SICILIAN CASSATA CAKE, ASHTON STYLE #168

There is nothing more Italian that I can think of then Cassata cake.  I know, what about spaghetti and meatballs.  Yet Italians don't really make spaghetti and meatballs.  Yes they make spaghetti, but its spaghetti with what they call gravy which is another way of saying spaghetti sauce.  But Italians don't actually serve meatballs with the spaghetti but serve it separately.  Of course I also know that Cassata cake is actually a Sicilian recipe which is alright in that my family is Sicilian. I know I may be quibling and using symantics but what the heck!  Back to Cassata cake, It is my favorite cake and it is Italian or techniquely Sicilian.  Please try it and tell me if you like as much as I do.
INGREDIENTS:
     1 1/2 cups flour (cake if possible but one  
     can also use regular flour
     6 eggs, separating the whites from the yolks
     1/4 tsp salt
     1/2 tsp baking powder
     1/2 cup water
     1 1/2 cups sugar
     1/2 tsp cream of tatar
     1 tbl Amaretto extract
     1 cup pistachios (crushed)
     2 lbs fresh ricotta cheese
     2 cups powdered sugar
     1/2cup heavy cream
     1/2 stick of butter (room temperature)
      DIRECTIONS:
     1. separate the egg yolks from the egg whites
     2. whip the egg yolks until very thick using a
         kitchen aide mixer
     3. add the sugar slowly until well incorporated
     4. add the Amaretto extract and continue
         beating
     5. mix the flour, baking powder, crushed pistaccio
        and salt together and add the flour micture to
        the egg mixture and incorporate (set aside in a bowl)
     6. beat the egg whites and cream of tatar together
         using the Kitchen Aide mixer until there are stiff
         peaks
     7. add this to the egg mixture and fold in slowly until
         with the flour mixture unttil all is incorporated
     8. if you have two 9" form pans split the cake mixture
         evenly between them and bake in a 325 degree oven
         for about a 1/2 hr (place a toothpick in the middle and
         if it comes out dry the cakes are done
    9. using a double thread cut the two cakes in half
RICOTTA MIXTURE RECIPE
       1 1/2 lbs of fresh ricotta cheese
       1/2 cup of Amareto liquor
       8 marachino cherries minced
       1/2 cup of sugar
DIRECTIONS FOR THE FILLING
      1. mix the ricotta with the sugar
          until well incorporated
      2. add the Amareto liquor and the
          cherries to the ricotta and mix
          well until incorporated
SPREAD THE FILLING BETWEEN THE THE LAYERS OF CAKE EVENLY

FROST THE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE OR
A POURED FROSTING USING THE FOLLOWING  INGREDIENTS:
      2 lbs of powdered sugar
      1 pt of water
      1 tube of green food coloring
DIRECTIONS:
     1 mix the sugar with the water
     2 add the food coloring and stir
       until the frosting is the consistency
       of  heavy cream
    3. place the cake on a flat rack
        raised above a flat pan
   4.  starting from the middle of the
        top of the cake pour the frosting  
       and cover the whole cake and then
       let it dry and firm