Chocolate Italian Love Cake (From Scratch)
Chocolate Italian Love Cake is a rich chocolate cake with a creamy ricotta cheesecake layer that magically swaps places during baking, topped with cocoa cream cheese whipped frosting.
Servings: 16 servings
Ingredients
Cake
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 60 grams
- ¾ cup water very hot, or use hot coffee; 180 grams
- 2 cups granulated sugar 400 grams
- ½ cup vegetable oil 110 grams
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup milk 170 grams
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour 210 grams
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Ricotta Filling:
- 24 ounces ricotta cheese 3 cups; 881 grams
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Whipped Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2½ cups heavy cream cold
- 1⅓ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a 13 x 9-inch pan by lining it with parchment paper. Ensure the pan is at least 2 inches tall to accommodate the cake.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot coffee (or water) until smooth.
- Add the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix well until fully combined.
- Place a sifter over the bowl and sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until the batter is smooth and lump-free.
- Pour the batter into the prepared 13 x 9-inch pan.
Make the Ricotta Filling:
- In a separate bowl, beat together the ricotta cheese, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth.
- Pour the ricotta mixture over the chocolate cake batter. I used a measuring cup to distribute it evenly across the surface.
- Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the top is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Make the Cream Cheese Whipped Frosting:
- Beat the Cream Cheese: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and free of lumps. Set aside.
- Whip the Cream Mixture: In a separate bowl, combine the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla extract. Whip on medium speed until stiff peaks form.
- Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to lighten it. Add another third of the whipped cream and gently fold in until incorporated. Fold in the remaining whipped cream, mixing until fully combined and fluffy.
- Once the cake is completely cool, spread the frosting evenly over the top.
Notes
Frosting: The frosting makes enough to cover the top and sides if you remove the cake from the pan. For easy serving, leave the cake in the pan and spread a generous layer over the top.
Room-temperature ingredients: Bring the eggs, milk, and ricotta to room temperature so they blend smoothly and bake evenly.
Use the right pan: Bake the cake in a 13×9-inch pan that's at least 2 inches deep to prevent the batter from overflowing.
Check for doneness: The cake is ready when the top is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool before frosting: Let the cake cool completely before adding the frosting so it stays light and fluffy.
Storage: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Freeze individual slices for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 576kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 477mg | Potassium: 254mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 1019IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 2mg
