Raspberry Cannoli Cream Crepe Cake

 

This cake is for all of you who hate to bake but like to cook. This cake is for all of you who live in warm locales and do not want to turn on your ovens. This cake is for all of you who want a #raspberrydessert that is as simple as it is stunning. This cake is for all of you looking for a dessert that's full of protein and fiber but not loaded with sugar. 

This cake is for all of you who love delicious, creamy, fruity, fresh treats.

This cake is for YOU.

All of my regular readers know that I'm fairly obsessed with both cannoli cream and crepes. And of course, I have a gazillion recipes featuring berries. So when I was invited through The Daily Meal's Culinary Content Network to participate in Driscoll's® "Raspberries for Dessert" recipe contest, I knew just what I'd make.

 

 A crepe cake! It's made up of layer upon layer of delicate crepes, each spread with a decadent raspberry cannoli cream, then topped with loads of fresh raspberries. Now you understand why I insist that THIS CAKE IS FOR YOU.

Ingredients

• 10-15 crepes
• 6-ounce package of Driscoll's raspberries, 1/3 cup of the berries separated
• 2 cups good quality ricotta (try my easy, creamy homemade ricotta!)
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• zest of one lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch of salt
• additional powdered sugar, for garnish

Put the ricotta, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt into a food processor. Process for about three minutes, until the mixture is thick and smooth. Add the 1/3 cup of fresh @driscollsberry raspberries and process again until the berries are fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth.

NOTE: If you're making homemade crepes (here's the recipe I used) make sure they've cooled before assembling your cake—otherwise the warm crepes may make the cream filling run.

Assembly takes some time but is incredibly easy. Place a crepe on your cake plate. Top with a thin layer of the raspberry cannoli cream, spreading to the crepe's edges; use about three tablespoons of filling per layer for a 15-layer cake or about 1/4 cup per layer for a 10-layer cake.

Continue the layering of crepes followed by cream until you have used all the cream and crepes.

On your final crepe layer—which will be the top of your cake—spread a small, very thin layer of cream (just using the scrapings from the bowl of your food processor should do it). This will act as the glue on which to place the rest of your raspberries.  

The gorgeous raspberries not only dress up this rustic dessert, they also add an essential layer of flavor and freshness. Top the berries with some powdered sugar to garnish and voila! Gorgeous, darling!

Place the cake in your refrigerator for at least an hour or two before serving. This will allow the cake to set and ensures that it will slice easily; if you try to cut it before this time, the layers may slide.

This cake is incredibly cool and light—perfect for brunch or dessert on a summer evening. I'm also thinking this would be an amazing surprise for a birthday breakfast for my son...it's festive and fun and truly wholesome enough to serve first thing on a special morning!

When would you serve this amazing cake?