My Zizi Rosie Loved Cassata Cake

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     No matter what the holiday, my Zizi always had a Cassata Cake ready. If we said “Party” she had the cake ready in an instant and that was because she always had one in the freezer. Zizi Rosie loved sweets. The woman never ate much at a meal so that she had room for dessert. The term, “eats like a bird” describe her very well, except when it came to candy, cookies, cake or anything sweet. Zizi never met a sweet she didn’t like. She always had candy hidden around the house but no one ever saw her eat it, she was pretty sneaky. But my Uncle Benny was wise to her, because he would find the wrappers in the garbage. She was a Sweets Foodie, but she didn’t want anyone to know it. I don’t know why, we didn’t care what she ate; since she was maybe 110 lbs. soak and wet. But she never wanted anyone to know she had a weakness. It was the same with her hair, at 70 she had black hair which she said she didn’t dye. We believed her until one day my Papa went to her house unexpectly and found her with the dye on her head. Since there was no love lost between the two of them, he could not wait to tell everyone. If he didn’t think Mama would kill him, I think he would have put it in the Morristown Daily Record, our local newspaper.

     I have been looking for the Cassata Cake recipe for years but I never found it until today. Do you believe this, I was playing Words with Friends and some recipes came up between moves. Low and behold one was for a Sicilian Cassata (Ricotta Cake). I pulled it up immediately and it sure sounds like my Zizi’s cake. I can’t wait to make it, she must be smiling right now. I wonder if she had anything to do with that Pop-up. She was a full blooded Sicilian, and I know that this must be it. I am going to make it right away and let you all know if this is the right recipe. I am so excited, can you imagine a Foodie who just found a recipe that she has been looking to find for years. OMG I am going to the store right now to get the ingredients. I pity anyone who gets in my way.  

     So I made the cake and if it is not exactly the same as Zizi’s, it is very close and it does freeze wonderfully. Zizi said she would put it in the freezer unwrapped and once it was frozen she would wrap it, smart lady. Thank you Zizi Rose for all the years of eating your delicious Cassata Cake.

Zizi’s Cassata Cake
 
2 lbs of fresh, whole milk ricotta

1 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup of chocolate chips

1 tablespoon grated orange rind

1 yellow layer cake, made from scratch or a cake mix or store bought your choice. The recipe called for sponge cake but Zizi did not make it with a sponge cake.

2 cups Whipped Cream

     Place the ricotta into a fine mesh sieve and put it over a bowl, place into the refrigerator overnight to allow the excess moisture to drain out before proceeding with the Cassata recipe.

     Place the drained ricotta into the bowl of a mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until the curds are smooth. Mix the smooth ricotta with 1 cup sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, chocolate chips and orange rind. Set aside.

     Cut each layer of cake in half horizontally making 4 pieces. Put one layer on a plate and put filling on it, repeat with eat layer. Now cover the whole outside of the cake with whipped cream. Don’t skimp, use the real thing. If you don’t know how to make whipped cream look it up it is very easy. Grate dark chocolate on top of cake or make chocolate curls and it is ready to serve. You can freeze it like Zizi did so you can have it ready when anyone says PARTY. 

A piece of this cake probable has a million calories but you won’t be eating it every day and think of all the healthy calcium and protein it has in it. See I can always find a way to make something we might think as bad as healthy. Remember life is short “Eat Dessert First”.