Our traditional cassata cake recipe uses a convenient shortcut, which means you get to enjoy a slice of this delicious Italian specialty in no time. Our cassata cake recipe is so tasty, it’ll fly off the cake plate.

What You’ll Need:
1 (18-1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix – 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided – 1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract – 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons dark rum – 1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar – 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Bake cake batter according to package directions for two 9-inch round layers; let cool 10 minutes, then remove from pans to a wire rack to finish cooling.
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, chocolate chips, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the vanilla, and cinnamon; mix well, then cover and chill until ready to use.

In a small bowl, combine rum, water, and remaining granulated sugar; mix well. Drizzle half of the mixture over each cake layer. Place one cake layer on a serving platter, cover with ricotta cheese mixture, and top with 2nd cake layer.
In a medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed beat heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar 5 to 6 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. Frost top and sides of the cake with whipped cream then sprinkle with toasted almonds.

Cover loosely and chill at least 2 hours before serving.