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    Home » Italian Recipes

    Cannoli Pound Cake

    July 31, 2020 by angelakallison 42 Comments

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    Cannoli Pound Cake Pinterest.

    Cannoli Pound Cake is a moist and delicious recipe for classic ricotta pound cake using all of those cannoli flavors you love! Chopped pistachios, mini chocolate chips, orange zest, and ricotta cheese make this Italian pound cake truly a special recipe for any occasion.

    Cannoli Pound Cake on a wood cutting board.

    Love the flavors of cannoli but don't want to put in the work to make them? This cannoli pound cake has all of those delicious flavors and is so simple to make.

    With chopped pistachios, mini chocolate chips, orange zest, and ricotta, one bite of this Italian ricotta pound cake and you'll be hooked! Plus, this simple treat comes together in minutes and stays moist for days.

    This is a great cake to have on hand for any occasion. It's perfect for brunches, served with fruit for a quick breakfast, or even dessert. I like to have a loaf on hand during the holidays when guests stop by.

    If you've never had pound cake before, it's a cake traditionally made of a pound of each ingredient: flour, butter, sugar, and eggs. While this recipe doesn't quite adhere to the classic measurements, it still has that slightly dense and moist texture you'll love.

    Cannoli Pound Cake on a wood cutting board with powdered sugar dusted on top.

    Pound Cake Pans

    Pound cakes are generally baked in either a loaf pan or bundt cake pan. For this recipe, I use a lined loaf pan. My favorite is Cuisinart classic loaf pan. Just be sure that if you are using a loaf pan for this recipe, you use the 9 x 5 variety since there will be a lot of batter.

    If you decide to make this in a bundt cake pan, you'll need to decrease the baking time by about 20 minutes. Be sure to check the cake for doneness using a toothpick around the 40 minute mark.

    Baking with Ricotta Cheese

    Ricotta cheese is great to bake with. It adds a creamy texture and moistness to baked goods. And, because the cheese is so mild, you don't get any cheese flavor in your baking.

    Ricotta is less calories and fat than butter. It adds a butter-like texture making baked goods moist and light. Here are a couple of tips when baking with ricotta cheese:

    • If your cheese is on the wet side, be sure to drain it over a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth before adding it to your recipe.
    • Use the full fat ricotta for baking. Save the part skim ricotta for recipes like manicotti or lasagna.
    • Be sure to cream together the butter, sugar, and ricotta for at least 4-5 minutes. You need to cream it to ensure the recipe is light and airy, rather than dense.
    • If possible, bring the ricotta to room temperature before baking.
    Cannoli Pound Cake on a cutting board with a red and white checkered napkin.

    Italian Ricotta Dessert Recipes

    Once you try baking with ricotta, you'll be hooked! Its light and airy texture gives your Italian baking so much flavor. Which is why it pairs perfectly in this Cannoli Pound Cake recipe.

    Be sure to try these other Italian ricotta dessert recipes:

    • Italian Almond Ricotta Cookies
    • Lemon Ricotta Bundt Cake
    • Almond Ricotta Cake
    • Limoncello Ricotta Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake
    • Limoncello Ricotta Cookies
    • Cannoli Baked French Toast
    • Lemon Polenta Cake
    • Tiramisu Bundt Cake
    • Cranberry Ricotta Cake

    If you love pound cakes, be sure to check out this super moist and flavorful Amaretto Pound Cake with a hot amaretto butter glaze. And if you love classic Italian cakes featuring ricotta cheese, this Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake is sure to be your new favorite!

    During the fall months, I love to make this Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake with a delicious brown sugar layer. And, if you love coffee cake, try my Blueberry Ricotta Coffee Cake with a delicious ricotta crumb layer.

    How to Make Cannoli Pound Cake

    This moist and tasty cake is made with all of the cannoli flavors you love like pistachios, chocolate chips, orange zest, and ricotta cheese. And the best part is that it takes a lot less work than frying and filling traditional cannolis.

    Cannoli Pound Cake with mini chocolate chips, pistachios, and ricotta.

    Firstly, you will need room temperature ingredients. Also, if your ricotta seems wet, it's a good idea to drain before adding it to the batter.

    Cream together the butter and sugar until well combined and pale in color. You can use either a hand mixer or stand up mixer for this. Next, add in the ricotta and cream on high for about five minutes. This will allow the ricotta to get airy and fluffy. That way you don't end up with a super dense pound cake.

    Next, add in the eggs, one a time. Grate in the orange zest. Orange is a traditional Italian cannoli flavor. However, if you don't have orange or if you would prefer to leave it out, that is fine too. Lemon zest is also a fine substitute here.

    Beat in the dry ingredients until just combined. Lastly, fold in the mini chocolate chips and chopped shelled pistachios. If you can find the pistachios with their shells already removed, it will save you time. Otherwise, you will need to de-shell and coarsely chop before adding.

    Baking the Cannoli Pound Cake

    Once your batter is prepared, you can get ready to bake. Here, you can use either a 9 x 5 loaf pan or a standard size bundt cake pan.

    Batter poured into loaf pan with chocolate chips sprinkled on top.

    If you are baking in a loaf pan, be sure to use the larger 9 x 5 x 5 pan so that it will hold the batter and have room to rise. Alternatively, you could split the batter and bake in two smaller loaf pans.

    Note that if you are baking in a loaf pan, be sure to spray with cooking spray AND line with parchment. Because this is such a heavy and slightly dense batter, you need the parchment to help lift out the pound cake and keep it intact.

    Baked loaf with chocolate chips sprinkled on top.

    This cake can also made in a bundt cake pan. You will need to adjust the baking time, checking for doneness using a toothpick after about 40-50 minutes. Once the toothpick comes out clean the cake is done.

    Let your cannoli pound cake cool on a wire baking rack for at least 15-20 minutes before lifting it out to cool completely. Be sure the cake is completely cool before using a serrated knife to cut into pieces. For another pound cake recipe, give this Sour Cream Pound Cake a try!

    Lastly, sprinkle powder sugar over the cooled pound cake. Enjoy!

    Cannoli Pound Cake on a wood cutting board.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 18 votes

    Cannoli Pound Cake

    Cannoli Pound Cake has all of the cannoli flavors you love in an easy-to-make pound cake loaf. You'll love this super moist and slightly dense cake that's perfect for any occasion!
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time1 hr 10 mins
    Total Time1 hr 20 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: cannoli, cannoli pound cake, pound cake
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 389kcal
    Author: Angela Allison
    Cost: 9-11

    Equipment

    • 9 x 5 inch loaf pan (see notes below)

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ cups sugar
    • ¾ cup butter, softened (one and a half sticks)
    • 15 ounces ricotta cheese
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1 orange, zested
    • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
    • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
    • ½ cup mini chocolate chips
    • ½ cup shelled pistachios, lightly chopped
    • powdered sugar for sprinkling (optional)

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with butter and line with parchment; set aside.
    • In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, mix together the butter and sugar until well incorporated and light in color; about 2-3 minutes. Add in the ricotta and mix until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Add in the zest of one orange and stir to combine.
    • In a seperate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat until just combined. Fold in the mini chocolate chips and pistachios.
    • Pour the batter into the greased and lined pan and top with extra mini chocolate chips if desired. Bake on the center rack in oven for 65-75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in pan for about 15 minutes, then use a knife to loosen the edges and lift out using parchment to help. Let the pound cake cool completely. Spinkle on powdered sugar if desired.

    Video

    Notes

    *This recipe yields a lot of batter, so if you don't have a large loaf pan, you can substitute a standard bundt cake pan. Just be sure to adjust baking time and test for doneness using a toothpick. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 389kcal
    « Zucchini Ricotta Bundt Cake | Ciambella
    Lemon Amaretti Cookies »
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. veenaazmanov

      July 31, 2020 at 8:06 pm

      5 stars
      Love this recipe. Sounds like a delicious and best tea time cake options. Looks yummy.

      Reply
    2. Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness

      July 31, 2020 at 9:57 pm

      5 stars
      I love a good pound cake. This one was so much better than the classic pound cake. Thanks so much for the recipe 🙂

      Reply
    3. Nart at Cooking with Nart

      August 01, 2020 at 12:43 am

      5 stars
      This pound cake is so rich and good with tea or coffee. Love it!

      Reply
    4. Anjali

      August 01, 2020 at 1:24 am

      5 stars
      I love pound cake, but this recipe might be the best pound cake I've ever tried!! It's like combining the best of all worlds!

      Reply
    5. Jacqueline Meldrum

      August 01, 2020 at 5:08 am

      5 stars
      When I hear the word cannoli I always think of Cake Boss and this cake is definitely boss. It looks divine. Bookmarking it.

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        August 02, 2020 at 7:49 am

        Love this! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Judy F

      August 09, 2020 at 10:49 am

      I haven’t made this yet but was wondering do I need to coat the chocolate chips with flour to prevent them from sinking or is the batter dense enough to prevent this?

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        August 09, 2020 at 11:04 am

        No need to toss the chips in flour. I've never had a problem with them sinking in this recipe. Hope you love it!

        Reply
    7. Jess

      November 03, 2020 at 1:57 pm

      The instructions mention adding "ricotta and cream" but there's no cream listed in the ingredients list. Which is wrong? The instructions or ingredients list?

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        November 03, 2020 at 2:16 pm

        I am sorry for the confusion. By "cream" I mean mix together. There is no additional cream in the recipe... I have edited it to reflect this. Hope you love it!

        Reply
    8. Zita

      February 01, 2021 at 3:48 pm

      I just made your Italian Ricotta Lemon cake this afternoon, so seriously good 👌 and I’m not a very good baker. So my question is for the Cannoli ricotta chip pound cake, do I use salted or not pistachios 🥺 thanks, and now I’m hooked on your recipes

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        February 01, 2021 at 7:29 pm

        Hi! I used unsalted pistachios for my recipes, but salted would work too. Also, be sure that you use a large 9 x 5 loaf pan for this recipe. If you don't have one, you can always bake it in your springform pan or a bundt cake pan. Enjoy!

        Reply
    9. Michele

      February 15, 2021 at 11:37 am

      How do you measure the flour, by weight, dip and sweep or spoon into the cup?

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        February 16, 2021 at 1:53 pm

        I spoon it into the cup.

        Reply
    10. Chantal

      February 22, 2021 at 2:25 pm

      I know cannoli but not a cake will make it on the weekend thank you for sharing

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        March 04, 2021 at 2:32 pm

        Hope you love it!

        Reply
    11. Heather Dixon

      March 27, 2021 at 5:42 pm

      5 stars
      I made this in my bundt and it was amazing. I doubted the amount of flour, I thought there should have been more, but I trusted and it was indeed perfect. Definitely saving this one!!

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        March 29, 2021 at 9:55 am

        So happy you loved it!! 🙂

        Reply
    12. Natalie

      March 29, 2021 at 12:58 pm

      5 stars
      Just came out of the oven and it smells heavenly and taste delicious! I used dark chocolate chips instead and reduced the sugar to 3/4 cups and it is still AMAZING!! Thank you so much for the recipe - this one is going into my keepers. ♥

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        March 30, 2021 at 2:36 pm

        So happy you loved it!!

        Reply
    13. Sherri

      May 10, 2021 at 9:44 am

      Is part skim ricotta ok??

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        May 10, 2021 at 9:46 am

        Yes!

        Reply
    14. Judy F

      August 04, 2021 at 8:33 am

      I made this recipe last year for my son’s birthday- at his request. It was so delicious and not real sweet. Even my picky husband liked it. I don’t remember what I did last year but The recipe says use a hand mixer. Can I use my stand mixer?

      Reply
      • Debinomaha

        January 01, 2022 at 7:20 pm

        @Judy F,

        I did and it came out great.

        Reply
    15. Lorraine

      October 02, 2021 at 11:22 am

      Not sure why this is called a Cannoli Pound Cake as it in no way resembles or tastes like a cannoli With that said it is definitely the best chocolate chip pound cake I’ve ever had And it has pistachios as a bonus

      Reply
      • Michele Culver

        November 18, 2021 at 1:19 pm

        @Lorraine,

        Maybe cause of the ricotta cheese in is why they call it cannoli 😊

        Reply
    16. Debinomaha

      January 01, 2022 at 7:18 pm

      5 stars
      Super easy to make, and delicious!

      Reply
    17. Wendy Waterman

      March 27, 2022 at 4:32 am

      Hi! I can’t wait to make this! Is it possible too make mini loaf’s with this recipe?

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        March 27, 2022 at 6:17 am

        Absolutely! Just be sure to adjust the baking time and don't fill the pans more than half way. Enjoy!

        Reply
      • Wendy Waterman

        March 27, 2022 at 9:10 am

        @angelakallison, thank you so much!

        Reply
    18. C

      April 10, 2022 at 1:37 pm

      5 stars
      I also used Mascarpone Cheese

      Reply
    19. Lisa

      July 31, 2022 at 5:27 pm

      4 stars
      Delicious, moist recipe. To give this a true cannoli flavor, I made a cannoli cream icing.

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        August 08, 2022 at 2:48 pm

        great idea!

        Reply
    20. Wendy

      September 21, 2022 at 10:27 am

      Can this be frozen after cooling?

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        September 21, 2022 at 12:07 pm

        Yes! Just be sure to store in an airtight container. I like to wrap in plastic wrap before placing in a zip top bag.

        Reply
      • Wendy Mallis

        October 02, 2022 at 1:30 pm

        @angelakallison, thank you so much. I just made this and I’m going to cool and freeze so it’s fresh to serve later in the week. It is a beautiful cake except it sunk in the middle, I will top with ice cream but was curious if you would know how I can avoid this from happening.

        Reply
        • angelakallison

          October 03, 2022 at 2:13 pm

          Hi Wendy. There's a lot of reasons why a cake sinks in the middle. It's possible that it was under baked or your oven temperature was off. You also could have used an expired leavening agent or over-mixed the batter. Either way, I hope you enjoy the taste of the Cannoli Pound Cake, it's one of my favorites!

          Reply
      • Wendy

        October 09, 2022 at 6:53 pm

        @angelakallison
        Hi Angela, the taste was incredible! I cannot wait to make it again and I’m thinking my leavening agent might have been expired. Love this recipe!

        Reply
    21. Victoria

      November 21, 2022 at 8:41 am

      This cake was delicious! My batter was a little thinner than in the video, but it didn’t seem to matter. Two questions: Is there a recommended brand of ricotta that is on the dryer side? And can the cake be stored at room temperature?

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        November 23, 2022 at 6:34 pm

        You can store at room temperature for a day or two but keep in the fridge for maximum freshness.

        Reply
    22. Joanne

      January 28, 2023 at 10:34 am

      Hi Angela, What can I use to replace the orange zest? I saw somewhere that it says zest of a whole orange can be replaced by 2 Tablespoons of Orange Juice. What do you recommend?

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        February 02, 2023 at 4:51 am

        You won't get as much orange flavor with just the juice, but you can definitely make it this way. Enjoy!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Angela, the recipe creator of This Italian Kitchen. Cooking alongside her Italian family, she grew up creating authentic meals and desserts.

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