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Whole Cassata Siciliana decorated with colorful candied fruits and white icing, placed on a lace tablecloth.

Cassata Siciliana

Layers of sponge filled with sweet ricotta and almond marzipan make Cassata Siciliana a true Sicilian classic known for its rich flavour, vibrant colour, and timeless craftsmanship.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 3 hours
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 4 hours
Author: Manuela Zangara

Ingredients

Rum Syrup

  • 40 g – 1.4 oz. water
  • 35 g – 1.25 oz. sugar
  • 40 g – 1.4 oz. rum – if your rum is about 40% alcohol

Marzipan

  • 50 g – 1.75 oz. almond meal
  • 50 g – 1.75 oz. icing sugar
  • A few drops of almond extract
  • Green liquid food colour
  • A little water

Sweet Ricotta Filling

  • 800 g – 1.75 lbs. ricotta*
  • 480 g – 1 lb. sugar
  • 70 g – 2.5 oz. dark chocolate chips

Assembling the Cassata

Decoration

  • Glassa fondente made with 300 g – 10.5 oz. icing sugar and a little water
  • Royal icing
  • Candied fruits – cherries, red and green pears, half a mandarin, zuccata (Sicilian candied pumpkin)
  • Silver cachous

Instructions

Make the Base and Filling

  1. Bake your sponge cake a couple of days before assembling the cassata. It needs to be slightly stale so it holds its shape.

  2. You can find the Sponge Cake recipe I used in my Mimosa Cake recipe.

  3. Prepare the ricotta filling as in my Sicilian Cannoli recipe.

  4. On the day you plan to assemble the cassata, make the rum syrup and marzipan.
  5. To make the rum syrup, mix the water and sugar in a small pot and place it over medium heat. When it starts to boil, turn off the heat, add the rum, and let it cool completely.
    Preparing rum syrup for Sicilian cassata by boiling water, sugar, and rum.
  6. To make the marzipan, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and add a little cold water (about 1 tablespoon at a time, as you won’t need much). Mix well and knead until you get a smooth dough. Keep it wrapped in plastic wrap until you’re ready to use it.

Assemble the Cassata

  1. Line the cassata mould with plastic wrap (this will make it easier to unmould later).
    Collage showing the Cassata Siciliana cut into slices, displaying its colorful layers.
  2. Cut one sponge cake disc to fit the base of the mould. Roll out the marzipan and cut it into seven trapezoid pieces of equal size. Use these as templates to cut seven sponge cake pieces of the same shape.
  3. Arrange the seven marzipan and seven sponge cake pieces alternately along the sides of the mould (as shown in the photo below).
  4. Brush a small amount of rum syrup over the sponge cake base and sides (do not use too much or the cassata may tear, you only need a thin layer to soften it).
  5. Fill the mould generously with the sweet ricotta and chocolate cream. Cover with the remaining sponge cake disc and press it down gently to level. Smooth the sides if needed, then cover completely with plastic wrap. Place a flat plate on top to act as a weight (the cassata needs to be pressed), and refrigerate overnight.
    Step-by-step collage showing how to layer sponge cake, marzipan, and ricotta filling in the cassata mould.

Glaze and Decorate

  1. The next day, unmould the cassata and prepare to decorate it.

  2. To make the glassa fondente, mix the icing sugar and a little water in a small pot. The glaze should be smooth, fluid, creamy, and still white.

    If you add too much water, it won’t be thick enough to coat the sponge cake. If you add too little, it won’t spread evenly. Add water gradually (it’s easier to add than to remove). Once the consistency looks right, place the pot over low heat and bring it to a gentle simmer while stirring. When it starts to simmer, turn off the heat and pour it over the top of the cassata.

    Making glassa fondente glaze in a pot until smooth and creamy white.

  3. The glaze sets quickly, so have everything ready and work fast. Let the excess glaze flow from the top to the sides and smooth it gently with a spatula (work from the sides only).

    Note: The glassa fondente solidifies very quickly, so you must work fast once it’s ready. If the glaze is still fluid, you can spread it only on the sponge cake pieces and leave the marzipan uncovered for a brighter green finish.

  4. Refrigerate for about 1 hour, then decorate the top with pieces of candied fruit.

  5. For the final touch, make some Royal Icing (you can find the method in my How to Make Easy Royal Icing tutorial) and decorate the sides and top of the cassata using a piping cone made with baking paper.

  6. Add some silver cachous.
    Decorating Cassata Siciliana with royal icing and candied fruits in floral patterns.
  7. Let it set completely before serving.

Recipe Notes

*Cassata is traditionally made with sheep’s milk ricotta, but I couldn’t find it where I live, so I used regular ricotta instead. It still turned out smooth and creamy.