Cassata ice cream looks far more complicated than it actually is. The Indian version is built around a thin sponge cake rolled around a layer of strawberry ice cream dotted with tutti frutti and nuts, then frozen until firm. Each slice reveals a neat spiral of cake and ice cream, making it a reliable choice when you want something that looks good on a plate without any specialist equipment. The sponge here is baked from maida and stays soft and pliable enough to roll without cracking, which is the part that matters most.
About the Recipe
The sponge is a simple two-egg maida cake baked at 160C for about five minutes, just until the top turns golden. It is baked thin so it can be rolled while still slightly warm. The jam diluted with water acts as a moisture layer between the cake and the ice cream, helping the two stick together once frozen. Tutti frutti and mixed nuts go directly onto the ice cream layer before rolling. The whole roll is wrapped tightly in butter paper and frozen for one hour. Slicing must happen immediately after it comes out of the freezer.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This recipe produces sliceable, individually portioned frozen dessert without an ice cream maker or any churning. You bake one thin sponge, spread the ice cream, roll it up and freeze it. That is the entire process. There is also good flexibility here. As the tip in the recipe notes, you can add two or three layers of different ice cream flavours before rolling, which changes the appearance of each slice completely. Strawberry ice cream is the base, but the method works with any flavour you have available.
Cooking Tips
The most common beginner mistake is waiting too long before rolling. The cake must be rolled while it is still slightly warm and flexible. Once it cools completely it will crack. Work quickly after spreading the ice cream because it softens fast at room temperature. Roll the butter paper tightly around the outside and twist the ends closed before freezing. When slicing, use a sharp knife and press straight down in one clean motion, then serve immediately before the slices soften.
Top Tips
- Roll the cake while it is still warm. A fully cooled cake will crack when you try to roll it.
- Dilute the jam with just a small amount of water, enough to make it spreadable but not so much that it makes the cake soggy.
- Work quickly once the ice cream is spread. It begins to melt within a few minutes at room temperature.
- Wrap the butter paper very tightly around the roll and twist the ends closed before placing it in the freezer.
- Use a sharp knife and cut in one clean downward motion. Slicing with a sawing action pulls the layers apart.
- Serve the slices immediately after cutting. They soften quickly once out of the freezer.
Serving and Storing Suggestions
Slice the roll straight from the freezer and serve at once on chilled plates. Each slice is a self-contained portion, which makes it easy to plate for guests. Store the uncut roll wrapped in butter paper in the freezer for up to two days. Beyond that the sponge can become icy and the texture changes. Do not refreeze slices that have begun to soften. If you are making this ahead for a gathering, keep it whole in the freezer and slice only when you are ready to serve.
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Nutrient Benefits
Eggs in the sponge contribute protein and B vitamins. Mixed nuts add protein and healthy fats to each serving. Tutti frutti provides small amounts of natural fruit sugars. The portion size per slice is moderate, making this a reasonable occasional treat.
Cassata Ice Cream
Ingredients
- Strawberry Ice Cream - as required
- Mixed Fruits Jam - as required
- Tutti Frutti - as required
- Mixed Nuts - as required (optional)
- Butter Paper - as required
- To make the cake:
- 100 gms Maida
- 2 Eggs
- 100 gms Sugar
- 1 tsp Ghee
- 1 tsp (or use any other essence as well) Strawberry Essence
Instructions
- Separate the yolks and the white from the eggs.
- Add sugar to the egg yolks and beat well.
- Add ghee and mix again.
- Add the egg whites to the maida.
- Add the essence and mix well.
- Add the egg yolk mixture and beat well.
- Pour into a greased cake tin and place it into a preheated oven at 160C for 5 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Remove and cool.
- Spread the butter paper on a flat surface and place the cake on top.
- Mix 1 tsp jam with a little water and sprinkle on the cake.
- Spread the strawberry ice cream on top to form a 1/2 inch layer.
- Sprinkle tutti frutti and mixed nuts on top.
- Remove the butter paper and roll the cake.
- Cover tightly with the butter paper and keep it in the freezer for 1 hour.
- Cut into slices and serve at once.
- Tip
- If desired, you can also add 2 to 3 layers of ice cream of different flavours.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is cassata ice cream and how is the Indian version different?
Cassata ice cream in India is a frozen roll made from a thin sponge cake wrapped around a layer of ice cream, usually studded with tutti frutti and nuts, then sliced and served cold. The Italian original is a different preparation altogether, typically involving ricotta and candied fruit. The Indian cassata you find in ice cream parlours is this rolled sponge version, and that is what this recipe makes.
Can I use a different flavour of ice cream instead of strawberry?
Yes. The recipe works with any firm ice cream. Vanilla, mango or butterscotch all work well. The tip in the recipe also mentions adding two or three layers of different flavoured ice creams before rolling, which creates a more colourful cross-section when you slice it. Just make sure the ice cream is firm enough to spread in a half-inch layer without running.
Why did my cake crack when I tried to roll it?
The cake was most likely too cool before you attempted to roll it. The sponge needs to be rolled while it is still warm and pliable. Once it reaches room temperature it stiffens and will crack under the pressure of rolling. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven and cools just enough to handle, place it on the butter paper and begin the process without delay.
How do I get clean slices without the ice cream smearing?
Take the roll directly from the freezer and slice it immediately. Use a sharp knife and press straight down in one motion rather than sawing back and forth. If the roll has been in the freezer for the full hour it will be firm enough to cut cleanly. If it has softened at all, return it to the freezer for another 15 to 20 minutes before trying again.
Is it necessary to use butter paper, or can I use cling film instead?
Butter paper is the better choice here because it is non-stick and holds its shape when twisted at the ends. Cling film can work in a pinch but it tends to cling unevenly to the ice cream surface and is harder to wrap tightly around the roll. The tightness of the wrap matters because it keeps the roll in a firm cylindrical shape while it freezes.
Ice Cream!!!!! It is always a delight, that too in this scorching summer, it is the most wanted dish. Cassata ice cream is the best of all as it is very much tasty with 2 or more flavours and tutti fruti and all. Thanks for the recipe.