Raffaello cake – a delicious and easy to make coconut cream cake with yogurt, pineapple, and Raffaello filling.

This Raffaello cake is a dream of a cake!
I've always had a weakness for Raffaello. I am not much into chocolate, candy, or any kind of bars, etc, but when it comes to Raffaello, I just cannot resist them. I actually hardly ever buy them, because I know that if I have a box in the cupboard I won't be able to pass by without reaching for one until they are all gone...
I even make some myself, have a look at these homemade Raffellos, if you would like to try a somewhat different version.
Ingredients
Cake:
- You will need flour, sugar, eggs, cornstarch and baking powder.
Raffaello:
- About 15 pieces of Raffaello.
- You will need 9 for the decoration, but keep 1-2 extras in case some might break when you halve them.
- The rest will be used for the filling.
Yogurt:
- Dairy coconut yogurt, do not mistake that for yogurt made out of coconut milk.
- The yogurt I use is just regular yogurt mixed with some desiccated coconut and coconut flavor probably.
- Have a look in the fruit yogurt section of your supermarket, you should be able to find it.
- If by any chance, you won't be able to find it, you could use pineapple yogurt or even vanilla yogurt.
Gelatin:
- I always use Dr.Oetker gelatin sheets to help set the filling. (Amazon affiliate link)
- 6 gelatin sheets from Dr. Oetker are the equivalent of 1 Dr. Oetker packet of gelatin, which weighs 9 g/0.3 oz and it’s enough to bind 500 ml/ 2 cups liquid (that’s what the package says, but I always use gelatin according to the recipe instructions).
- When using ground gelatin instead of gelatin leaves, follow the packet’s instructions, mine says that I have to mix the ground gelatin with 4-6 tablespoons cold water and let it bloom for 10 minutes. Dissolve the gelatin and mix it with the filling as instructed in the recipe.
Pineapple:
- I use a can of sweetened pineapple pieces.
- Drain well and chop them a bit smaller, if they are too large.
Tips
Tip no. 1: Always use a digital kitchen scale when baking! (Amazon affiliate link)
Cake base:
- Preheat the oven. It is important that the oven is hot when you finish mixing the batter. The batter has to go immediately into the hot oven, if left to wait the baking powder will lose its power and the cake will not rise.
- Line only the bottom of the springform with baking paper.
- Beat the egg whites in a very clean bowl using very clean beaters. Any trace of fat will prevent the egg whites from getting stiff.
- Release the cake from the form as soon as it is baked and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Filling:
- Always read the packet's instructions before using gelatin sheets. Follow those (if they differ from mine) in what concerns the way of using the gelatin, but always keep the amounts required by a recipe.
- For more details about working with gelatin see this post No Bake Ricotta Cheesecake.
- Heat the gelatin very gently, never let it simmer or come to a boil, it will be ruined.
- Stir constantly, it will take less than half a minute for the gelatin to dissolve.
- Remove from the heat and start adding the coconut mixture to the gelatin, one tablespoon at a time. Only add the next tablespoon when the previous one is completely incorporated.
- Place the mixture in the fridge but don't leave it there for too long, it should only begin to set. If it sets too much, you will get clumps in the filling when you add the whipped cream.
- When chopping the candy, don't forget to chop the almond they contain as well, not that anybody chokes on it.
- You will need a cake ring (Amazon affiliate link) which will stop the filling from running off the cake before it sets.
- The Raffaello cake needs at least 4-6 hours to set, I always leave it overnight.
More festive cakes:
No-Bake Blueberry Lemon Curd Cheesecake
Nigella Lawson's Chocolate Cheesecake
Lemon or Lime Buttermilk Torte
No-Bake Banana Caramel Cream Pie
Raffaello Cake
Ingredients
- Cake base Note 1:
- 3 eggs
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 150 g/ 5.3 oz/ ¾ cup sugar
- 85 g/ 3oz/ ⅔ cup flour
- 35 g/ 1.2 oz / ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Filling:
- 450 g/ 1 lb coconut yogurt dairy coconut yogurt, not yogurt made with coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 65 g/ 2.3 oz/ ⅓ cup sugar
- 6 gelatin leaves Note 2
- 400 ml/ 13.5 fl.oz/ 1 ¾ cups heavy/double cream
- 1 can pineapple pieces 570 g/ 20 oz can
- 1 large box Raffaello 15 Raffaellos
- some desiccated coconut for decoration optional
Instructions
Cake base:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/ 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the bottom of a springform (23-26 cm/ 9-10 inches diameter) with baking paper.
- Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites and the warm water until stiffer. Slowly start adding the sugar and continue beating until the eggs whites are stiff and glossy. Carefully fold in the lightly beaten egg yolks.
- Mix the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder together and sift them over the egg mixture. Fold in carefully.
- Pour the batter into the prepared springform and bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Release the cake from the form and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Filling:
- Check the gelatin's packet's instructions before starting.
- Soak the gelatin leaves in cold water according to the packet's instructions, about 10 minutes.
- In the meantime place the coconut yogurt, sugar, and vanilla extract into a bowl. Mix well.
- Squeeze the gelatin leaves lightly and place them into a saucepan large enough to hold all the filling at the end. Heat very gently while stirring all the time until the gelatin leaves are completely dissolved. Do not let it come to a boil.
- Remove from the heat and start adding the coconut mixture to the gelatin, one tablespoon at a time. Only add the next tablespoon when the previous one is completely incorporated.
- Set 10 Raffaellos aside, you will need 8 halved ones + 1 whole for the decoration, but one or two might break when you try to halve them. Chop the remaining Raffaellos, taking care to chop the almond they contain as well.
- Fold the chopped Raffaello into the coconut gelatin mixture.
- Place the mixture in the fridge until it starts to set. It should only start to set and not set completely.
- In the meantime beat the heavy cream until stiff.
- When the yogurt gelatin mixture is slightly set, fold the heavy cream into it.
Assemble:
- Drain the pineapple thoroughly. Chop it into small pieces, if not already chopped.
- Place the cake base onto a serving platter and set a metal cake ring around it.
- Cover the base with the pineapple pieces. Pour the coconut cream mixture over the cake base.
- Place the cake in the fridge to set for at least 4-5 hours or better overnight.
- When ready to serve use a cake divider to mark the slices, if desired.
- Very carefully halve the Raffaellos and decorate the cake. Place a whole Raffaello in the middle of the cake. Sprinkle the cake with some desiccated coconut, if desired.
Notes
- Use a digital kitchen scale for measuring the ingredients; it guarantees for best results. (Amazon affiliate link)
- I use Dr. Oetker gelatin sheets. Always read the packet's instructions of the gelatin you are using and follow those if they are different from mine. (Amazon affiliate link)
grace says
i would love that candy and i would love this cake! yeah, one or two raffaello might just so happen to break...right into my mouth. 🙂