Description
A rich and creamy Italian Love Cake that beautifully combines moist chocolate cake with a luscious ricotta cheese layer, delivering a harmonious blend of sweet and savory flavors with a marbled visual appeal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese (drained)
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for ricotta layer)
- 2 large eggs (for ricotta layer)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and whole milk to the wet mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
- In a separate bowl, blend ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs until smooth and creamy.
- Pour half of the chocolate batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Carefully pour ricotta mixture over the chocolate layer.
- Dollop remaining chocolate batter on top of ricotta layer and gently swirl with a knife or skewer to create a marbled effect.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Gluten-Free Option: Substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free all-purpose blend.
- Dairy-Free Option: Use dairy-free margarine and substitute ricotta with tofu blended with lemon juice.
- Sugar Alternatives: Use coconut sugar or suitable sugar substitutes for lower glycemic index.
- Flavor Variations: Add orange or lemon zest to ricotta mix or fold in chocolate chips or nuts for texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: Italian cake, ricotta cake, chocolate ricotta cake, layered cake, marbled cake, Italian dessert