CHOCOLATE LOAF CAKE STUFFED WITH CANNOLI FILLING & COVERED IN THE MOST DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE FROSTING

• 8 tablespoons butter, SOFTENED
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
  
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup milk

Beat butter and sugar. Add salt, vanilla. Add 3 eggs. Add dry ingredients and milk just to combine. Pour into greased 9×5 and bake at 350 for 70 mins. Cool, turn out and cool completely. I froze to speed this up.
Filling:

• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar-I wound up adding a little more for sweetness
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Chocolate frosting:

• 1/2c. + 6T cocoa powder
• 3/4c. confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, very soft
• dash salt
• 1 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat cream in microwave and pour in mixer with cocoa powder and 3/4c. confectioners. Mix well. Add butter, salt, 1c. confectioners, vanilla and whip on high. Set aside.
Assembly-slice the loaf lengthwise into thirds. Fill with the ricotta mixture and cover the top with the frosting. Chill! mmmmmm!

adapted from king arthur flour