightly with plastic wrap or arrange slices in a single layer in an airtight container. You can store it in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you choose to freeze it, allow the cake to thaw in the fridge before diving back into the leftovers.

More Poke Cake Recipes

Enchanted by this whole idea of an incredibly easy, insanely delicious poke cake? I’ve got more where this one came from. Here are a few other flavor profiles I think you’ll love.

Print
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A slice of cannoli poke cake served on a plate.
Recipe

Cannoli Poke Cake

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Chill Time: 4 hours
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
  • Yield: 15-18 Servings
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This Cannoli Poke Cake is a simple vanilla cake soaked with sweetened condensed milk and covered with an unforgettable topping that mimics the filling of a classic cannoli! It’s moist, indulgent, and 100% irresistible. A quick and easy recipe you’ll come back to over and over!


Ingredients

  • 1 box white cake mix, plus ingredients on box*
  • 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups (372g) ricotta cheese (most of a 15 oz container)
  • 1 1/2 cups (339g | 12oz) mascarpone cheese
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (115g) powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, optional
  • 1/2 cup (85g) mini chocolate chips
  • Powdered sugar, for dusting, optional

Instructions

  1. Bake a 9×13 cake according to the box directions.
  2. While the cake bakes, pour ½ cup of sweetened condensed milk into a measuring cup and set aside.
  3. When done baking, remove the cake from the oven and poke holes all over the top of the cake. I use a knife sharpener, but the end of the handle of a wooden spoon or spatula would work too.
  4. Pour the remaining sweetened condensed milk over the top of the warm cake, then spread it around with a spatula, allowing it to soak into the holes. If a little bit remains on top of the cake, that’s ok. Allow the cake to cool completely.
  5. When the cake has cooled, make the topping. Add the ricotta cheese, mascarpone cheese and vanilla extract to a mixer bowl and gently mix together until well combined and smooth. You do this by hand with a spatula, or mix on low speed with a mixer. You don’t want to over mix this mixture or it can turn watery.
  6. Add the powdered sugar and cinnamon and gently stir until well combined.
  7. Add the reserved ½ cup of sweetened condensed milk and gently stir together until well combined. The mixture will seem very thin.
  8. Spread the topping evenly over the top of the cake. Refrigerate until the topping is set, at least 3-4 hours, or overnight.
  9. Top with mini chocolate chips and a sprinkle of powdered sugar, then serve.
  10. Store cake well covered in the fridge. Cake is best if eaten within 4-5 days.

Notes

I used a store-bought white cake mix. But you could use a homemade vanilla cake mix, which is quite similar to a cake mix in texture. If you’re looking for a denser, butter-based cake, I’d recommend my Funfetti Cake. Just leave out the sprinkles. 

Do consider straining the ricotta before using, especially if it’s a particularly watery brand. Also, when mixing together the ricotta and mascarpone cheese, DO NOT over mix it. If mascarpone cheese is over mixed, it becomes very thin.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Slice
  • Calories: 429
  • Sugar: 28.5 g
  • Sodium: 144.5 mg
  • Fat: 22.7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 50.6 g
  • Protein: 8.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 75.7 mg

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304 Comments
  1. Annemarie

    Made this tonight for a church potluck tomorrow, I doubled the recipe and added a bit almond extract to the cake batter before baking it. The cannoli filling was smooth, creamy and delicious. I will definitely make this again!

  2. Chris Lawenstein

    The first time I made this cake, it was HEAVEN! Now, had to figure out how to make it into cupcakes! My husband cooks at the moose lodge on Fridays, and wanted it for dessert there. Didn’t get around to that, but I did make them for the moose lodge picnic today. First batch, I made per recipe, using a fork to punch the holes into the cupcake. Tasted great, but a bit “wet”. So, my second batch, I just made the cupcakes, and used the filing for the frosting and sprinkled the mini chips on top. Had my husband, daughter and her friend taste test them. They all liked the all, but said for cupcakes, the second batch was better. So, sent them all over to the picnic. 42 cupcakes. My husband said people went bonkers over them! One guy wanted to buy them all, but the only let him buy 8! LOL! They also sold them for $1.00 ea. Will be making them for the next bake sale there at the end of Sept. Thanks for a great recipe,a nd the inspiration for the cupcakes!

      1. Chris Lawenstein

        LOL! I just had someone order a cake for their birthday! They call it a “A slice of heaven to die for!”

  3. Morgan Harris

    Ok I know this is a cannoli cake but do you know if there is anything I can substitute for the ricotta? My husband and I are not fans. 
    Thanks 
    Morgan 

  4. Annette

    Ok, so I was looking for a recipe that I could use up some “left over” Cannoli dip from New Years Eve. Shockingly enough, yes, we did have leftover cannoli dip, mainly due to the fact that my brother-in-law is an amazing Italian cook & there was so much good food all around. I made the poke cake using the cannoli dip as a 1-1 replacement for the liquids in the cake mix. SO AMAZINGLY MOIST! then we went crazier & made a box brownie mix with some more dip. YUM! Frosted the cake as you suggested, brownies vanished before I could even dust them with powdered sugar for effect. So glad I found your posting so I could have a base to experiment off of & not be intimidated by the ricotta cheese.

  5. Linda Baker

    I just finished making this cake and considered piping the frosting directly into my mouth! I had absolutely no issues with the frosting consistency and even added the sweetened condensed milk. 
    I can’t wait for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow to see how everyone likes it. Thanks for the great recipe. It was very easy to make too.

  6. Erika

    Incredible! The cake was moist & the filling was out of this world delicious! I followed the directions exactly and it came out perfectly! For the filling, I added everything to the ricotta only and then folded in the mascarpone at the end so that it didn’t get too runny. I would definitely make this again & again! Thank you!!!






  7. Laura P

    Making this tonight. My kids and husband love cannoli’s so I think they will enjoy this. 
    Do you let the cake cool before poking holes through it? 

  8. Maria

    I made this today for my husband and my dad for Father’s Day. It was an absolute hit!  Super yummy ???? Thank you so much for a great recipe!! 

  9. Laura

    I baked my own birthday cake using this recipe…. oh my yumminess.  I could just take a spoon and eat the icing from the bowl…. thanks for a delicious recipe that i will be making again.

  10. Natalie

    What a great recipe! I used Galbani brand Marscapone and Ricotta (Whole Milk) and had no problems with it being runny. I will say that I only gave my topping ingredients one good mix. I gradually folded it in which may have helped with consistency.

    Like all good Italian recipes, slow and steady wins the race. I mixed my topping and allowed it to set for 2 hours in the fridge before topping my cake. I also let my completed cake sit overnight in the fridge before diving into it.

    Now, I did make two minor adjustments that added big flavor. I adore maraschino cherries in my cannoli filling so I added about 8 to 10 of those. I chopped them up very finely and mixed it into my topping. If you do use maraschino cherries, make sure to let the juices drip out of a paper towel BEFORE adding to the topping so there is not any additional moisture. Delicious!

    My second adjustment was adding a teaspoon of almond extract into my cake batter. It really elevates it to another level!

    Thanks for an amazing recipe that reminds me of my childhood! =)

  11. Holly

    This recipe looks AMAZING! Just a few questions:

    Do I have to wait for the cake to cool before poking holes in it?
    When I combine the ricotta cheese and mascarpone cheese, do the cheeses have to be chilled or at room temperature? I’m afraid to over mix the cheeses, how long do you think I should mix it for? Would it be with an electric mixer on low? Also does making it the night before affect the taste or texture of the cake? Thanks so much!!

    1. Lindsay

      You can do it while warm or cool, it’ll be fine. Both the cheeses can get fairly soft at room temperature. I think it’s a little more stable when they’re chilled. Just mix them on low until they’re combined. Making it the night before will be fine and give it a chance to set.

  12. Maryann

    How do you measure the ricotta and marscapone? Do you use dry measuring cups or do the packaged containers equal 1 1/2 cups? If so, what size packages do I need to use?

Lindsay
About Lindsay

I’m the baker, recipe developer and photographer behind Life, Love and Sugar. I love sharing trusted recipes with helpful tips to give you great results.

Scripture I’m Loving

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29