Sicilian Cassata Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups Flour, sifted
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 tsp. Salt + a pinch for whipping egg whites
• 8 large Eggs, separated
• 1-1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
• 2 tsp. pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cup unsalted Butter, melted and cooled
• 1 recipe Rum Soaking Syrup
• 1 recipe Ricotta Filling
• 1 recipe Whipped Cream Frosting
• Fresh Berries or Candied Cherries for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 and position a rack in the center. Lightly grease two 9” round cake pans, line with parchment paper and then grease the parchment. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and 1 tsp. of salt into a medium bowl and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and sugar on medium speed until very light and pale yellow in color and doubled in volume. Beat in the vanilla, followed by the melted butter. Transfer the egg mixture to a large clean mixing bowl. Fold in the dry ingredients – quickly and lightly, stopping just before fully incorporated. Clean the whisk attachment and mixing bowl. Place the egg whites and a pinch of salt in the cleaned bowl. Using the whisk attachment on medium-high speed, beat the egg whites until firm peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter quickly and lightly, incorporate any streaks of dry ingredients that remain. Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans, rap the pans against the counter top to eliminate air bubbles. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until they are golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then carefully unmold and set them out to cool completely on a wire rack.   Rum Soaking Syrup

• 2 cups Granulated Sugar
• 3/4 cup Cold Water
• 1/2 cup Rum

In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar, water and rum. Place over medium heat and bring contents to a boil. Lower the heat and allow the syrup to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.   Ricotta Filling

• 2 cups part skim Ricotta Cheese
• 3 Tbsp. Sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp. Vanilla
• 1 cup Whipping Cream, whipped
• 1 cup semisweet mini Chocolate Chips
• zest from 1 Orange

Beat ricotta cheese, sugar and vanilla on medium speed in bowl of an electric mixer for 3 minutes. Fold in whipped cream, chocolate chips and orange zest.   Whipped Cream Frosting

• 2 cups Whipping Cream
• 2 Tbsp. Confectioner’s Sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla

Beat cream on high speed in bowl of an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Beat in sugar and vanilla.   To Assemble Cake: Carefully cut each cake layer in half using a sharp serrated knife. Place 1 layer on serving platter. Brush with rum syrup. Spread with 1/3 of ricotta filling. Repeat procedure with remaining layers ending with a cake layer on top. No sooner than 6 hours before serving, frost sides and top of cake with all but 1 cup of frosting. Decorate with remaining frosting, chopped chocolate and fresh berries. Refrigerate until serving time.