Cannoli Cupcakes

Holy Cannoli! My top 3 desserts of all time are (in no particular order): Crème Brûlée, Baklava, and Cannoli’s. I grew up in Connecticut and saying my hometown had a lot of Italian influences would be an understatement. There were a few Italian bakeries and mom-and-pop Italian restaurants in town that served cannolis and they’re just heavenly. I strongly dislike ricotta cheese in lasagna but absolutely love it in cannolis…go figure.

My sister is currently in town visiting from Utah and I knew I had to make these cupcakes, if only for nostalgic reasons. Everyone absolutely loved them and they are a delicious spin on the original.

Cannoli Cupcakes

Cake:

2 1/2 C flour

2 1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1 3/4 C sugar

1/2 C butter, softened

3 eggs

1 1/2 t vanilla

1 C milk

1 C ricotta cheese

1 t orange zest

2 T powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line two muffin pans with cupcake wrappers; set aside.

Combine all of the dry cake ingredients together in a medium bowl. In a different, larger bowl, mix together the butter, eggs, vanilla, and milk. Add in the ricotta cheese, orange zest, and powdered sugar to the wet ingredients and then add in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined.

Pour the batter into cupcake liners, 24 in total. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the muffin pans to a cooling rack. While the cupcakes are cooling, make the cannoli filling.

Cannoli filling:

1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese

1/4 C confectioners' sugar

1 T orange zest

1/2 C mini chocolate chips

To make the cannoli filling, stir together the ricotta cheese and confectioners' sugar using a spoon. Fold in the orange zest and chopped chocolate.

When the cupcakes are cool, cut out the middles of each cupcake and using a pastry bag, pipe the cannoli filling into each cupcake, about 1 heaping tablespoon. After all the cupcakes have been filled, make the buttercream frosting.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting:
20 T unsalted butter, softened

1/3 C ricotta cheese
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
2 1/2 C confectioners’ sugar
Pinch salt
1 t vanilla extract
1-2 T heavy cream (for thinning)
1 C pistachios, chopped for garnish

In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add in the ricotta cheese and beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Using a paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into butter and beat mixture at medium-high speed to combine, about 15 seconds.

Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully incorporated, about 30 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 20 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice. Pipe the filling into a pastry bag and frost the filled cupcakes as desired. Garnish with chopped pistachios.

Yields: 24 cupcakes

Source: Adapted from What’s Cookin, Chicago?

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