Cassata siciliana

Cassata siciliana is a whole-cake dessert from Sicily built from sponge cake, a sweetened ricotta filling, and a decorated marzipan or sugar-icing shell. It is made for festivals and is sold by pastry shops across the island.

What it really is

The cake is built in a round mould lined with sponge cake, usually soaked in a sugar syrup with a little orange liqueur or Marsala. The core is sheep's milk ricotta beaten with sugar, with pieces of candied fruit (orange and citron peel, cherries) and sometimes dark chocolate folded through. The whole is sealed with sponge, chilled, turned out, and covered in a thin layer of marzipan and a sugar icing, then decorated with candied fruit and piped patterns.

It is often confused with other Sicilian ricotta desserts. Cannoli are fried pastry shells filled to order and are not a cake. Cassata differs from a plain ricotta cheesecake in its sponge base, its candied fruit, and its marzipan and icing finish.

How it's served

• Cut into thin wedges and served cold as a dessert or at the end of a festive meal
• Often served with a small glass of sweet Sicilian wine or coffee
• Kept chilled and eaten within a day or two of making, as the ricotta softens over time
• Sold whole in pastry shops, especially around Easter

How to write it on the menu

• Name the key components: sponge cake, sweetened ricotta, candied fruit and marzipan
• Flag MILK (ricotta, sponge), EGGS and ALMONDS (marzipan) and WHEAT (sponge) for guests
• State whether the sponge is soaked in liqueur, as alcohol content may matter to some guests
• Specify whether the sugar icing is plain or decorated with candied fruit